Mikel Arteta: How a former Gunner ended Arsenal’s 22-year title drought | Football News

Arsenal did not clinch the Premier League title in dramatic fashion on the pitch. There was no final whistle at the Emirates Stadium, no last-minute winner to seal the crown.

Instead, the moment arrived through a scoreline elsewhere. On May 19, Manchester City needed to beat AFC Bournemouth to keep the title race alive. But City were held to a 1-1 draw, handing the championship to Arsenal F.C..

A day earlier, Arsenal had already done its job with a narrow 1-0 win over Burnley F.C.. Then came the waiting, the tension, and finally the release.

With one league match remaining, Mikel Arteta’s side moved four points clear at the top and officially ended a 22-year wait for a Premier League title.

More Than a Trophy for Arsenal Fans

For many Arsenal supporters, the Premier League title had become something inherited rather than experienced.

They had grown up hearing stories of Highbury, Arsène Wenger’s great teams, Thierry Henry gliding past defenders, and Patrick Vieira lifting trophies. But their own memories were shaped differently, by near misses, late-season collapses, Champions League heartbreaks, and the feeling that Arsenal were always close to becoming themselves again, but never fully there.

That is why this triumph felt deeper than celebration. The title also ended the long shadow of Arsenal’s legendary 2003-04 “Invincibles” season. That campaign became both the club’s greatest achievement and its heaviest burden. Every Arsenal side that followed was measured against it.

The club won FA Cups and Community Shields during the years after Wenger’s peak, but the league title remained painfully distant.

From Wenger to Arteta: Years of Reinvention 

Arsène Wenger’s Final Years

Wenger remained the defining figure at Arsenal long after the club’s last title win. But the latter stages of his reign carried frustration alongside the beautiful football.

Arsenal could still entertain, but no longer dominate a title race over an entire season.

Unai Emery’s Brief Spell

In 2018, Unai Emery arrived as the first major break from Wenger’s era. However, his spell lasted only 18 months.

Club legend Freddie Ljungberg briefly took charge before Arsenal turned to a former captain.

Arteta’s Risky Appointment

Mikel Arteta became Arsenal manager in December 2019 despite having no senior managerial experience.

He won the FA Cup in his first season, but the rebuilding process was difficult. Arsenal finished eighth in back-to-back campaigns and even dropped out of European competition.

At one stage in 2021, Arsenal looked far removed from the club that once treated Champions League qualification as routine.

A Ruthless Rebuild

Arteta’s rebuild was not sentimental. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang departed. The dressing room was reshaped. Arsenal became younger, more disciplined, and tactically sharper.

Rather than trying to recreate Wenger’s version of Arsenal, Arteta built a sterner side. This Arsenal could still play attractive football, but it no longer depended entirely on fluency. It relied on structure, pressing, territorial control, and resilience.

Set Pieces Became Arsenal’s Secret Weapon 

Nicolas Jover’s Influence

Arsenal’s dominance from set pieces became one of the defining themes of the season.

Under set-piece coach Nicolas Jover, Arsenal scored:

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  24 goals from set pieces in the Premier League
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  18 goals directly from corners –  a Premier League single-season record

Critics complained that Arsenal’s routines were unattractive. Arteta responded bluntly by saying he was actually disappointed Arsenal had not scored more from them.

The winner against Burnley came from a Bukayo Saka corner, headed home by Kai Havertz, nervous, rehearsed, decisive.

Midfield Control

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  Declan Rice gave Arsenal authority and energy in midfield.
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  Martin Zubimendi added composure and control.
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  Eberechi Eze brought creativity and unpredictability.

Goals and Attacking Threat

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  Viktor Gyökeres offered the physical centre-forward profile Arsenal had long searched for.
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  Bukayo Saka remained Arsenal’s biggest attacking threat despite injuries interrupting his season.
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  Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard contributed key moments throughout the campaign.

Overcoming the ‘Bottlers’ Tag

After finishing as runners-up three straight times, Arsenal carried a painful reputation.

In 2022-23, Manchester City hunted them down.

In 2023-24, City edged them by two points.

In 2024-25, Liverpool finished above them.

Every collapse strengthened the “bottlers” narrative. There were moments this season when the old fears resurfaced. Arsenal lost twice to Manchester City in April during a damaging stretch across competitions. But this time, the collapse never arrived.

The response was mature rather than spectacular. Arsenal tightened defensively, protected leads, and survived difficult matches. The final weeks became less about style and more about mentality. That ultimately made the difference.

The Night Arsenal Finally Became Champions Again

When Manchester City dropped points at Bournemouth, Arsenal players watched together away from the pitch. Supporters gathered around the Emirates Stadium as flares lit up north London.

It was not the cinematic ending many imagined, but it perfectly captured this Arsenal era, built on accumulation, discipline, pressure, and resilience. The triumph did not erase the frustration of the past 22 years, but it transformed it.

The collapses, the mockery, the endless “almost” seasons, and the constant comparisons to the Invincibles all became part of the journey rather than proof of failure.

Arteta’s greatest achievement is not simply winning the title. It is redefining Arsenal. This team can still value technical football, but it no longer needs to apologise for being ruthless. It can win through Saka’s creativity, Rice’s power, Raya’s saves, Saliba’s calmness, Gabriel’s headers, or a perfectly rehearsed corner routine.