Arsenal have been crowned Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years after second-placed Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw by Bournemouth, who also secured a European spot. The result at the Vitality Stadium on Tuesday night (Wednesday AEST) ended the title race with one game remaining, as City failed to keep pace with the Gunners.
Guardiola's Future in Doubt
Amid reports that manager Pep Guardiola will step down at the end of the season, City needed a win to take the title race to the final day. Erling Haaland equalised in added time to cancel out Junior Kroupi's record-breaking 13th top-flight goal of the campaign, but the visitors could not find a winner, denying Guardiola a potential fairytale farewell.
Bournemouth's historic achievement was a fitting way to mark the final home game of head coach Andoni Iraola, who received a rousing send-off at full-time before being replaced by Marco Rose in the summer. Iraola and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta have been friends since playing youth football together in San Sebastian.
Bournemouth's European Dream
Following a remarkable 17th league game without loss, the Cherries are guaranteed a top-seven finish and remain in contention for Champions League football ahead of Sunday's season finale at Nottingham Forest. City are now an insurmountable four points adrift of the table-topping Gunners, with speculation that Guardiola is set to end his contract a year early and be succeeded by Enzo Maresca after the weekend visit of Aston Villa.
The 10-time English champions arrived on the south coast three days after lifting the FA Cup but with news of Guardiola's possible departure dominating the headlines. Travelling fans chanted 'one more year, one more year, Guardiola' at regular intervals, while one fan unfurled a bedsheet with 'Pep Stay' written on it.
Kroupi Shines for Bournemouth
Kroupi raised the roof with a stunning 39th-minute opener. After being released by Marcus Tavernier, Adrien Truffert cut the ball back from the left, and the 19-year-old forward curled a stunning finish into the right corner before celebrating with a somersault, becoming the outright highest-scoring teenager in a debut Premier League season.
Both Rayan and David Brooks hit the post as Bournemouth threatened to put the match beyond doubt, but in the fourth minute of added time, Haaland swept home to jangle the nerves of watching Arsenal fans. However, the home side held on, sparking wild celebrations around Arsenal's home ground in London.
Arsenal's Legacy
Arteta's players can now stand alongside club icons Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, and Ian Wright, who previously led the club to the summit of English soccer. Arsenal's current class could yet break new ground by winning the Champions League for the first time against defending champion Paris Saint-Germain. Elsewhere, Tottenham lost 2-1 at London rivals Chelsea and remain in danger of relegation.
