Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka said critics who doubted the team were “not laughing anymore” after the club secured their first Premier League title in 22 years.
The Gunners confirmed the championship on Tuesday after closest rivals Manchester City were held to a 1–1 draw by Bournemouth, a result that gave Arsenal an unassailable four-point lead with one game left to play.
Players and staff watched the decisive match together at the club’s London Colney training ground, while celebrations also erupted at the Emirates Stadium, where thousands of fans gathered, lighting fireworks and flares to mark the occasion.
The triumph ends a 21-year wait for the Premier League crown, following three consecutive seasons in which Arsenal finished as runners-up. Earlier in the campaign, their title push had been questioned after a 2–1 defeat to Manchester City in April, with critics suggesting the team had “bottled” key moments.
However, Mikel Arteta’s side responded strongly, winning their next four league matches without conceding a goal as City dropped points in successive games.
In celebratory footage shared on social media, Saka referenced the long wait for success, saying: “Twenty-two years… there was laughing, there was joking, they’re not laughing anymore.” He added that the club’s symbolic Premier League display at London Colney would now “shine bright.”
Young midfielder Myles Lewis-Skelly also reacted to the criticism, saying: “They called us bottlers, and now we’re holding the bottle.”
Former manager Arsène Wenger, who led Arsenal to three Premier League titles including the unbeaten 2003–04 “Invincibles” season, congratulated the team, saying: “You did it. Champions go on when others stop. This is your time.”
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola also praised Arsenal and head coach Mikel Arteta, his former assistant, describing the title win as the result of “so much hard work and effort.”
Arsenal will officially lift the Premier League trophy after their final league match against Crystal Palace on Sunday, with the club also still in contention for further silverware in the UEFA Champions League final later this month.
