Arsenal are Premier League champions as history made and ‘process’ trusted in most fitting way | OneFootball

For Arsenal and Mikel Arteta, there could be no better arena for their coronation as Premier League champions.

Being picky, they might have preferred for a first title in 22 years to be secured by crossing the line themselves at a raucous Emirates, instead of being pushed past it by a tripping and troubled Manchester City.

But a journey that started on the south coast seven years ago was ended by a Bournemouth side whose transformation has arguably been even more impressive.

“I’m very pleased with some of the things I’ve seen in terms of attitude, character and the passion we showed, and the fight and the spirit the team showed,” Arteta said after starting his reign and professional coaching career with a substandard 1-1 draw at Dean Court in December 2019.

It was a different time: he spoke of there being “no negotiables at this club”, of a “process” that would never be expanded upon but had to be followed and trusted. He picked a side including Ainsley Maitland-Niles, a Sokratis-David Luiz centre-half partnership, Lucas Torreira, Reiss Nelson, Mesut Ozil, and Bukayo Saka at left-back. He celebrated a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang goal.

The FA Cup was delivered eight months later – and Arteta’s potential brilliance was clear even then – but a Premier League crown was an unfathomable, absurd pipedream.

It is now an incredible, extraordinary reality.

Bournemouth can claim a place in the credits to a remarkable story. The co-authors of Arteta’s first chapter were the ghostwriters of the final, glorious, clinching twist. And they should not be reduced to a mere footnote.

Their own metamorphosis since Dan Gosling earned a draw for Eddie Howe’s side against Arsenal at the halfway point of the Cherries’ last Premier League relegation season has been breath-taking. Bournemouth will play in continental competition for the first time in their history next season, and on the evidence of this year will take some stopping.

Having had their win over Arsenal in April characterised as a typical Gunner bottling, Bournemouth once again rose to an occasion too many onlookers overlooked their agency over. This is an exceptional group of players in stunning form under an outstanding manager, and Manchester City froze.

The idea that Arsenal’s win over Burnley might have inspired Pep Guardiola’s side was already preposterous before news of the Spaniard’s impending departure broke. That could only possibly have had a negative effect on his players – although Bournemouth would likely have made them suffer regardless.

Eli Junior Kroupi would probably have scored in any scenario, but did so beautifully here by using Abdukodir Khusanov as a marker to curl a sumptuous effort into the top corner shortly before half time.

In doing so, he set a new record for the most goals scored by a teenager in their debut Premier League campaign; and the first teenager to score against each of the top three in a single season.

That Arsenal transfer feels fated.

Even then, it felt as though Kroupi would take his place alongside such luminaries as Taiwo Awoniyi, Willian, Jay Rodriguez, Caglar Soyuncu, Mark Viduka, Michael Hughes (but really Ludek Miklosko) and Eden Hazard as players whose goals had inadvertently helped crown a Premier League champion who wasn’t playing. Manchester City had started well and with intent, but the hosts only grew in confidence as the game went on.

They hit the woodwork twice, first through Rayan from a corner and then David Brooks when the Welshman was through on goal. Even when Erling Haaland snatched a stoppage-time equaliser there was no real sense that an unthinkable comeback was on to keep Manchester City’s fading title hopes alive heading into the final day.

That goal did have the rather cruel consequence of making Champions League qualification that bit harder for Bournemouth (a ludicrous sentence to write).

The gap to Liverpool would have been a single point, but the equaliser means Bournemouth need to beat Nottingham Forest while the Reds lose to Brentford, with a six-goal swing between the two sides.

With Bournemouth on a 17-game unbeaten run and Liverpool currently spiralling, it should not be ruled out.

That it is even a consideration is testament to the excellence of Andoni Iraola, who the rest of the Premier League would be foolish to let slip this summer. Everton, for one, but even Manchester City might contemplate sacking off Enzo Maresca for a less volatile, younger, more amenable and every bit as gifted coaching mind.

There is, of course, one club which definitely should not be looking at Iraola and wondering whether he is an improvement on what they have got. Arsenal, after all, are the actual Premier League champions.