How Mikel Arteta will use Arsenal title party to drive Champions League dream | OneFootball

Gunners had enjoys days of celebrations, but manager knows an even bigger prize in up for grabs

In an alternate reality, Arsenal nerves were building at around 4.30pm on Sunday afternoon.

A reality where Manchester City had beaten Bournemouth and so the Premier League title race had gone down to the final day.

At Selhurst Park, Gabriel Jesus missed three big chances early on. News would have then filtered through that Manchester City had gone ahead against Aston Villa. They were top of the as-it-stands table and the tension would have ratcheted up for Arsenal.

How nice, then, for the Gunners that phones could remain in pockets and there was no need to check results elsewhere. Nor was there any need to fear the worst when Jean-Philippe Mateta headed in to halve the deficit late on.

Instead, the Arsenal fans jumped up and down as the Vengaboys goal music greeted that header.

Arsenal fans took over Selhurst Park

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At full-time, Crystal Palace went through their post-season awards and various farewells, including to Oliver Glasner.

Arsenal had to wait for the trophy lift. That was not a problem, with the party well underway in the dressing room.

Stan Kroenke and his son Josh joined the squad in there. Ten minutes later they re-emerged, suit jackets now in their hands and big smiles on their faces.

The Kroenkes then marched the Premier League trophy across the pitch to the stage that had been set up in front of the away stand.

Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, had one final speech for his players.

"That's the message from the manager already," Declan Rice revealed.

"We need to enjoy today but tomorrow it's full focus on PSG because we've got a massive opportunity there. We want that, we want to win the double."

Arsenal certainly did enjoy the day. Every player got their trophy lift in front of the Arsenal fans. Ben White, trophy in hand, crouched as though he was about to jump into the air with full excitement.

We're going to use all the incredible energy that we're all carrying towards that final

Mikel Arteta

Whether due to the brace on his knee or the laid-back demeanour he possesses, White instead lifted the trophy with the lowest possible intensity, leaving Gabriel Martinelli in hysterics.

Myles Lewis-Skelly has his picture taken with his medal as he came off the pitch. "This is mad," he shouted out. As he disappeared back into the dressing room, he could be heard screaming: "Champions baby, champions!"

By this point thousands of Arsenal fans had revealed themselves in the home end, many ending the charade completely and displaying their red shirts.

So much so that Arteta waited by the tunnel - as far away from the away end as you could possibly be - to grab the trophy and lift it for the big crowd of Arsenal fans that had congregated there.

Later in the evening, Arsenal's departure from Selhurst Park was delayed. So many fans had gathered outside the stadium that the team coach was unable to turn and get into position.

The message filtered back to the dressing room that they would have to stay in there for longer than planned, drinking and dancing. It would be fair to say Arteta and his players have had bigger problems to overcome this season.

Mikel Arteta with the Premier League trophy

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The party eventually continued elsewhere for the players, staff and their families. Louis Dunford was in attendance for a live performance of The Angel (North London Forever).

When the Arsenal players return to training on Tuesday, it is hoped that Sunday's events will prove to be the perfect platform to make more history.

The Gunners have never won the Champions League and holders Paris Saint-Germain have the best attack in Europe, but there is a sense that winning the Premier League might have unlocked something in this Arsenal squad.

"We talked about already what we have to do in Budapest, how we're going to use all the incredible energy that we're all carrying towards that final," Arteta said.

"Tomorrow we're going to start to prepare it. We can't wait to write a new chapter in the history of our club and lift the Champions League."

Arteta had the rare luxury of rotating at Selhurst Park. Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and William Saliba were among those not required to do anything other than celebrate.

Mikel Merino got half an hour off the bench, setting him up for involvement in Budapest. Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz both had sharp cameos in the second half.

Arsenal players in front of the away fans

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For once, Arteta could use the league as PSG do, as effectively a warm-up for European matters.

Ousmane Dembele has played the full 90 minutes in Ligue 1 just once this season. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been required to do so three times, with only one of those coming in 2026. Saka, despite his injury problems, has done so 16 times in the league.

However, it is the psychological impact that could be most significant for Arsenal, rather than any physical benefits of the weekend.

A Champions League final can never be billed as a free hit but there is undoubtedly a weight off the shoulders of everyone at the club.

For four relentless seasons of title races it has all been about the league. That hurdle has finally been cleared and the past week has painted a very clear picture as to how much that has meant.

As the most successful force of this Premier League period walks away in Manchester, a new trophy-winning era has begun at Arsenal.

Winning the Premier League has given Arsenal the rocket fuel they have craved for so long. Claiming the Champions League would be the ultimate lift-off.