Three things we learned from Arsenal win as Gunners tighten grip on Premier League title | OneFootball

Gunners moved inches closer to a first title since 2004

Axel Tuanzebe made it clear ahead of kick-off that Arsenal would not just be facing Burnley.

Against the Clarets, but almost more importantly against the weight of pressure and expectation, Arsenal edged to the cusp of glory.

Kai Havertz's first-half header from a corner earned the Gunners a 1-0 win in their final home of the match season.

The north Londoners did not pull away or put an already-relegated side to the sword and it became far more tense than those inside the Emirates Stadium would have wanted. Or, in truth, than it should have been against a very poor Burnley team.

Come full-time, that did not matter. If Manchester City do not beat Bournemouth on Tuesday night, Arsenal will be champions.

Even if City do win, three more Arsenal points at Selhurst Park next weekend and a 22-year wait will be over.

Arsenal put ball in Man City's court

There was almost a sickening tension in the air as Kyle Walker flung a long-throw into the Arsenal box in the eighth minute of stoppage time, but the hosts survived.

In 24 hours' time, they could be champions. That will be the case if City drop points against Bournemouth, who have not lost since January.

These Arsenal players, and the fans, might still be catching their breath by the time that match kicks off.

Matchwinner: Kai Havertz

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It was not that Burnley were creating chance after chance or piling on pressure. The league leaders did not face a single shot on target.

The occasion, though, was suffocating in itself. All those in a red shirt knew one slip, one sloppy pass and the league could be gone.

The tension therefore built - Declan Rice and Gabriel spent almost ten seconds screaming at each other late in the second-half as the home side tried to reset in defence.

The Gunners were fortunate it was not even more difficult. Havertz should have been sent-off for a really poor challenge on Ugochukwu with 20 minutes remaining.

At this stage of the season all slices of luck are gratefully appreciated. And now Arsenal wait.

For the first time since 2024, Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard started together for Arsenal.

With Eberechi Eze therefore starting alongside that trio for the first time, it was as attacking and as exciting as Arteta could have gone with his lineup.

That played out on the pitch too in a fluid opening 45 minutes. That was particularly the case on the right wing, with Havertz drifting out to link up with Odegaard and Saka.

The German moved out to the left for one attack and played a good ball across the face of goal. Havertz's movement allowed Saka space to pick up centrally, but he could not get the finishing touch on that cross and his penalty appeals were waved away.

For all Viktor Gyokeres has been in fine form, Havertz is better in the air and that proved the difference for the opening goal. He rose highest from a corner to nod in.

There were plenty of encouraging signs. At its worst, though, the attacking lineup became too intricate and technical, without the direct thrust that was sometimes needed that. Gyokeres added that with an all-action cameo.

At last Arteta has all his attacking options fit and available.

Mosquera leading Champions League final race

Arteta indicated in his pre-match press conference that Arsenal needed to find two or three solutions at right-back.

With Ben White out for the season and Jurrien Timber still on the sidelines, that is the one area of the pitch where the league leaders are short.

The Champions League final is less than a fortnight away and keeping Khvicha Kvaratskhelia quiet on the left wing will be one of Arsenal's toughest tasks.

There have been suggestions that Arteta could consider Riccardo Calafiori out of position at right-back, as they did for 45 minutes against PSG in the league phase of the competition last season.

Filling in: Cristhian Mosquera

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However, Calafiori was superb at left-back here and it is clear that the right-back shirt is Cristhian Mosquera's shirt to lose.

That feels sensible, rather than impacting the balance elsewhere as well by making another change to personnel or formation.

Mosquera had some shaky moments, giving the ball away twice in a minute in the second-half to gift Burnley opportunities to counter.

However, he also had decent contributions in the final third and was rock solid in seeing out the lead late on. Mosquera is the obvious choice to start in the Champions League if Timber is not fit and this performance did nothing to change that.