Arsenal Seal Title; Arteta Recalls Doubts

Arsenal closed their Premier League campaign with a 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace, celebrating the title at Selhurst Park after Manchester City’s midweek draw. Mikel Arteta admitted during the post-match scenes that doubts surfaced during the run-in, while opposite number Oliver Glasner looked ahead to a crucial European final with Crystal Palace.

The Gunners arrived already confirmed as champions following Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Bournemouth earlier in the week. Arsenal still finished strongly, recording a fifth consecutive league win as Gabriel Jesus and Noni Madueke scored, with Jean-Philippe Mateta replying for Crystal Palace. Arsenal ended the season on 85 points, seven clear of Manchester City after finishing second in the previous three campaigns.

Arsenal’s dominance in the title race and Crystal Palace’s struggles are clear from the numbers shown. Arsenal moved from serial runners-up to champions, while Crystal Palace recorded their lowest league finish in a decade and found goals hard to come by across the campaign.

Arteta described how the scale of the challenge sometimes led to questions about personal limits, despite the eventual triumph. There were doubts, Arteta told Sky Sports. "It was understanding that I was able to take them this far [to second place] but maybe someone else has to come and do the final job. But thank god we have done it! I feel a lot of joy and a little bit of belief."

Arteta stressed that uncertainty is part of elite management and pointed to the importance of strong support staff. "Yes, [I doubted myself]. It is part of the job. There are many things that are out of my control and that is why you need the best people around you. We have had difficult moments along the way, but it is all worth it when you see that kind of reaction. I think we showed an incredible connection, commitment and courage. Everything around us has fuelled our desire to do it."

On the Crystal Palace side, Oliver Glasner ended league duties with a 15th-place finish, the club’s poorest in the Premier League since the 2015-16 season. Crystal Palace struggled in attack, with only Burnley, scoring 38 goals, and Wolves, with 27, finding the net fewer times in the top flight.

Glasner, who is leaving after this season, suggested that the defining moment of the tenure may still lie ahead. Asked by BBC Sport whether the final home game felt like a fitting farewell, the Austrian said: "I think it was okay. For me the best is still to come. The biggest achievement for me is not the trophy, but giving people belief in you, isamazing. [Winning the Conference League] would be really good!"

Arsenal Premier League title season contrasted with Crystal Palace European push

Crystal Palace now switch attention to the Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday, with the chance to secure trophies in consecutive seasons. Victory would also earn Europa League qualification and alter the perception of a league campaign that ended in the lower half, while Arsenal’s focus moves to building on a title-winning platform.