Bukayo Saka has said Arsenal’s critics are “not laughing anymore” after the club secured their first Premier League title in more than two decades, ending a 22-year wait for the trophy.
The Gunners confirmed their triumph after players and staff gathered at the club’s London Colney training ground to watch closest rivals Manchester City draw 1-1 with Bournemouth, a result that handed Arsenal an unassailable four-point lead with one game remaining.
Celebrations erupted both at London Colney and at the Emirates Stadium, where thousands of supporters gathered, lighting fireworks and flares to mark the club’s first league title since 2004.
Arsenal had spent the previous three seasons finishing as runners-up and faced criticism for “bottling” their title challenge, especially after a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on April 19. However, they responded strongly by winning their next four matches without conceding a goal to seal the title.
Manager Mikel Arteta, who joined the club in 2019, was credited with transforming the team’s mentality, even installing a blacked-out Premier League trophy at London Colney that would only light up once the title was secured. Saka, in footage shared by Jurrien Timber, celebrated the moment by saying: “Twenty-two years… they were laughing, but they’re not laughing anymore.”
Youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly also joined the celebrations, joking in a social media clip that critics had called them “bottlers,” before adding: “Now we’re holding the bottle.” Former manager Arsène Wenger also congratulated the team, while Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola praised Arteta and his squad for their achievement.
Arsenal will officially lift the Premier League trophy after their final league match against Crystal Palace on Sunday. The club could still end the season with more silverware as they prepare for a UEFA Champions League final clash against Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest on May 30.
AFP
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