Arsenal have finally broken the curse and won the Premier League for the first time in 22 years, pipping Manchester City to the post with a game to spare
Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, embraces Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, prior to the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester City FC at Emirates Stadium on February 02, 2025 in London, England.
The relationship between the two Premier League managers is clear(Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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Mikel Arteta's humble attitude to Manchester City's title win three years ago has been rewarded after Arsenal secured their first Premier League crown in over two decades. The Gunners finally got their hands on the trophy after City drew to Bournemouth on Tuesday night, putting the chance of a final-day decider out of sight.
Arteta knows what it's like to come off second best in a title race, having finished runners up in the last three seasons prior to their breakthrough triumph this time around. Following City's title win in the 2022/23 season, the Spanish boss opened up about a phone conversation he shared with Pep Guardiola after the triumph was confirmed.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Arteta said: "I called him to congratulate him and the staff because people may think things that happen are granted for them. They have to work so hard and all the hours they put in, how much they suffer and how much they have to think and think… and try to always promote that winning mentality that they are doing.
"Then at the end, you have to say congratulations, this is sport. He’s a really good friend of mine. I not only respect him but I admire him as a person, as a professional.
"So when you are in reach, you have to take all of the positive things that we’ve done in the season and how far we’ve come, and some (lessons) for sure to be better."
This gracious nature in defeat showcased the mutual respect shared between the pair, who once worked together at City. Guardiola will likely share the same sentiment with his fellow Premier League manager, after pushing the title race up until the tail end of the campaign.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola greet each other before the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal at Etihad Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Manchester, England.
The mutual respect has been obvious for years(Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
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Discussing Arsenal's confirmation as champions after the Bournemouth draw on Tuesday, the Spaniard said: "Congratulations to Arsenal, Mikel Arteta and his backroom staff and fans for this Premier League - it’s well deserved.
"At the same time, during my managerial career it was one of the years where we fought the most with incredible things that we could not control. We were always there and never gave up. I would have loved to arrive in the last moment to try even though it wasn’t in our own hands.
"Today the fatigue was there, they had 12 days to prepare that game and they played for qualification for the Champions League with an extraordinary team and are incredibly well managed. Since January we were really good. We had a lot of injuries and many things that were out of our control.
The Arsenal players celebrate winning the Premier League after watching AFC Bournemouth v Manchester City at Sobha Realty Training Centre on May 19, 2026 in London Colney, England.
Arsenal are finally able to celebrate a Premier League title win(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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"We learned a lot this season. What we have to do to win. We have to win a lot of points, we have to have an advantage otherwise there are circumstances that you cannot control. We played many, many moments with difficulty and never gave up. That is why we are here.
"I would have loved to arrive in the last moment against Aston Villa at home with a chance. But unfortunately, we did not win and today we missed that pace and the situation required against teams like Bournemouth.
"They are 17 games unbeaten and that’s because they are really good side. We fought incredibly a lot and now prepare for next season."
After 22 years of near-misses, heartbreak and drama, the Gooners are once again the best team in the land. Our souvenir edition tells the story of what has been an extraordinary season by Mikel Arteta's men. Order your copy here