Martinelli orchestrates, Madueke flourishes, and the champions finally hoist the Premier League trophy.
The doors at Franklin Hall opened at 9:00 AM on Sunday, two hours before the kickoff of Arsenal’s final Premier League of the season, this time as champions. I got there just over 20 minutes after that, and the line out the door stretched to the end of the block. It took me probably half an hour just to get into the bar. I should mention, by the way, that Franklin Hall is located in Washington, D.C.
But in the two hours leading up to the match, I felt transported to north London itself. Multiple Gooners climbed on top of tables and led all the chants you can think of. Every kit from the last thirty years was visible on attendees in the venue, training tops and limited edition lines included. I even got to hold the Premier League trophy!
Pretty crazy that they were able to transport it to Selhurst Park within an hour. 😉
Of course, the thing that struck me most was just how many people had turned up to watch Arsenal be crowned champions of the English top flight. By the time the match kicked off, we were all packed in together like sardines in a tin. Franklin Hall had almost certainly reached capacity and were sending stragglers to alternate locations.
The next two hours were stifling, sweaty, and boisterous. The chants kept coming. We jumped and clapped for ages. Balloons were volleyed back and forth across the bar until they were inevitably popped. Toddlers were raised like trophies as the crowd within Franklin Hall cheered. At halftime tiny beer bottles were cheekily passed out to those who wanted one. The festivities continued from hours before the match until the winners’ ceremony concluded. I personally was on my feet for three hours.
I traveled to Franklin Hall on my own. My close friends who are Arsenal fans were unable to be there for one reason or another, and I don’t really know the regulars — I typically watch matches from the comfort of my own living room. But on Sunday, I felt and witnessed a togetherness that you just don’t see in most other parts of life. People of all creeds, colors, and backgrounds were there together, embracing each other, cheering for the same thing, singing the same songs, experiencing unbridled joy as one.
The match itself, we all knew, was a formality. But even that just became another phase of the extended celebration. A largely rotated Arsenal side and the results of City’s, Spurs’, and West Ham’s matches formed the backdrop for the pregame ahead of the main event.
Amazingly, when Martin Ødegaard lifted that Premier League trophy for the first time, the crowd erupted even more loudly than they had before. Louder than when Gabriel Jesus and Noni Madueke scored their goals, louder than when Mikel Merino made his return from injury, louder than when Eberechi Eze stepped back onto the pitch he initially made his name on. And when Bukayo Saka got his hands on that piece of silverware, I was subjected to a cacophony of joyous but ear-splitting screams. A wall of intense sound coiled tightly around me like a famished anaconda — hours later, as I lay in bed that night, my ears were still ringing. And I loved every second of it.
The jubilance continued for some time after the initial trophy lift. Most of us hung around to watch the squad and staff assemble for a team photo, Mikel Arteta be lovingly tossed into the air by his players, and Saka conduct the away end’s chants. But even as we filed out of the bar afterwards, dozens of fans congregated around the building. Even then, chants were echoing out into the damp afternoon air. The surrounding blocks were littered with with people in Arsenal shirts heading home.
At the Emirates, the party was of course just getting started. I’ve had to fight off a lot of FOMO these past few days, as I’ll have to once more in a week’s time. But watching the celebrations unfold in London, seeing the fireworks and the dancing and vast sea of Arsenal fans assembling near the stadium, I felt such a great pride swelling up within me. What we already know and the rest of the world will soon come to find out is, Arsenal are an absolutely gargantuan club. It is ubiquitous, inescapable, dominant. And, probably more than I ever have in the past two decades, I am so glad and thankful to be associated with it.
I grabbed coffee and a sandwich a couple blocks down the street before getting on the train back to my part of town. As I enjoyed my first proper meal of the day on the cafe’s patio, I joined the chants of the many groups of Arsenal fans that walked by. Some of them fist-bumped me as they walked by while we almost deliriously yelled, “We did it!” at each other. Cars honked, as did one Arsenal fan on a motorcycle who went up and down 14th Street a few times. A quarter of a mile away, you could still hear singing coming from Franklin Hall.
All this naturally befuddled more typical Washingtonians out and about that afternoon. Not everyone was in on what had transpired. The explosion of elation they were witnessing had seemingly come out of nowhere. At one point, two people at the table next to mine asked what all this was for.
“Arsenal,” I said to them. “The best team in the world.”
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Ballers
Gabriel Jesus
With this game being effectively a dead rubber, Jesus was afforded a start at Selhurst Park. In true Gabriel Jesus fashion, the Arsenal no. 9 missed a number of big chances. After finding himself one-on-one with Dean Henderson following a slip by one of Palace’s center backs, the Brazilian could only strike the post. He was later played into another one-on-one but sadly tried to chip the keeper from a narrow angle. He also missed a back post header.
So Jesus was in prime form. Jokes aside, he finally took his chance when Gabriel Martinelli played Jesus in on goal once more. The now five-time Premier League champion drilled his shot home to give Arsenal the lead.
Cosmically, it was immensely satisfying to see Jesus score on Sunday. The Brazilian played his first game for the Gunners away at Palace back in 2022. Now, he’s scored what in all likelihood will be his final goal for the club before lifting a major honor. Given his repeated gutting struggles with injury, I’m glad his Arsenal story probably ends like this.
Gabriel Martinelli
Up against Nathaniel Clyne and Daniel Muñoz, Martinelli was electric on the final day of the Premier League season. He repeatedly offered dangerous runs in behind, and on multiple occasions the Brazilian was able to scurry past his man to the byline before firing in a threatening cutback. Martinelli finished with two chances created and four dribbles completed, with the latter the most of any player in the match.
Ultimately, the winger produced two very telling contributions to win Arsenal the game. He played a lovely through ball to earn himself an assist for Jesus’ opener in the 41st minute after orchestrating the beginning of the move as well. Shortly after the second half started it was Martinelli’s corner that led to Madueke’s goal, which ultimately proved to be the winner.
Following the match, I was struck by a particular wave of emotion as I watched Martinelli lift the Premier League trophy and pose with his winner’s medal. Having been an Unai Emery signing, he has been here since the start of the journey. And despite perhaps taking more of a backseat to Saka than we initially expected, Martinelli has been a big part of this Arsenal team. I’m so proud of him.
Kai Havertz
Havertz came on at halftime in place of Christian Nørgaard, presumably to get some more minutes in his leg ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final. The German ended up playing a variety of different positions throughout the second half — initially he operated as a right eight, then he moved to center forward when Eberechi Eze replaced Jesus, and then shifted over to right wing when Madueke had to exit the match and Viktor Gyökeres was the only remaining attacking option on the bench.
But despite the lack of continuity, Havertz still managed to produce. He created three chances, the joint-most in the match. One such chance was more of a mishit shot, but it provided Merino with a scoring opportunity inside Palace’s six-yard box that the Spaniard was unable to convert. Havertz also finished with 100% passing accuracy. The German ended up assisting Madueke for the winner, which I’m sure any Chelsea fans who were watching had a grand old time witnessing. Havertz actually produced quite an impressive header from a slightly stooping position out to the English winger at the top of the box, and Madueke fired home on the volley.
Havertz gave an interview after hoisting the Premier League trophy in which he described being in “dark places” emotionally as he has dealt with multiple injuries over the last 16 months. We’ve also seen him cry after missing out on the title on the final day of the 2023/24 league season. Havertz has been through a lot as an Arsenal player. But I truly hope finally getting his hands on that crowned cup of the English top flight, knowing that his goal against Burnley effectively won the title for his team, has made the bumps in the road worth it.
Noni Madueke
Keeping Saka fresh for Paris Saint-Germain at the weekend, Madueke started at right wing on Sunday. He found himself up against a right-hand side of Chadi Riad and Rio Cardines and promptly took advantage. Madueke touched the ball 55 times, and consistently looked threatening in possession.
The former Chelsea man (and now Premier League champion) created three chances, the joint-most in the game. He took four shots, also the joint-most in the match, and achieved a game-high 13 touches in the opposition penalty area. He terrorized the left side of Palace’s defense with regularity and ultimately was rewarded for his efforts. His volley from just inside the box during an Arsenal corner proved to be the match winner and marked 25 goals from set pieces in the league this season.
Madueke ended up leaving the match due to injury late in the second half. However, he seemed to be in good spirits and moving around fine during the trophy lift. Hopefully he will be good to go on Saturday.
Max Dowman
Dowman was afforded his first league start in the season, with Arteta deploying him as a right eight at Selhurst Park. It wasn’t his best performance of the season, but I think his quite solid given his age. He played with plenty of freedom and ultimately amassed four passes into the final third and one chance created.
His best contribution came in the buildup to Jesus’ goal. Under pressure from his marker, Dowman produced a neat backheel to put Martinelli in position to play the final pass. It was a clever bit of skill that belies his young age and illustrates once more that there is so much to come from the 16-year-old.
Dowman now finishes the 2025/26 season with multiple records under his belt. He is the youngest player to ever start a match in the Premier League. He is the youngest player to ever score a Premier League goal. And now, he is the youngest player to ever win the Premier League. The future is so bright.
Fallers
West Ham United
I don’t want to spend too long on negativity. After all, it’s a time of celebration. But I do just want to say that I have long been annoyed by West Ham fans’ treatment of Declan Rice since he joined Arsenal. It feels sometimes as if many of them would have preferred if he had gone to Manchester City, and have been offended that Rice chose to sign for a team they feel the Irons are equal to. And of course, there is that tweet about Rice’s Europa Conference League title being his final trophy as a player.
Well, Sunday should go a long way to silencing all those people for quite some time. As Rice lifted the Premier League trophy, a trophy that most of us would bet right now won’t be his last either, West Ham succumbed to relegation. And I don’t think they will come climb right back out of the Championship, either. The English second flight has gotten quite competitive and it is clear that West Ham will need to do some soul-searching and some restructuring.
Oh, and they’ll have to sell some players. Given the links with Mateus Fernandes, I’m sure Arsenal will offer some help in that regard. And I’m sure the Portuguese midfielder will be desperate to move on to bigger and better things, just as Rice was.
NBC’s coverage
I think NBC Sports typically does a great job with their Premier League coverage. Their punditry is fair and balanced so long as Gary Neville isn’t on, and I never feel like there’s bias toward a particular team like I do with a lot of English coverage. But the way they handled Sunday was rather disgraceful.
As the trophy ceremony began at Selhurst Park, as Arsenal players were walking by the Premier League’s signature prize and receiving their winner’s medals, NBC kept their broadcast going from Tottenham Hotspur stadium. Until just seconds before Ødegaard lifted the trophy, Rebecca Lowe and company insisted on letting Palhinha and Antonín Kinskýwax lyrical about how it felt to only be regular losers and not absolutely diabolical ones. I just can’t help but ask, who cares? Why waste time on that when the champions are about to be formally crowned?
Anyway, Arsenal are Premier League winners. They are the outright best team in England, having concluded the league season seven points ahead of Manchester City after Pep Guardiola’s final match saw his side lose at home to an almost certainly hungover Aston Villa team. On Saturday the Gunners travel to Budapest to see if they can be known as the best team in Europe, and an exciting future awaits after that. I for one couldn’t be prouder.
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