Arsenal have proved a lot of their critics wrong by winning the Premier League, one of which being Manchester United legend turned pundit Paul Scholes
Paul Scholes speaking on a podcast
Paul Scholes appeared to U-turn on previous comments he made about Arsenal(Image: YouTube/The Good, The Bad and the Football podcast)
View 3 Images
Manchester Untied legend Paul Scholes has admitted he was too "harsh" on Arsenal this season. Earlier in the campaign, the ex-England international said Mikel Arteta's side "do not deserve" to win the Premier League.
Despite the strong criticism of the former midfielder, the Gunners were crowned champions for the first time since 2004, after Bournemouth held Manchester City to a draw. Having let some sizeable leads slip through their fingers, Arsenal ended the campaign seven points clear of City.
This Saturday, they could transform an incredible season into an unprecedented one in their history when they face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final. Looking ahead to that fixture, Scholes admitted many of his comments on Arsenal were too strong.
When Arsenal's results began slipping at the start of March, Scholes, on the Good, the Bad and the Football podcast, said: "Whoever wins the league, you said at the end of it they deserve it.
"None of them have convinced me that they should be Premier League champions. I don't think they should give the trophy out this year. No one deserves it. Honestly, it's not been great to watch.
"That is because they've been in really good positions over the years and not been able to get over the line. So now they're in an incredible position. Now look, you're not going to see free-flowing football. You're not.
"Like I don't think we've seen it all season from any team as I keep saying, but especially at this point, it's how they get over the line that is the most important thing."
Martin Odegaard of Arsenal lifts the Premier League trophy as players of Arsenal celebrate, as they are crowned the Champions of the Premier League for the 2025/26 Season, after the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal at Selhurst Park on May 24, 2026 in London, England
Arsenal lifted the Premier League title after their victory over Crystal Palace in the final game of the season(Image: 2026 Getty Images)
View 3 Images
Looking back on those comments, Scholes, on the same podcast, said: "It wasn’t the most entertaining, but when you look back, there was a lot of pressure from them to get over the line. They’ve done it in a different way and you can see that.
"It’s not easy to win the Premier League. I was a bit harsh and a bit tough, but the question now is can they go on and dominate English football.
Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, poses for a photo with the Premier League Trophy after their team's victory in the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal at Selhurst Park on May 24, 2026 in London, England
Arteta could add the Champions League to his trophy cabinet (Image: 2026 Getty Images)
View 3 Images
"I think they will get better, they have the players to get better, they will still need to sign players, but getting over the line is so big, doing it for the first time.”
Arsenal's attention will now turn to this Saturday when they take on PSG in Budapest. The north Londoners have never won the Champions League in their history and will be competing in their first final since losing to Barcelona in the 2006 showpiece at the Stade de France.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Content Image
Content Image