Bukayo Saka says Arsenal‘s critics are “not laughing at us anymore” after the Gunners officially ended their 22-year drought to claim the 2025/26 Premier League title.
Arsenal players and staff gathered at the club’s London Colney training ground on Tuesday night to watch their closest challengers, Manchester City, draw 1-1 away to AFC Bournemouth, a result that handed the Gunners an unassailable four-point lead at the top of the table heading into the final weekend of the season.
Scenes of celebration erupted across north London, with thousands of supporters gathering outside Emirates Stadium to celebrate Arsenal’s first league triumph since 2004 with fireworks and flares.
After finishing runners-up in each of the previous three seasons, Arsenal had faced accusations of “bottling” the title race, especially following their 2-1 defeat to City on April 19.
However, Mikel Arteta’s side responded emphatically, winning their next four league matches without conceding a goal while City dropped points against Everton and Bournemouth.
Arteta, who returned to Arsenal as manager in December 2019, had reportedly installed a blacked-out Premier League trophy at the training ground which would only light up once the title was secured.
“Light that up,” Saka said in footage shared by defender Jurrien Timber on Instagram.
“Let me tell you something. Twenty-two years, 22 years. There was laughing, there was joking; they’re not laughing anymore,” the England international added. “Look, it is going to be shining; it is going to be shining bright.”
In another celebratory video, academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly held a champagne bottle and joked, “They called us bottlers. And now we’re holding the bottle.”
Former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, who guided the club to three Premier League titles, including the famous 2004 “Invincibles” season, also paid tribute to the current squad.
“You did it. Champions go on when others stop. This is your time. Now, go on and enjoy every moment,” Wenger said in a message shared by the club.
City manager Pep Guardiola also congratulated his former assistant.
“On behalf of everyone at Manchester City, we congratulate Mikel and all the staff, players and fans on winning the Premier League,” Guardiola told Sky Sports. “They deserve it for so much hard work and effort.”
Arsenal will officially lift the Premier League trophy after Sunday’s final league game against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
The Gunners could still cap off a historic campaign with a double when they face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final in Budapest on May 30.
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