Arsenal were officially crowned Premier League champions for the 2025-26 season after Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw by Bournemouth. This is the North London club's first title in 22 years, since the unbeaten 2003-04 season under Arsene Wenger.
Under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal overcame three consecutive second-place finishes to claim the crown. Here are the five key factors that helped the Gunners make history.
1. Pragmatic style of play
Arsenal abandoned their flashy possession-based philosophy in favor of a pragmatic approach focused on set pieces, long throw-ins, and goal kicks. Defender Gabriel Magalhaes was a constant threat from corners, while Declan Rice stood out with his precise long throws. Powerful striker Victor Gyokeres led the attack.
Ridiculed by opponents as "Set Piece FC" for lacking creativity, Arsenal turned a perceived weakness into a lethal weapon. More than 40% of their Premier League goals this season came from dead-ball situations. Of the 28 goals from free kicks, 18 came from corners — a new league record.
2. The key trio: Rice, Raya, Gyokeres
Declan Rice and goalkeeper David Raya are leading candidates for Player of the Year honors. Rice provided leadership, midfield energy, and excellent dead-ball delivery. Raya kept 19 clean sheets to win the Golden Glove for the third consecutive season. Former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira said: "David Raya deserves to be Player of the Season."
Gyokeres scored 21 goals across all competitions in his first season, underscoring Arteta's construction of one of the most complete squads.
3. Squad depth
Injuries derailed Arsenal in the previous season, but heavy spending on reinforcements paid off. New signings such as Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Piero Hincapie, and Cristhian Mosquera all made significant contributions, helping the team overcome injuries to Bukayo Saka, Gabriel, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, and Jurrien Timber.
4. Unconventional mental stimulation methods
After three seasons as runners-up, Arsenal were derided as "nearly men" or "losers." Arteta used a variety of unusual tactics to fire up his players: hiring a professional pickpocket at a pre-season team dinner to teach a lesson about vigilance; bringing light bulbs into the dressing room before a match and telling the team to "shine"; and playing TikTok videos with fan chants on the big screen during training.
The result was a mentally tougher Arsenal that maintained high form throughout the season and withstood Manchester City's late-season surges.
5. Rivals faltered
In the previous two seasons, Arsenal finished with 84 points but still came second. This season, 82 points were enough to win the title. Manchester City lacked their customary consistency under Pep Guardiola, while reigning champions Liverpool surprisingly slumped early in the season. This opened the door for Arsenal to seize the opportunity and claim the crown.
