Arsenal Premier League champions after 22-year wait

Mikel Arteta's reaction after Arsenal's 2-1 title-clinching win at Crystal Palace was the real story at Selhurst Park. He wiped away tears as the club finally won the league for the first time in 22 years, after three straight runner-up finishes had left the breakthrough feeling overdue.

Why Arteta treated the win as more than a trophy

Arteta did not hide what the moment meant. "It is very difficult to put it into words. What a moment. A lot of emotions, a lot of joy, pride. The manner that we've done it, represents what the guys are feeling and the reason why this magic happened," he said.

He was just as direct about the pain that came before it. "We came very close. We fell short on three occasions, and that was very painful," Arteta said. "But I think that's what has driven all of us to find new ways to show what we are made of and that's why I said that the manner that we've done it, it makes it even better."

That is why the title felt like a reset as much as a prize. "I said to the boys that this shirt now represents something else. We are the champions, and that brings a lot of confidence and a different kind of presence and energy to it," he added.

Arsenal sealed the title with the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace, and the brief says the club also finished seven points clear of Manchester City. The standings table in the brief lists Arsenal on 82 points and City on 78, so the margin in the table is four. What matters for the story is that Arsenal had already done enough before kickoff, then still finished the job properly.

What the title win means now

There was no final-day scramble, no need for help elsewhere, and no loose end hanging over the result. The title was already secure before the game began, but Arteta still made a point of the manner of the win because it backed up the wider message he has been pushing.

The next stage is obvious enough. Arsenal now turn to the Champions League final against Paris St Germain in Budapest on Saturday, and Arteta's words suggest he sees the league title as a base rather than a finish line. The reaction at Selhurst Park looked emotional because it was emotional, but it also came with a sharper edge than simple relief.