LONDON — Arsenal’s long 22-year wait for an English top-flight title ended in jubilation on Sunday, as the Gunners wrapped up their Premier League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, before lifting the coveted league trophy in front of thousands of travelling fans.
The title had already been sealed days earlier, on Tuesday, when closest challenger Manchester City could only manage a draw away to Bournemouth, handing Mikel Arteta’s young side their first domestic crown since 2002. Sunday’s clash marked Arsenal’s first match on the pitch since that historic title confirmation, and the side did not let the occasion overshadow their performance.
With Arteta making sweeping changes to his starting lineup to rest key players including Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice for next weekend’s Champions League final, 16-year-old academy graduate Max Dowman made history, becoming the youngest player ever to start a Premier League match. At 16 years and 144 days old, Dowman broke a 17-year-old record previously held by Jose Baxter, who started a match at 16 years and 198 days old back in 2008. Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner followed Arteta’s lead, also resting multiple first-team regulars to prepare for his side’s own upcoming European final in the UEFA Conference League.
Palace gave the new champions a traditional guard of honour as they walked out onto the pitch, a nod to Arsenal’s status as 2024-25 league winners. The first 45 minutes saw the Gunners carve out multiple clear chances, with Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus hitting the post in the fifth minute and forcing a save from Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson just moments later. Jesus finally broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute, converting a precise, slipped pass from Gabriel Martinelli to drill a low shot past Henderson at the near post, putting Arsenal ahead going into halftime.
Just three minutes after the interval, Noni Madueke doubled the Gunners’ lead from a set piece – a hallmark of Arteta’s title-winning campaign. Kai Havertz nodded a corner back into the path of Madueke just inside the 18-yard box, and the winger volleyed a clean strike into the back of the net to put Arsenal 2-0 up.
Arsenal’s five-match winning streak to close the season, which began after a tough away loss to Manchester City back in April that many thought had handed the title back to Pep Guardiola’s side, secured a 26-win campaign from 38 matches, and a seven-point gap over second-placed City. Palace pulled one back late, when Jean-Philippe Mateta nodded home a cross in the 89th minute, but the goal did nothing to dampen Arsenal’s day.
The final whistle marked the start of the historic trophy ceremony. US-based Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke and his son Josh carried the Premier League trophy onto the pitch, where squad medals were handed out first before captain Martin Odegaard stepped forward to lift the silverware. Red confetti and fireworks erupted over the Arthur Wait Stand as Odegaard hoisted the trophy, with players spraying champagne in celebration and Arteta tossed into the air repeatedly by his jubilant squad.
Travelling Arsenal fans kept the party going long after the ceremony ended, singing chants, waving inflatable trophy replicas and joining the team in a rendition of the club’s iconic anthem “North London Forever”. Though the trophy lift was held away from Arsenal’s home ground at the Emirates, the moment was no less glorious for the side, who will parade the silverware for their full fanbase at a victory march through north London on May 31.
Next up for Arteta’s side is the biggest match in the club’s recent history: a first-ever Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain, scheduled for May 30 in Budapest. Having ended their two-decade title drought, the Gunners now have a chance to cap off what would be the greatest season in the club’s modern history by adding Europe’s most prestigious club trophy to their cabinet.