Arsenal ended their 22-year wait for the Premier League title and the sun was shining on the Gunners as they were presented with the trophy at Crystal Palace on the final day of the campaign.
It was a title race which saw plenty of twists and turns, but Mikel Arteta’s side were able to hold their nerve to capture the biggest prize in English football.
We take a look at five moments that decided the Premier League title race.
Arsenal 1 v 1 Manchester City (September 21)
Manchester City had made a stuttering start to the Premier League campaign, but they had the chance to make ground on Arsenal at the Emirates.
City led for much of the contest, after Erling Haaland gave the Citizens an early advantage, but Gabriel Martinelli fired back with a 93rd-minute equaliser for the Gunners.
Arsenal had already been beaten at Anfield in the early part of the campaign and another defeat to a title rival would have opened many questions about Mikel Arteta’s ability to deliver the Premier League trophy to north London.
However, Martinelli grabbed the equaliser to maintain a three-point lead over City and stay five points behind Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table.
Newcastle 1 v 2 Arsenal (September 28)
Another late strike was needed when Arsenal travelled to Newcastle in their first league fixture following the draw with Manchester City.
Again, the Gunners trailed 1-0, but Mikel Merino’s 84th-minute goal was followed by a 96th-minute header from Gabriel, as the Arsenal players, staff and fans erupted at St James’ Park.
That turnaround, in a difficult away fixture, started a run which saw Arsenal win 11 of their next 14 top-flight matches to take control in the title race.
A defeat or draw in the north east would have seen Arsenal win only one of four Premier League matches and it may well have left them with too much ground to recover.
Everton 3 v 3 Manchester City (May 4)
Manchester City’s 1-0 victory at Burnley had moved the Citizens to the top of the Premier League table on goals scored and Pep Guardiola’s side were favourites to win the top-flight crown.
City’s title efforts were interrupted by the FA Cup semi-final, and by the time the Manchester men returned to action at Everton, Arsenal had moved six points clear again at the summit of the table.
However, City had two games in hand, which started with a trip to Merseyside to face Everton.
Guardiola’s men got off to a good start with Jeremy Doku’s strike giving City a 1-0 first-half lead, but it unravelled in the second period.
Marc Guehi’s under-hit backpass allowed Thierno Barry to equalise for Everton and the Toffees scored three goals in 13 minutes as City’s defence collapsed.
Two late goals earned City a point, but it was two dropped, which handed the advantage to Arsenal.
West Ham 0 v 1 Arsenal (May 10)
Arsenal had the lead at the top of the table and the Gunners knew victories over West Ham, Burnley and Crystal Palace in their final three games of the league season would hand them the title, regardless of City’s results.
The Hammers were battling relegation and had home advantage, which meant no easy ride for Arsenal, and the game didn’t play out as title hopefuls against strugglers.
There was little to separate the teams before West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes had a golden opportunity to score, but Arsenal stopper David Raya pulled off an incredible save to deny the midfielder.
A few moments later, Leandro Trossard fired home to give Arsenal the lead and the 83rd-minute strike looked to have won the game for Mikel Arteta’s side. However, the drama was not over.
Callum Wilson crashed the ball home through a wall of bodies from a West Ham corner to equalise in the final few minutes of the contest. The advantage had swung back to City, but then VAR stepped in.
Wilson’s strike was ruled out for a foul on goalkeeper Raya and Arsenal clung on to take three points at the London Stadium.
Bournemouth 1-1 Manchester City (May 19)
The game, which officially crowned Arsenal champions, saw their rivals, Manchester City, only draw 1-1 on the south coast against Bournemouth.
Clearly, it was a key moment, as Arteta’s men were crowned champions, but it was far more complex than just lifting the trophy.
Arsenal had only narrowly got past relegated Burnley 1-0, in a nervy Emirates contest, the night before City were held by Bournemouth. Had the Citizens won, the Gunners would have been forced to chase three points at Selhurst Park on the final day.
The failure of Pep Guardiola’s men gave Arsenal the title and saved the pressure of a final-day showdown at Palace.
