This Tuesday, Arsenal can be Premier League champions after 22 years of drought. The ‘Gunners’ beat Burnley (1-0) with a header goal from Kai Havertz and they will raise the title of champions of the English league to the sky of London if City does not beat Iraola’s Bournemouth tomorrow. If he does, Mikel Arteta’s men will have the last matchday and Crystal Palace as their second option. They have never been so close.
The atmosphere at the Emirates was impressive to experience the first of the two matches, without depending on what City does, to turn Arsenal into Premier League champions 22 years later. The accounts were simple for the ‘Gunners’: by beating Burnley (relegated) and Crystal Palace (in the run-up to the Conference final), they would win their long-awaited English league. Arteta, who did not reserve anyone thinking about the Champions League final on May 30 against PSG, left Zubimendi on the bench again and placed the Odegaard-Rice-Eze trio ahead.
Not even the most pessimistic Arsenal fan (or the most optimistic City fan) thought of a different result than the local victory. And yet, while the news of Pep Guardiola’s goodbye at the end of the season broke out in England, Arsenal had a hard time getting going. It was not until the 37th minute, after a couple of chances from Saka and Trossard, that he hit the post, when Kai Havertz scored.
Once again the dead ball
Headlong, of course; at the exit of a corner kick. The 18th goal (of 69 in total in this Premier for Arsenal) that Arteta’s men score after a corner kick. A historic record in the English league and the most romantic way in which 1-0 could arrive. Burnley, who wore sky blue, unintentionally winking at City… did not help the ‘sky blues’.
And yet, they stood up. Much more than any ‘Gunner’ fan could wish for. The chances kept coming, in dribs and drabs, but the 2-0 didn’t come… and neither did the peace of mind, with Hincapie even leaving his pants on the way. The referee and the VAR forgave a direct red to Havertz, who did not go from hero to villain by a miracle, and the result was too short.
However, for some reason Burnley has been relegated for many weeks. Without quality in attack, he had no means to transform the Arsenal fans’ nightmares into real fear. They held on. A 1-0 without much shine… but that leaves the 2026-27 Premier League within reach.
