Arsenal's wait is over.

After 22 long years, the Gunners can finally celebrate another Premier League title.

The disappointment of three consecutive second-placed finishes can now be put behind them as Mikel Arteta's side successfully held off the challenge of Manchester City to be crowned champions.

BBC Sport looks at the key moments that helped turn Arsenal from nearly men to league winners.

Having seen Liverpool's strength in depth praised as they strolled to the title last season, clinching it with four games to spare, Arsenal were keen to add to their squad over the summer.

In total, eight new players were added to the squad, with out-of-contract midfielder Thomas Partey the only first-team regular to depart.

Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres was the headline signing, arriving from Portuguese side Sporting for £64m, giving Gunners fans the number nine they had long been calling for.

Meanwhile, central midfielder Martin Zubimendi joined from Real Sociedad, the defence was bolstered by the loan signing of Bayer Leverkusen's Piero Hincapie and Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze moved across London from Chelsea and Crystal Palace, respectively.

An outlay in excess of £250m, with little recouped through sales, was substantial but as the season has progressed, the importance of those additions has been proven.

With a league title now secured and a Champions League final still to come, it is looking like money well spent.

It came in just the fifth game of the season but as important as Gabriel Martinelli's 93rd-minute equaliser against City felt back in September, it looks even more crucial now.

Three-point swing in a title race that ultimately went Arsenal's way.

Back then, it was more a feeling of relief for Arsenal as they denied Pep Guardiola's side a statement win and narrowed the gap to early leaders Liverpool to five points.

Having taken an early lead through Erling Haaland, it was notable that City were content to sit back for much of the second half - Guardiola even switched to a back five - as they backed themselves to keep out an Arsenal side lacking any real creativity.

Had they held on a couple of minutes more, this game would have been viewed much differently - Guardiola showing a new string to his bow with a defensive masterclass against a title rival.

Instead, it was Arsenal's new-found strength in depth being praised as that creative spark finally came in stoppage time with substitutes Eze and Martinelli combining to draw the home side level.

A week later and Arsenal were celebrating in injury time again.

Trips to St James' Park have not been kind to Arteta's side in recent years, with three losses and no goals scored in their previous three visits.

So when Nick Woltemade put Newcastle ahead in the first half of an ill-tempered game, in which Arsenal also had a penalty overturned by VAR, the away fans may have feared the worst.

However, Mikel Merino headed Arsenal level in the 84th minute and when Gabriel nodded in from a 96th-minute corner, Gunners fans, players and staff went wild.

After Liverpool's slip up at Crystal Palace the previous day, suddenly Arsenal were only two points off the top.

Eze hat-trick sees off Spurs as Gunners go six clear

Two months on and after a run of 10 straight wins in all competitions, including eight in a row without conceding, Arsenal were top of the table and flying high.

A 2-2 draw at Sunderland ended that run but the Gunners came into November's north London derby with the chance to go six points clear after City fell to a 2-1 defeat by Newcastle on Tyneside.

Any thoughts Tottenham had of landing a blow to dent their rivals' title hopes soon faded as Arsenal went into the break 2-0 up and made it three seconds into the second half.

Richarlison got one back for Spurs but the Gunners had the final word, with the crowning moment fittingly belonging to Eze, who so nearly joined Thomas Frank's side in the summer before signing for Arsenal.

The England midfielder sealed the win as he completed his first senior hat-trick to give Arsenal their biggest advantage after 12 games of any Premier League campaign.

Derby defeat compounds City's poor start to 2026

As Patrick Dorgu wheeled away having nipped in front of Rico Lewis to put the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma, the Manchester derby was over.

United were two goals up at Old Trafford and City were headed for a new low as a dismal start to the new year continued.

Having clawed their way back into contention over the Christmas period, Guardiola's side failed to win any of their first four league games in 2026.

A stalemate at Sunderland was followed by dropped points at home to Chelsea and Brighton, allowing Arsenal - despite a couple of slip-ups of their own - to take a seven-point lead at the top of the table.

Gabriel escapes red card for 'headbutt' on Haaland

By April, the gap was still at six points but a game in hand for City meant, as Arsenal arrived for a top-of-the-table clash at the Etihad, both sides could claim the title was in their hands.

It was City who emerged from a thrilling game victorious with Erling Haaland scoring the winner 20 minutes into the second half.

But perhaps the most crucial moment came late on as a game-long battle between Haaland and Gabriel finally boiled over.

The pair squared up and moved forehead to forehead before the Arsenal centre-back jerked his head forward. That Haaland stayed on his feet likely saved Gabriel from a red card.

Admirable as that approach from Haaland may be, it did Arsenal a huge favour as a sending off for violent conduct would have left Arteta's team without one of their star defenders for the next three games.

Manchester City came back to draw 3-3 at Everton

Victory for City at Burnley put them top of the league on goals scored.

By the time they played their next Premier League game - at Everton - Arsenal had already played twice more and were six points clear.

Win their games in hand and City would draw level, but Arsenal had the points on the board.

But there was no sign of scoreboard pressure telling at the Hill Dickinson and when Jeremy Doku put the visitors in front just before half-time, few would have looked past an away win.

That was still the case as Marc Guehi controlled the ball inside his own penalty area in the 68th minute.

One under-hit backpass later and it was a very different story. Thierno Barry nipped in to equalise for Everton and the game changed.

David Moyes' side scored three in the space of 13 minutes and although City managed to claw it back to earn a point deep into stoppage time with a 3-3 draw, two points dropped meant it was advantage Arsenal again.

Raya's vital save and VAR controversy

On paper, a trip to a West Ham side scrapping to avoid relegation looked the toughest of Arsenal's last three fixtures.

It was a game Arteta's men needed to win to avoid letting City back in but they struggled to break the Hammers' stubborn resistance.

The game was still goalless when West Ham midfielder Matheus Fernandes arrived to collect a loose ball, played a one-two with Pablo and found himself six yards out with just David Raya to beat.

Fernandes tried to beat the keeper at his near post but Raya stuck out his right leg to make a brilliant save from point-blank range and ensure the scores remained level heading into the last 10 minutes.

That Raya save looked all the more important when Leandro Trossard fired Arsenal ahead in the 83rd minute.

But the game was far from over and with time running out, West Ham piled forward in search of an equaliser.

Gabriel made a huge block to keep out Callum Wilson's shot but the West Ham striker would get another chance from the resulting corner – smashing the ball through the bodies to score a stunning injury-time leveller.

Or so he thought.

The video assistant referee (VAR) stepped in and after a lengthy review, the goal was ruled out for a foul on Raya as Pablo had his arm across the goalkeeper's chest and was holding his left arm.

A number of other potential infringements, including penalty shouts for fouls by Trossard and Declan Rice, were considered and waved away meaning that while West Ham – and likely Manchester City – fumed, Arsenal clung on. (BBC)

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