As Manchester City defeated Arsenal once more to win the Premier League, Bukayo Saka was unable to hold back her tears.
With a 3-1 victory over West Ham at the Etihad Stadium, City never let up and won the Premier League for a record-tying fourth time in a row.
The Gunners stars looked broken both physically and emotionally at full time; even Saka, who missed out on the squad due to a late fitness test, held his face in his hands during emotional scenes at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Mikel Arteta gave a stirring speech to the players and fans in north London, insisting that his team will return. Arsenal beat Everton at the Emirates in the last minute through Kai Havertz, but it was insignificant because City was already ahead.
“All of this is the result of your beginning to believe, to be patient, and to comprehend what we were attempting to accomplish. The players and the staff deserve all the credit,” he declared.
“Avoid being content. We’re going to get much more than that, which is what we want.”
When word leaked out that Phil Foden had scored a quick double, including the first goal inside the first two minutes, to give City a 2-0 lead against West Ham, Arsenal’s day took a dark turn.
And to make matters worse, Everton’s Idrissa Gana Gueye opened the score with a deflected free kick.
Before the half, Takehiro Tomiyasu gave Arsenal the equalizer, leading supporters to believe that West Ham had also tied the score.
After that, City scored once more through Rodri to virtually end the match and secure a record-breaking championship—their seventh in eight years.
"All this happened because you started believing, you decided to be patient and understand what we were trying to do…"
Mikel Arteta is drowned out by a sea of support from Arsenal supporters ❤️
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/pwMafNhUVe
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 19, 2024
As a result, Havertz did not even celebrate after scoring the game-winning goal in the 89th minute, meaning Arsenal was powerless to stop their rivals from winning the trophy.
Ultimately, the Gunners, who had only lost once in the Premier League in 2024, were two points behind City.
They ultimately lost the title to City, whose unwavering nine-game winning streak propelled them to glory, as a result of that result—a 2-0 loss to Aston Villa last month.
