This was an occasion for Mikel Arteta to savour. With the owner, Stan Kroenke, watching from the stands on a rare visit to see his team, Arsenal celebrated being champions for the first time since 2004 by recording a comfortable victory over a Crystal Palace side who also have a European final on their minds.
Max Dowman became the youngest player to start a Premier League game at 16 years and 144 days old and played his part as goals from Gabriel Jesus and Noni Madueke rounded off a memorable campaign for Arteta and his side. Arsenal were presented with the Premier League trophy at a sultry Selhurst Park – after Oliver Glasner completed a lap of honour on his last home match in charge of Palace – and their attention will switch quickly to the daunting prospect of facing Paris Saint-Germain in Saturday’s Champions League final.
“We already talked about what we have to do in Budapest, how we’re going to use all the incredible energy that we’re all carrying towards that final,” said Arteta, who embraced his wife, Lorena Bernal, on the pitch after getting his hands on the silverware he has coveted for so long. “We can’t wait to write a new chapter in the history of our club and win the Champions League.”
More than 35,000 bots attempting to buy tickets in the home sections of the ground were identified by Palace this week and fans were asked to report any Arsenal supporters transgressing. Yet other than a handful who sneaked in wearing hi-vis jackets before being ejected by security, everything passed off peacefully, and thousands stayed behind and made their allegiances very clear when the trophy was presented to Martin Ødegaard almost an hour after the game.
Palace, who scored a late consolation through Jean-Philippe Mateta and had an equaliser from Yéremy Pino ruled out for offside, will be relieved that despite limping off Adam Wharton should be fine for their meeting with the Spanish side Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig on Wednesday in the Conference League final. Glasner was clearly emotional as he addressed supporters on the pitch after the game, when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, congratulated Arsenal before asking “for five minutes of quiet”.
“I came here as a stranger and now after two years I feel like I’m a south Londoner,” said Glasner, who revealed that he had “already rejected many offers” for his next post. He added: “I’m not open for talks. Now I feel responsible to be 100% focused on Crystal Palace.”
Arsenal’s players were given a guard of honour by Palace before making a point of performing their pre-match huddle in front of their fans. Although there was no sign of Gunnersaurus or Pete the Eagle in the starting lineups, both managers were unsurprisingly keen to rest players given what is to come. Only four of Palace’s team here are expected to start against Rayo. Their academy product Rio Cardines impressed on his first senior start and Premier League debut despite playing out of position at left wing-back.
Arteta finally gave Christian Nørgaard his first league start and sprang a surprise by deploying Martín Zubimendi at right-back, perhaps with an eye on next weekend in Budapest. Jurriën Timber is fighting to be fit and the Spain midfielder showed he could be an alternative if need be. PSG have major doubts over the fitness of their own influential right-back, Achraf Hakimi.
Champions League Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Liverpool
Europa League Bournemouth, Sunderland (Crystal Palace will also play in the Europa League if they win the Conference League final on Wednesday)
Conference League Brighton
Jesus, who, like Nørgaard, is tipped to leave, should have opened the scoring in the 11th minute after being set up by Madueke but could not find a way past Dean Henderson. Dowman, unable to attend training on Friday as he completed his GCSEs, started off the move that led to the opening goal with a clever flick that allowed Gabriel Martinelli to play in his compatriot Jesus.
Both managers rang the changes at half-time and Kai Havertz made an immediate impact by setting up Madueke with a cushioned header for Arsenal’s record-breaking 19th Premier League goal from a corner. “Set piece FC,” sang the Arsenal fans. No wonder Nicolas Jover, who receives a bonus for each one, looked pleased with himself afterwards.
Wharton lasted only 17 minutes after coming on at the break, heading straight down the tunnel but joining the lap of honour. Eberechi Eze was given a hearty reception when brought on against his former club and was denied a goal in the last minute by another excellent Henderson save. The unfortunate Evann Guessand was deemed to be offside, denying Pino a goal that would have earned Palace a point, but there was no stopping the north Londoners’ party south of the Thames.
