Mikel Arteta has revealed the moment that convinced him Arsenal would become Premier League champions.
After a tense and turbulent title race with Manchester City, Arsenal were crowned Premier League champions for the first time since 2004 earlier this week.
Arteta had led the Gunners to three successive second-place finishes before finally delivering Arsenal a first league title in 22 years.
Man City’s draw with Bournemouth on Tuesday night allowed Arsenal to avoid a nervy final-day title decider but Arteta says he was convinced for a month that his side would get over the line.
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Arsenal suffered a painful defeat to Pep Guardiola’s City in April but Arteta says that loss actually emboldened his belief that the Premier League trophy would be heading to the Emirates Stadium.
Asked if there were any moments that made him believe Arsenal would win the title, Arteta told beIN SPORTS: ‘The very first one probably came when we all came together in pre-season, the week before we played Manchester United.
‘I got all the players together and asked them what they were happy to do for the team. They were happy to do anything for the team and I knew we had a big chance to compete in every competition because we had the depth and the quality to challenge.
‘Their response was immediate and incredible and they weren’t just words – it’s easy to say it in a meeting, but then you need to produce it throughout a ten-month season.
‘The boys deserve so much credit because they’ve done it in an incredible way.
‘The second moment is when we lost at Manchester City. That day I thought, “we are going to win it”. I looked at the players in the dressing room and I wanted to see their reactions before I said anything.
‘And I could tell they were very hurt but they realised we can beat them and we can be better than them.
‘It was in our hands and we had to do what we had to do, after that we focused on what we needed to become champions and the response was immediate.
‘From that moment I realised we were going to go very close to winning it.’
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Reflecting on the moment Arsenal became Premier League champions, Arteta added: ‘It’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever had.
‘I was supposed to be here, at Sobha, watching the game with the boys and the staff, because that’s what they wanted, but I couldn’t. I think 20 minutes later, before the game, I had to leave.
‘I couldn’t bring the energy that I wanted and I think it was the moment as well to watch it together, to be themselves and just see what the outcome would be.
‘I went home, I went outside to the garden, I started to build a fire, and I started to do some barbecue. I didn’t watch any of it.
‘I was just hearing some noises in the background, in the living room and suddenly the magic happened.
‘My oldest son opened the garden door, he started to run towards me, he started to cry, he gave me a hug and said: “We are champions, daddy.”
‘Then my other two boys and my wife came over and it was beautiful. Just to see that joy on them as well, that they are always with me, it was magical.’
Arsenal celebrated becoming Premier League champions with a final-day win over Crystal Palace.
Gabriel Jesus and Noni Madueke scored either side of half-time for the much-changed Gunners before Jean-Philippe Mateta netted a late consolation goal.
After fully celebrating their Premier League title win, Arsenal will turn their attentions to next weekend’s Champions League final against PSG.
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