A resilient Arsenal are doing it the hard way but the Premier League title is now up for grabs
There is still one hand on the title, but only after Arsenal pulled away.
If the story of the 2025-26 season is indeed to end with a first Premier League crown in 22 years, it will have a script that remains strong in the form of Mikel Arteta. This had all the usual ingredients.
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A set goal. A 1-0. The VAR controversy. Many senses. Arsenal did it again the hard way. They, however, have done enough. At least for now.
They got a win over Burnley which put them within one win of the title. It could be sooner than that if Manchester City fail to win at Bournemouth on Tuesday night.
Given the way this title race has grown and flowed emotionally, too, it’s hard not to wonder how this win and – perhaps more importantly – the news of Pep Guardiola’s pending departure will affect his side.
Maybe Arsenal can do that. Any team can think they have won the title on the field itself, but do they want to go through this ordeal again?
Arsenal are now on the brink of a first title for 22 years (Reuters)
In normal circumstances, a show like this – certainly that in the second half – would look wishful thinking before Oliver Glasner’s trip to the Crystal Palace on the final day.
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Besides, these are not normal circumstances, and it may not be normal for Palace given the Uefa Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano three days later.
Everyone has to do what they have to – including Arsenal. It’s not always smooth sailing for them.
There were long spells where the look, and sometimes the feel, of one of those long agonizing days Arsenal were expected to eventually suffer.
Arteta’s side actually started well, as they always looked to force the issue. The problem was how deep and strong Burnley were defending. The Premier League’s 19th team may not have had much quality, but they had plenty of bodies in the box.
Mikel Arteta’s determination finally paid off (Reuters)
And, with every attempt by Arsenal to pass through or run in, there was always a defender there to deal with it. The cross is headed out for a throw-in, the ball goes out for a corner.
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And from this came that feeling of every frustrated movement that goes on for so long.
Leandro Trossard hits the post. Eberechi Eze rushed one of his long shots. Martin Odegaard had an open that just went wide, when it looked like the goal would come in the end. It wasn’t far…
A series of Arsenal corners early on led to increasing frustration, as they kept opting for short passes. That was agreed with Newcastle to get Eze a good opener, but Burnley wouldn’t allow that space.
The strategy soon became clear, when an important vacancy opened up elsewhere. Apparently Arsenal had been playing a decoy. With the opposition having found their first option in the bowling corner, they had to keep guessing.
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How did this happen?
Kai Havertz towered over and nodded in the only goal (PA Wire)
Another issue with the night, however, was that it was necessary to second-guess some of Havertz’s decisions. He didn’t have one of his best games, putting in one of those games where he made some unusual choices – to say nothing of the potential red card challenge on Lesley Ugochukwu.
One was a strange pass across the goal. Another one seemed to move the other way from Bukayo Saka’s cross.
He didn’t do that for the next one, though. In the 37th minute, as Saka finally took one of those corners, there was Havertz who was going to get up and go in.
Arsenal weren’t exactly calm, though. If anything, the situation went the other way. Now they have something to lose, there is a game to win. When they were still attacking, the second goal just didn’t go in.
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Eze again had an effort wide, Saka hit the side netting and a rare selection by Havertz. As Arsenal became more and more desperate to keep the game secure, they lost control a bit. Havertz did so.
Havertz escapes yellow due to bad lung on Lesley Ugochukwu (PA Wire)
He ran into Ugochukwu and was lucky not to be kicked out. That was also after a lengthy VAR review.
Arteta had no response other than to send him off, while making another series of subs to try and strengthen his squad. Martin Zubimendi was even put in charge, which was never returned.
They finished with aplomb to beat Burnley away, as Arteta scored the fourth goal of added time. At that time, the game had entered the 99th minute.
The final whistle did not end their 22-year wait. But now it’s painfully, tragically, incredibly close. Could it really end any other way?
