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A thrilled Bukayo Saka hit back at Arsenal’s critics, declaring, “they’re not laughing at us anymore,” as the club marked its first Premier League title in 22 years.

Arsenal players and staff assembled at their London Colney training centre to watch Manchester City draw 1-1 with Bournemouth, a result that sealed the Gunners’ first championship since 2004 and their 14th top-flight crown overall, with one match still to play.

City’s draw at the Vitality Stadium on Tuesday set off jubilant celebrations at Arsenal’s training ground and outside the Emirates Stadium, where thousands of fans gathered to celebrate with fireworks and flares lighting up the night sky.

Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright, who scored 185 goals for the club and won the league title in 1998, was surrounded by supporters as he joined the celebrations outside the Emirates.

Arsenal, who had finished as runners-up for the previous three seasons, were accused of “bottling” their title challenge after a 2-1 defeat at Manchester City on 19 April saw them slip from the top of the table.

However, City’s subsequent draws against Everton and Bournemouth allowed Mikel Arteta’s side to reclaim momentum, winning their next four matches without conceding a goal. Arteta, who chose to watch Tuesday’s decisive fixture at home with his family, became the first former Premier League player to win the title as a manager, collecting his second major trophy in six-and-a-half years in charge.

Since taking over in December 2019, when Arsenal were struggling, Arteta had installed a blacked-out Premier League trophy at the club’s training base that would only illuminate once they were confirmed as champions.

“Light that up,” Saka said in footage shared by defender Jurrien Timber. “Let me tell you something. Twenty-two years, 22 years. There was laughing, there was joking — they’re not laughing anymore. Look, it’s going to shine, it’s going to shine bright.”

In another post shared by Saka, Myles Lewis-Skelly, holding a champagne bottle, added: “They called us bottlers. And now we’re the ones holding the bottle.” Both players are products of Arsenal’s Hale End Academy.

Some players continued the celebrations at the Emirates Stadium, with Eberechi Eze sharing a photo alongside Declan Rice, Timber, and Saka in the early hours of Wednesday. Eze’s posts also included an image of an Arsenal-branded bottle, seemingly aimed at silencing the team’s critics.

Declan Rice, who had told his teammates after their loss to City that “it’s not done,” posted a photo from the training ground captioned, “I told you all... it’s done.”

Former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger featured in a tribute post by the club. The Frenchman, who led the Gunners to three Premier League titles including the 2004 ‘Invincibles’ season, said: “You did it. Champions go on when others stop. This is your time. Now, go on and enjoy every moment.”

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, who worked alongside Arteta during two of City’s title-winning campaigns, also praised his former assistant. “On behalf of everyone at Manchester City, we congratulate Mikel and all the staff, players, and fans on winning the Premier League,” Guardiola told Sky Sports. “They deserve it for all the hard work and effort.”

Arsenal will lift the trophy after their final league match of the season against Crystal Palace on Sunday. Arteta’s men could still secure a historic double as they prepare to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest on 30 May.