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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has opened up about the defining moments that convinced him his team would secure the Premier League title this season.

The Gunners finally ended their long wait for the league trophy, capturing the title for the first time in 22 years after finishing as runners-up in the previous three campaigns.

The championship race with Manchester City went down to the wire, but City’s failure to defeat Bournemouth earlier in the week meant Arsenal clinched the title. The North London side then celebrated their triumph on Sunday with a victory over Crystal Palace.

Arteta explained that while he believed in his squad’s potential during pre-season, it wasn’t until April that he became certain they would go on to be champions.

Speaking to BeIN Sports about the key turning points of the season, Arteta said, “The first one probably came when we all gathered in pre-season, a week before facing Manchester United. I brought all the players together and asked them what they were willing to give for the team. They all said they would do anything for the team, and that’s when I realised we had a real chance to compete across all competitions because we had the depth and quality to challenge.”

Reflecting on that moment, Arteta added, “Their response was instant and remarkable. It’s easy to make promises in a meeting, but to sustain that level of commitment over a ten-month season is something else entirely. The boys deserve enormous credit for how they’ve done it.”

The Spaniard, who is now both a Premier League-winning player and manager, pointed to one more crucial moment. “The second moment came when we lost to Manchester City. That day, I thought to myself, ‘We are going to win it.’ I looked around the dressing room before saying anything, just to see the players’ reactions. They were disappointed, deeply hurt, but I could see that they realised we could beat them and even be better than them.”

He continued, “From that point on, we knew it was in our hands. We focused on what we had to do to become champions, and the reaction was immediate. From that moment, I was convinced we would go very close to winning it.”