Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has officially written his name into the football record books after guiding the Gunners to the Premier League title with a game to spare.
The Spaniard has become the first former player in Premier League history to win the prestigious competition as a manager.
While legends like Sir Kenny Dalglish won the Premier League as a manager, his playing career took place in the old Football League First Division before the top flight rebranded in 1992, making Arteta’s achievement unique.
The historic title was officially secured following a dramatic Matchday 37 fixture on Tuesday evening.
Arsenal’s closest title rivals, Manchester City, dropped crucial points in a 1-1 draw against AFC Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
Erling Haaland rescued a late stoppage-time equalizer for City, but it was not enough to keep the title race alive, leaving Arsenal with an insurmountable four-point lead heading into the final weekend.
This victory marks a monumental milestone for the North London club, ending a painful 22-year top-flight title drought.
This is the Gunners’ first league crown since Arsene Wenger led the famous “Invincibles” squad to an unbeaten season in 2003/04.
Arteta, who took the helm in December 2019, has now managed to achieve the Premier League trophy that eluded him during his respected playing career.
Statistics shared by Chosun Sports highlight that at 44 years and 54 days old, Arteta has also become the third-youngest manager to win the Premier League.
He rests just behind Jose Mourinho, who holds both the first and second spots for his early title triumphs with Chelsea.
Arteta enjoys a deeply rooted connection to English football, having spent years as a prominent midfielder for Everton from 2005 to 2011 before moving on to captain Arsenal until his retirement in 2016.
