The key moments that decided the Premier League title race

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Arsenal fans in dreamland as club win Premier League title

Arsenal's wait is over.

After 22 long years, the Gunners can finally celebrate another Premier League title.

The disappointment of three consecutive second-placed finishes can now be put behind them as Mikel Arteta's side successfully held off the challenge ofManchester Cityto be crowned champions.

BBC Sport looks at the key moments that helped turnArsenalfrom nearly men to league winners.

Viktor Gyokeres joined Arsenal in July 2025 after two seasons at Sporting

Having seenLiverpool's strength in depth praised as they strolled to the title last season. clinching it with four games to spare,Arsenalwere keen to add to their squad over the summer.

In total. eight new players were added to the squad, with out-of-contract midfielder Thomas Partey the only first-team regular to depart.

Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres was the headline signing. arriving from Portuguese side Sporting for £64m, giving Gunners fans the number nine they had long been calling for.

Meanwhile, central midfielder Martin Zubimendi joined from Real Sociedad, the defence was bolstered by the loan signing of Bayer Leverkusen's Piero Hincapie. Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze moved across London fromChelseaandCrystal Palace, respectively.

An outlay in excess of £250m, with little recouped through sales, was substantial. as the season has progressed, the importance of those additions has been proven.

With a league title now secured. a Champions League final still to come, it is looking like money well spent.

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Gabriel Martinelli earned Arsenal a crucial point against title rivals Manchester City in September

It came in just the fifth game of the season. as important as Gabriel Martinelli's 93rd-minute equaliser against City felt back in September, it looks even more crucial now.

A three-point swing in a title race that ultimately wentArsenal's way.

Back then, it was more a feeling of relief forArsenalas they denied Pep Guardiola's side a statement win. narrowed the gap to early leadersLiverpoolto five points.

Having taken an early lead through Erling Haaland. it was notable that City were content to sit back for much of the second half - Guardiola even switched to a back five - as they backed themselves to keep out anArsenalside lacking any real creativity.

Had they held on a couple of minutes more. this game would have been viewed much differently - Guardiola showing a new string to his bow with a defensive masterclass against a title rival.

Instead, it wasArsenal's new-found strength in depth being praised as that creative spark finally came in stoppage time with substitutes Eze. Martinelli combining to draw the home side level.

Gabriel's winner at Newcastle came in the 96th minute

A week later andArsenalwere celebrating in injury time again.

Trips to St James' Park have not been kind to Arteta's side in recent years, with three losses. no goals scored in their previous three visits.

So when Nick Woltemade putNewcastleahead in the first half of an ill-tempered game. in whichArsenalalso had a penalty overturned by VAR, the away fans may have feared the worst.

However, Mikel Merino headedArsenallevel in the 84th minute. when Gabriel nodded in from a 96th-minute corner, Gunners fans, players and staff went wild.

AfterLiverpool's slip up atCrystal Palacethe previous day, suddenlyArsenalwere only two points off the top.

Two months on. after a run of 10 straight wins in all competitions, including eight in a row without conceding,Arsenalwere top of the table and flying high.

A 2-2 draw atSunderlandended that run. the Gunners came into November's north London derby with the chance to go six points clear after City fell to a 2-1 defeat byNewcastleon Tyneside.

Any thoughtsTottenhamhad of landing a blow to dent their rivals' title hopes soon faded asArsenalwent into the break 2-0 up. made it three seconds into the second half.

Richarlison got one back for Spurs. the Gunners had the final word, with the crowning moment fittingly belonging to Eze, who so nearly joined Thomas Frank's side in the summer before signing forArsenal.

The England midfielder sealed the win as he completed his first senior hat-trick to giveArsenaltheir biggest advantage after 12 games of any Premier League campaign.

As Patrick Dorgu wheeled away having nipped in front of Rico Lewis to put the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma. the Manchester derby was over.

United were two goals up at Old Trafford. City were headed for a new low as a dismal start to the new year continued.

Having clawed their way back into contention over the Christmas period. Guardiola's side failed to win any of their first four league games in 2026.

A stalemate atSunderlandwas followed by dropped points at home toChelseaandBrighton. allowingArsenal- despite a couple of slip-ups of their own - to take a seven-point lead at the top of the table.

By , the gap was still at six points. a game in hand for City meant, asArsenalarrived for a top-of-the-table clash at the Etihad, both sides could claim the title was in their hands.

It was City who emerged from a thrilling game victorious with Erling Haaland scoring the winner 20 minutes into the second half.

But perhaps the most crucial moment came late on as a game-long battle between Haaland and Gabriel finally boiled over.

The pair squared up and moved forehead to forehead before theArsenalcentre-back jerked his head forward. That Haaland stayed on his feet likely saved Gabriel from a red card.

Admirable as that approach from Haaland may be. it didArsenala huge favour as a sending off for violent conduct would have left Arteta's team without one of their star defenders for the next three games.

Manchester City came back to draw 3-3 at Everton

Victory for City atBurnleyput them top of the league on goals scored.

By the time they played their next Premier League game - atEverton-Arsenalhad already played twice more. were six points clear.

Win their games in hand and City would draw level, butArsenalhad the points on the board.

But there was no sign of scoreboard pressure telling at the Hill Dickinson. when Jeremy Doku put the visitors in front just before half-time, few would have looked past an away win.

That was still the case as Marc Guehi controlled the ball inside his own penalty area in the 68th minute.

One under-hit backpass later and it was a very different story. Thierno Barry nipped in to equalise forEvertonand the game changed.

David Moyes' side scored three in the space of 13 minutes. although City managed to claw it back to earn a point deep into stoppage time with a 3-3 draw, two points dropped meant it was advantageArsenalagain.

On paper, a trip to aWest Hamside scrapping to avoid relegation looked the toughest ofArsenal's last three fixtures.

It was a game Arteta's men needed to win to avoid letting City back in. they struggled to break the Hammers' stubborn resistance.

The game was still goalless whenWest Hammidfielder Matheus Fernandes arrived to collect a loose ball, played a one-two with Pablo. found himself six yards out with just David Raya to beat.

Fernandes tried to beat the keeper at his near post but Raya stuck out his right leg to make a brilliant save from point-blank range. ensure the scores remained level heading into the last 10 minutes.

That Raya save looked all the more important when Leandro Trossard firedArsenalahead in the 83rd minute.

But the game was far from over and with time running out,West Hampiled forward in search of an equaliser.

Gabriel made a huge block to keep out Callum Wilson's shot. theWest Hamstriker would get another chance from the resulting corner - smashing the ball through the bodies to score a stunning injury-time leveller.

The video assistant referee (VAR) stepped in. after a lengthy review, the goal was ruled out for a foul on Raya as Pablo had his arm across the goalkeeper's chest and was holding his left arm.

A number of other potential infringements, including penalty shouts for fouls by Trossard. Declan Rice, were considered and waved away meaning that whileWest Ham- and likelyManchester City- fumed,Arsenalclung on.

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**Author: April**