Manchester City sealed the Premier League title on Saturday, as Arsenal’s shock 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest ended any lingering mathematical probability of the north London team usurping Pep Guardiola’s side in the title race.
The Gunners are now four points behind City in the table and cannot catch Guardiola’s men with just one game and a maximum of three points left in its season.
It is a result that has appeared increasingly inevitable for weeks as City’s run of 23 unbeaten games coincided with and influenced Arsenal’s slow capitulation from its perch at the top of the table, which it had occupied for 248 days of the season, the most in English top-flight history for a team which failed to win the title, according to statistics website Opta.
Despite still holding an eight-point cushion just last month, Arsenal’s hopes of a first title since the 2003/04 season have been steadily extinguished following a run of three improbable draws and a 4-1 drubbing at Manchester City in April, compounded by a 3-0 defeat to Brighton last week and now this loss at Nottingham, a team fighting for its very survival in the Premier League.
And so the idea of City winning the Premier League, its fifth title in six years, has had time to percolate and establish itself, almost normalizing an achievement so monumental it is matched by just one other team in the league’s entire history – Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United between 1995/96 and 2000/01.
Taiwo Awoniyi's first half goal gave Nottingham Forest a 1-0 win over Arsenal which was critical at both ends of the table.
Look at the joy from Ryan Yates. Celebrations will take all night - and probably all summer. Nottingham Forest's solid home form keeps them up for another season - despite all the predictions to the contrary early in the season.
Mikel Arteta's side just didn't do enough today - and it's another defeat.
What an unfortunate end to a season that started so gloriously.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Nottingham Forest v Arsenal - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - May 20, 2023 Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reacts
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 20: A 'Premier League Champions' banner is revealed outside the stadium after Manchester City were confirmed as 2022/23 Premier League champions after Nottingham Forest beat Arsenal, at Etihad Stadium on May 20, 2023 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
I'm not sure what to say about Arsenal. They were absolutely stifled tonight - this was not the vintage Gunners that we've come to see in the Premier League earlier in the campaign.
They have one last game next weekend - and they'll be glad to see the back of this season with their recent form.
But across the whole season, finishing in second place, they can feel very proud of that in my opinion.
Nottingham Forest are celebrating their success like THEY'VE won the league. Although with their resounding resilience today at the back, they've more than earned their place among the Premier League elite for another term.
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