Arsenal secured a 2-1 victory over Everton in the last game of the season, but their hopes of winning the title were crushed following Manchester City’s 3-1 thrashing of West Ham United.
The Gunners’ victory over Everton was irrelevant due to City’s success. The possibility of last-day drama was already minimal, and City’s early 2-0 lead made it even more unlikely.
Idrissa Gueye’s free-kick, which was deflected and put Everton ahead at the Emirates in the 40th minute, did little to change the outcome.
Just as West Ham scored to narrow the gap at the Etihad, Tomiyasu also scored three minutes later but this did not change the outcome of the title race.
Kai Havertz scored a tap-in goal with only one minute left on the clock, giving Arsenal their 28th win of the season. The win highlighted the progress made under Mikel Arteta’s leadership, and he will aim to push his team even further next season.
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The Gunners had hoped for a helping hand from their rivals Tottenham on Tuesday evening, but their aspirations were dashed when Pep Guardiola’s men secured a 2-0 win. Man City headed into the final day leading by 2 points.
Bukayo Saka was sidelined with a minor muscle injury, but the atmosphere among the fans was celebratory as the players took to the pitch.
Kai Havertz made Arsenal’s intention clear with a shot that went over the bar within the first minute, but the energy around the Emirates dissipated when it was announced that Phil Foden had scored for City in under two minutes.
Arsenal remained focused on the task at hand and continued to push forward, with Tomiyasu missing a header and Declan Rice being denied by Jordan Pickford, who later made a spectacular save to prevent Seamus Coleman from scoring an own goal.
Martinelli was given a chance but was denied by Pickford minutes later. Coleman was also needed to clean up the rebound. Even though City was threatening, the home fans were not discouraged.
Everton almost took the lead in the 31st minute. Gueye initiated a swift counter-attack and fed Dominic Calvert-Lewin who struck the post with his initial shot before burying the rebound into the side-netting.
Gueye went on to score a stunning free-kick from 25 yards out, deflecting off Rice’s head and leaving David Raya helpless in the Arsenal goal.
Things were not going well for Arsenal at the Emirates, but just before the break, the tide turned dramatically. Tomiyasu found the back of the net with a neat finish after a classic Martin Odegaard assist, which made the home crowd erupt in cheers when West Ham scored against City.
A few minutes later, a group of Arsenal supporters erupted in cheers, mistaking the score to be 2-2 at the Etihad. The excitement was short-lived as yellow cards were handed out more frequently than shots at the begining of the second half.
Arteta brought on Jurrien Timber, a substitution that reinvigorated the fans as Arsenal gained momentum. Pickford saved a shot from Odegaard, but Smith Rowe’s volley hit the crossbar.
Arsenal scored the winning goal when Gabriel Jesus took advantage of Ashley Young’s poor pass and passed Odegaard, who then set up Havertz to score his 14th goal of the season from close range.
Just seconds prior, West Ham had briefly scored, prompting cheers from the crowd, but VAR quickly ruled out the goal due to a handball by Tomas Soucek against City.
The Gunners’ aspirations for the title were put to rest, but they persisted and gave City a run for their money until the end.
