Bukayo Saka has taken a swipe at Arsenal’s critics after the North London club sealed their first English Premier League title in over two decades.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Gunners were officially crowned champions on Tuesday after Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw by AFC Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, a result that left Arsenal beyond reach at the top of the table with one fixture left to play.
It marks Arsenal’s first league triumph since the famous “Invincibles” squad of the 2003/04 campaign went unbeaten throughout the season under former manager Arsène Wenger.
Players and staff reportedly gathered at the club’s training ground to watch City’s match together before celebrating the moment the final whistle confirmed them as champions.
Reacting after the title win, Saka said Arsenal supporters had spent years enduring ridicule from rival fans during the club’s long wait for another league crown.
The England winger, who came through Arsenal’s academy and has become one of the team’s key figures under manager Mikel Arteta, declared that the jokes from critics have finally stopped.
“Light that up! Twenty-two years they were laughing and joking, but they’re not laughing anymore. It’s going to be shining bright,” Saka said during the celebrations.
The 24-year-old played a major role in Arsenal’s successful campaign, contributing important goals and assists as the club finally ended Manchester City’s recent dominance in English football.
Despite already securing the league title, Arsenal still have another major target ahead. The club will face Paris Saint-Germain F.C. in the UEFA Champions League final in Budapest on May 30, where the Gunners will attempt to win Europe’s biggest club trophy for the first time in their history.
