The terms "bottle" and "bottling"—a slang term for failing to win a competition when in a strong position—dominated the championship race this season. A Man City fan went viral for repeatedly mocking Arsenal by drinking from a bottle with the "Gunners" logo on live television, implying the London club was about to "drop" the title. This ridicule stemmed from Arsenal's history of faltering in crucial stages and missing out on titles, including three consecutive second-place finishes in the Premier League.

Arsenal ended their long wait for a title, securing the 2025-2026 Premier League championship one matchday early. Following Man City's 1-1 draw with Bournemouth, Arsenal players gathered for celebrations at their London Colney training center. Notably, coach Mikel Arteta had placed a blacked-out Premier League trophy at the facility, designed to illuminate only upon the team's victory.

Bukayo Saka responds to critics after Arsenal won the Premier League.

In a video posted by Jurrien Timber on Instagram, Bukayo Saka exclaimed, "Light it up! Let me tell you this: 22 years, 22 years. There's been a lot of laughter, a lot of teasing, but now they're not laughing anymore. It will light up, it will shine brightly."

On another Instagram Story, Myles Lewis-Skelly, holding a champagne bottle, said, "They called us 'bottlers.' Now we're holding bottles."

The players reportedly moved to a different location for a private party. In an image shared by Eberechi Eze, captain Martin Odegaard was seen drinking from an Arsenal-branded water bottle—the same type a Man City fan used to mock Arsenal weeks prior.

Gabriel Magalhaes also hit back, posting a picture of the disappointed fan during Man City's 1-1 draw with Bournemouth, captioned: "Thinking too much." Eze posted a meme depicting the man dressed as a giant blue bottle.

After the initial celebrations, a group of players headed to Emirates Stadium, where thousands of enthusiastic fans had gathered, lighting flares and fireworks to celebrate the championship. Former legend Ian Wright, who scored 185 goals for Arsenal and won the Premier League in 1998, also joined the festive atmosphere and was quickly surrounded by supporters.

Despite many having left, a video showed Timber, Saka, Declan Rice, and Eze walking around the stadium's exterior early on 20/5. A fan posted the video with the caption: "Can't believe I met the champions at 5 am." In another video, Rice, with a hoarse voice, invited fans to take photos with him before chanting: "Arsenal, Arsenal, Arsenal."

Rice celebrates with fans in the early morning of 20/5.

Eze posted a celebratory selfie around 5:20 am, with a finger to his lips, a clear response to recent team criticism. The English midfielder later shared more photos with Rice, Timber, and Saka outside Emirates, including an image of the Arsenal-branded water bottle.

Former Arsenal player Jorginho, now playing for Flamengo, also posted a Facetime photo with Saka and Timber, adding a congratulatory caption: "So happy for you guys."

Earlier, thousands of fans had flocked to popular Arsenal pubs like Drayton Park Arms, The World’s End in Finsbury Park, and The Tollington, all just minutes from the stadium. Euphoric supporters popped champagne, embraced in celebration, and danced on tables as the championship news was confirmed. On London streets, drivers honked continuously, and fans waved shirts from windows and rooftops. Some even blocked traffic to celebrate, with festivities lasting until dawn.

However, the season is not over for Arsenal. They have two matches remaining: facing Crystal Palace on matchday 38 of the Premier League on 24/5, followed by an epic clash against PSG in the Champions League final in Budapest on 30/5.