Arsenal lift first Premier League title in 22 years with easy Palace win

Mikel Arteta got the send-off he deserved on Saturday. With Stan Kroenke in the stands—a rare sighting for the Arsenal owner—the Gunners wrapped up their first league title since 2004 by cruising past Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. It wasn't flashy, but it didn't need to be.

Goals from Gabriel Jesus and Noni Madueke sealed a comfortable afternoon, though the day belonged to 16-year-old Max Dowman, who became the youngest player to ever start a Premier League match (16 years, 144 days). Jesus's strike could be his last in an Arsenal shirt, depending on summer moves, but it's fitting he got on the scoresheet for a day like this.

The trophy presentation happened after Oliver Glasner had his own lap around the pitch—his final home game as Palace boss. By then the focus had already shifted forward. Next weekend's Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain looms large, and Arteta's won't get much time to celebrate. That's the trade-off when you're chasing history.

Palace had their own concerns. Jean-Philippe Mateta pulled one back late, and Yéremy Pino thought he'd equalized but got flagged for offside. Worse news came when Adam Wharton limped off; he's crucial for their Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig on Wednesday. It'll be an odd goodbye for Glasner either way.

Security was tight all week. Palace had caught wind of over 35,000 bots trying to snap up home tickets and warned fans to watch for infiltrators. A handful of Arsenal fans in hi-vis jackets did manage to slip past early on, but stewards booted them out quick. Apart from that, the day stayed peaceful—which, given the circumstances, was probably the best-case scenario for everyone involved.