Arsenal have waited a long time to lift the Premier League. After 22 years, what’s a few more minutes?Once their 2-1 win over Crystal Palace had concluded, Arsenal’s players had to retreat to the dressing room while the home team ran through their post-season ceremony. Palace chairman Steve Parish pleaded for quiet as he presented a series of club awards, as the travelling Arsenal support conducted a private party in their corner of the Arthur Wait Stand.According to the official allocation, there were just 2,687 Arsenal fans at Selhurst Park. In reality, there were many more. Arsenal fans smuggled themselves into the home end, and some watched the roof of the nearby Sainsbury’s. On the roads around the stadium, street-sellers pedalled commemorative Arsenal scarves and hats. The travelling support came to celebrate, replete with bucket hats, cardboard cutouts of Mikel Arteta, Manchester City-branded bottles and tin-foil trophies.In the dressing room, Arsenal’s players were in party mode too. They were joined there by co-owners Stan and Josh Kroenke, as well as their friends and families. The champagne was flowing.Josh and Stan Kroenke with the Premier League trophy (Michael Regan/Getty Images For Premier League)While the first team changed from the third kit into the traditional red and white, Arteta’s staff donned shirts worn by the players. Assistant coach Albert Stuivenberg wore Jurrien Timber’s No 12; lead physical performance coach Sam Wilson wore Riccardo Calafiori’s number 33. Even the club doctor, Zafar Iqbal, wore Martin Odegaard’s number 8.Goalkeeper coach Inaki Cana wore a specially-made goalkeeper kit, with the names of David Raya, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Tommy Setford all printed on the back. On the front were hand-written notes of thanks from his three charges.Once Palace had completed the formalities, the dressing room bell sounded — the same bell Arsenal heard pre-game to signal the start of the match now marked the campaign’s ultimate conclusion; the final bell on this special season.Arsenal’s players emerged from the dressing room with Calafiori leading chants of “Arsenal, Arsenal!”. The squad congregated outside the dressing room, slapping hands and hugging each other. Kai Havertz took a quick selfie. They made their way out onto the pitch, led by captain Odegaard. Tom Allen, the head of sports science and performance, carried a giant bluetooth speaker.The team collected their medals. Gabriel planted a kiss on the trophy. Saliba stroked it. Kepa, still wearing goalkeeper gloves, tapped it lovingly. Myles Lewis-Skelly shook his head in disbelief. Even as he left the pitch post-celebration, the 19-year-old was shouting: “This is mad though!”Saliba and Gabriel celebrating (Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)It had passed 7pm by the time club captain Martin Odegaard finally raised the trophy. It was handed to him by Emmanuel, a player for North London United, the Arsenal-affiliated Down Syndrome football team.Arteta embraced his wife Lorena, and sang North London Forever arm in arm with Josh Kroenke and board member Ben Winston.As so often, William Saliba was a central figure in the celebrations — handing the trophy around, encouraging others to take the stage, posing alongside defensive partner Gabriel.Eberechi Eze led the away fans in a chorus of his adopted chant, celebrating his decision too in Arsenal rather than Spurs.It was a full-circle moment for Eze.The England forward was hours from signing for Spurs, before a fateful phone call with Arteta set in motion a series of events that would lead him back to his boyhood club. His first Premier League goal for Arsenal came against his former club, Crystal Palace. His first north London derby ended in a hat-trick — his second, in a brace. And here, on the final day, the home fans stayed behind to see their hero lift the trophy.His only quibble will be that his second-half cameo didn’t conclude with a goal. Viktor Gyokeres crossed and Eze seemed certain to score, but Dean Henderson denied him.Eberechi Eze was signed from Palace last summer (David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)It’s a full circle moment for Arsenal too. Their pursuit of the Premier League title arguably began on this ground, almost four years ago. On the opening night of the 2022-23 campaign, Arsenal beat Crystal Palace 2-0 at Selhurst Park.Gabriel Jesus made his debut after signing from Manchester City, the striker who Mikel Arteta argued “changed our world”. The Brazilian striker started as captain on Sunday, in what could be his final appearance for the club.That Friday night in 2022 was the first competitive game in which Arteta deployed a true inverted full-back, with Oleksandr Zinchenko starting at left-back. There was another Premier League debut for William Saliba, finally recalled into the first-team squad after three loan spells. This was the first league game for the partnership of Saliba and Gabriel. That defensive pairing would become the foundation upon which Arsenal’s success has been built.That 2-0 win marked the start of four successive attempts to win the Premier League. Back at Selhurst Park, 11 miles or so from the Woolwich armament factor where the club was first formed, Arsenal completed their odyssey back to the summit of English footballThis was a very different Arsenal, and a very different team. Arteta rang the changes: Max Dowman, at 16 years and 144 days, became the youngest player to start a Premier League match.The first half had the feel of watching Jesus’ testimonial, as generous team-mates and sloppy Palace defenders conspired to grant him a series of goalscoring opportunities. Shortly before half-time, he was able to take advantage, racing on to Gabriel Martinelli’s pass to side-foot inside Dean Henderson’s near post.Shortly after the break, Noni Madueke doubled the lead. Martinelli’s corner was headed back across goal by substitute Kai Havertz. The England international met it on the volley, cutting across the ball to send it spinning into the far corner. A goal at the Whitehouse Lane end of Selhurst Park granted Madueke and his team-mates an opportunity to celebrate in front of the jubilant away support.The feel-good atmosphere continued through the hour mark, when Mikel Merino came on for his first appearance since fracturing a foot in January. The Spanish international might have scored on his comeback, prodding an instinctive effort over the bar from close range.Merino, second from right, returned after injury (David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)With both clubs headed off to European finals, the only real jeopardy in the game came from injuries. Adam Wharton was brought on for Palace at half-time, only to be substituted with what looked to be an ankle injury. Madueke departed 10 minutes from time clutching at a sore hamstring.As the two teams played out the second half, in the tunnel area staff were undertaking final preparations for the big moment. The podium was erected, “Champions 2025-26” printed on the top.Perhaps Arsenal’s attention had begun to turn to the trophy lift. Palace grabbed a consolation through Jean-Philippe Mateta, and briefly thought they’d equalised — before VAR once again came to Arsenal’s rescue. After review, the goal was ruled out.When Arsenal were beaten by Manchester City on April 19, they had five Premier League games remaining. They have won all five, conceding just a single goal. Arsenal finish the season on 85 points, seven clear of City.When the celebrations had subsided, the Arsenal coach was unable to leave as there were so many fans still lining the streets. The players continued the party in the dressing room, drinking beer and dancing. When they did eventually depart, the squad headed for a private meal and celebration in central London with friends and family.As the sun began to set and the celebrations abated, Bukayo Saka emerged from the dressing room with the trophy, striding out onto the field for one final photocall — Arsenal’s longest serving player, who has endured the longest wait, took the opportunity to savour the moment.