Bournemouth vs Man City: Arsenal are Premier League champions but Haaland does Liverpool huge favour

A goal at the Vitality Stadium has sent North London going wild as Eli Junior Kroupi's strike ensures Arsenal are Premier League champions for the first time since 2004.

With the Gunners holding a sizeable five-point advantage, Manchester City needed to beat the high-flying Cherries away from home to send the title race into the final matchday.

Kroupi's 38th-minute strike reverberated across England as the France international-hopeful sunk Pep Guardiola's hopes of a dream send-off while propelling Arsenal to the podium.

While Erling Haaland scored late in the game to set up a dramatic final two minutes, a goal which boosted Liverpool's Champions League chances, it was a little too late to trigger a comeback.

The match was an incredibly tense, high-stakes affair. Bournemouth, chasing their own European qualification spots, showed absolutely no fear against the defending champions and arguably looked the better team for long stretches of the contest.

The Vitality Stadium erupted just before halftime.  Kroupi found the back of the net in the 38th minute, giving the hosts a stunning 1-0 advantage and sending Arsenal fans watching across London into early celebrations.

Knowing their title defence was slipping away, Guardiola threw everything forward in the second half. However, they struggled to break down a resolute Bournemouth defence. 

In desperation, Guardiola made late attacking substitutions, bringing on Omar Marmoush for Jérémy Doku in the 76th minute to try and find the two crucial goals needed to win.

As City threw bodies forward, they were left massively exposed at the back. Bournemouth substitute David Brooks found himself through on goal and unleashed a long-range shot that agonisingly ricocheted off the right post, nearly putting the absolute final nail in City's coffin.

Refusing to surrender, Manchester City finally breached the Bournemouth defence deep into stoppage time. Erling Haaland struck a dramatic late goal to make it 1-1, setting up a chaotic and desperate final few seconds. However, they failed to get a crucial winner before Anthony Taylor blew the whistle to confirm Arsenal’s championship.

It’s officially all over. The 1-1 draw gives Manchester City a single point, leaving them four points behind Arsenal with only one match remaining in the campaign. The gap is mathematically insurmountable.

As the full-time whistle blew on the South Coast, wild celebrations instantly kicked off at the Emirates Stadium and pubs across North London. Mikel Arteta has achieved the ultimate goal, delivering Arsenal their first Premier League title since the legendary "Invincibles" campaign of 2003–2004.

For Pep Guardiola and Manchester City, the domestic season ends in bitter disappointment. Their final-day fixture is now rendered a formality in the context of the title, forcing the squad to regroup and assess how they let their crown slip away without the Spanish tactitian, according to reports

Meanwhile, Bournemouth's phenomenal performance secures a vital point that keeps them squarely in the hunt for UEFA Champions League qualification. However, failing to beat Man City means they must win their final game and hope Liverpool lose heavily to Brentford to secure the final, guaranteed Champions League slot currently occupied by the Reds.