Arsenal's current gaffer, Mikel Arteta has written his name in the history books of not just among managers who won the English Premier League (EPL), but clinching it the pattern his former coach, Arsene Wenger won it in 2022.
Arsenal have ended their 22-Year EPL drought as Mikel Arteta's Arsenal in 2026 have recreated the pattern Arsène Wenger’s team became the Premier League champions in 2002.
Before Wenger won the EPL title in 2002, the Frenchman had come 2nd position three previous seasons. Fast forward to 2026, Arteta had also finished second on the final EPL log consecutively in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Arsenal’s Long Wait Finally Ends
For more than two decades, Arsenal supporters lived on memories. The glorious days of French gaffer, Arsène Wenger, and his team - the Invincibles starring Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Jens Lehmann and others at Highbury Stadium became stories repeatedly told to younger generations who had never experienced an actual English Premier League title celebration.
Year after year, Arsenal came close. Sometimes they collapsed under immense pressure. Other times, Pep Guardiola's Manchester City’s machine-like consistency crushed their hopes. Yet through criticism, heartbreak and endless banter from rivals, one man kept believing in the project - Mikel Arteta. Now, in 2026, Arsenal are finally Premier League champions again.
Twenty-two years after Wenger’s legendary Invincibles conquered England in 2004, Arteta has written his own chapter in Arsenal's history. The Spaniard delivered the club’s first EPL title of the modern Emirates era and did it in a fashion that mirrored Wenger’s journey more than many realise.
Mikel Arteta’s Journey Mirrors Arsène Wenger’s Rise
When Arsène Wenger first arrived in England, he changed Arsenal gradually. The French born manager finished third in consecutive seasons in 1999, 2000 and 2001 before eventually winning the EPL title in 2002 and building a team capable of dominating English football. That exact pattern followed Arteta.
After years of rebuilding Arsenal from a broken and disconnected club, Arteta guided the Gunners to back-to-back third-place finishes in 2022, 2024 and 2025 before finally taking the final step towards Premier League achievement in 2026.
Arteta did not became successful overnight.
The former Everton player inherited a struggling squad lacking confidence, leadership and identity. Arsenal were drifting away from Europe’s elite and many questioned whether the former captain was experienced enough for such a massive job.
When criticism heightened, Arteta stayed patient. He built around young stars, restored discipline, improved recruitment and slowly transformed Arsenal into one of the most dangerous teams in Europe.
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Just like Wenger in the late 1990s, Arteta trusted a blend of youth, technical quality and tactical intelligence. By 2026, everything finally clicked, resulting in the coveted EPL title.
How Pep Guardiola's Manchester City Lost the 2026 Premier League Title
For much of the 2025/2026 season, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City looked ready to continue their dominance. Experience, squad depth and winning mentality kept them at the top of the table during crucial periods. But every title race eventually has a defining moment.For the Cityzens, that moment came at Goodison Park a few weeks ago.
Manchester City's dramatic 3-3 draw against a David Moyes led Everton became the result that changed everything in the Premier League title race. City entered the match knowing fully well that nothing short of a victory would keep Arsenal under enormous pressure, but instead, Guardiola’s side stumbled in shocking fashion.
Despite taking control several times during the match, City repeatedly lost concentration defensively courtesy of defender Marc Guehi's blunder. Everton fought back with intensity and punished every mistake. The draw not only dropped crucial points but also handed momentum directly to Arsenal.
Psychologically, the 3-3 draw between Everton and Man City changed the momentum of the title race.
Suddenly, Arsenal believed destiny was finally on their side. Supporters who had spent years expecting disappointment started dreaming again.
And unlike the three previous seasons, Arteta’s boys did not collapse under pressure.
Arsenal’s Mentality Finally Changed
One of the biggest criticisms of Mikel Arteta's Arsenal during previous seasons was their inability to survive tough moments in a title race. They played beautiful football but often lacked the ruthless mentality required to become champions. Interestingly, that changed this season.
The 2026 Arsenal side combined attacking brilliance with defensive discipline. They won ugly when necessary. They controlled matches intelligently and defended with maturity rarely seen in previous campaigns.
Arteta’s tactical evolution also played a key role.
Arsenal became unpredictable in attack while remaining compact defensively. Their pressing system suffocated opponents, while their midfield dictated the tempo in crucial games.
Most importantly, they developed belief and scored many goals via corner kicks. The players no longer looked intimidated by Manchester City or the pressure of history. Instead, they embraced it, as that mentality reflected Arteta.
Arteta spent years learning under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City before returning to Arsenal to rebuild his former club. Ironically, the student has now dethroned the master.
From Doubters to Believers
Only a few managers in modern day football have survived backlashes the way Arteta did.
At different moments, diehard fans demanded the management sacked him. Some pundits questioned his tactics. Rivals made a mockery of Arsenal’s “process.” Even after progress became visible, many still believed the club lacked the mentality to actually win the EPL title.
Arteta ignored the noise. Like Wenger before him, he trusted long-term development over short-term panic. Arsenal invested in young talents such as William Saliba instead of expensive superstar shortcuts. Slowly, the squad matured together, and the reward is now historic.
Winning the Premier League in 2026 means Arteta joins the elite list of Arsenal managers who changed the club forever. More importantly, he has ended one of the longest title droughts in Arsenal’s history.
For supporters, this triumph means more than just a trophy. It represents validation, patience and redemption. Arsenal’s 2026 Premier League victory will be remembered for generations, as football frequently move in cycles.
In 2002, Wenger’s Arsenal announced themselves as the kings of English football after years of persistence and near misses. Two years later came the Invincibles, one of the greatest teams the Premier League has ever seen.
Now, in 2026, Arteta has sparked a new era.
The similarities between Wenger and Arteta are impossible to ignore: both visionary managers, both patient builders, both finishing third consecutively three times before finally lifting the Premier League trophy.
Just like Wenger, Arteta has restored belief to Arsenal Football Club. After 22 painful years, the wait is over. Arsenal are champions of England once again, while Mikel Arteta has officially secured his place beside Arsène Wenger in club history.
While Wenger created a historic feat by going all season in 2003/2004 without losing a single EPL match, will Arteta achieve such a feat next season or any other before he calls it a day at Arsenal?
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