Arsenal's nail-biting victory against Manchester United ensures that the battle for the Premier League title will reach its climax on the last day of the season.
Leandro Trossard's decisive goal in the 20th minute at Old Trafford propelled the Londoners back to the top of the standings, setting the stage for a showdown against defending champions Manchester City in the final round next Sunday.
Reflecting on the intense match, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his team's determination to seize the opportunity and fulfill their dreams in front of their fans on the last day of the season.
"Today, we were determined to break through that barrier and embrace the chance to win the Premier League," Arteta commented. "The stakes couldn't be higher, and we've had no room for error since January."
Had Arsenal not secured a victory against United, Manchester City could have clinched the title with a win over Tottenham on Tuesday. However, Arteta's squad delivered under pressure, edging one point ahead at the top of the table.
In the final showdown, Arsenal will face Everton at home while City takes on West Ham, following their midweek clash against Spurs.
For now, Arsenal has done all it could to keep the pressure on Pep Guardiola's team - improving on last season when it suffered a late collapse to allow City to wrap up a third successive title with three games to spare.
While the title is still in City's hands, it will have to win its remaining two games to be certain of a record fourth-straight English league title.
Arsenal is aiming to be crowned champion for the first time since 2004, when Arsene Wenger's team went an entire league campaign without defeat to earn the nickname of the "Invincibles.”
The current class cannot match that feat, but with 27 wins and 89 goals, it has set two new club records in the Premier League era.
"That’s not progress, that’s history,” Arteta said. "That’s very difficult to do, especially in the league where we are playing now.”
The visit to Old Trafford always looked like Arsenal's biggest test during the run-in, and history was not on its side, having won only once in its last 16 league games at the home of United. Despite that record, it was still the favorite to overcome a United team that had been ruthlessly exposed by Crystal Palace earlier in the week when routed 4-0 at Selhurst Park.
Casemiro, who had received heavy criticism for his performance as a makeshift center back against Palace, was culpable again for Arsenal's winner when he was slow to push up and played Kai Havertz onside. The Germany forward took advantage and drove into the box before crossing for Trossard to convert from close range.
With so much at stake, the tension appeared to get to Arsenal's players, who could not build on that early advantage and instead ceded long periods of possession to United.
Still, United rarely looked likely to open up its opponent, and it was Arsenal that came closest to adding to its lead through substitute Gabriel Martinelli in the second half and Declan Rice.
Defeat for United was the latest blow for under-pressure manager Ten Hag, whose team lost for the 14th time in the league this season and extended a damaging run that has seen it win just one of its last eight games in England’s top division.
While Ten Hag has the FA Cup final against City to look forward to at the end of the season, there was little to encourage co-owner Jim Ratcliffe, who was in the crowd along with Keir Starmer, leader of Britain’s opposition Labour Party.
With two games remaining in the league, United is eighth in the standings and in danger of missing out on European football next season. United has never finished lower than seventh in the Premier League era.
But Ten Hag believes he still has the backing of the club's fans.
"They understand where we are and where this club is. We have so many injuries in key areas they (the fans) don’t get what (they) deserve, but they understand this and that is why they are behind the team," he said. "I think that is why they are with us, we are united and hopefully we can pay them back in the future.”
Norwich and Leeds drew 0-0 in the first leg of their Championship playoff semifinal on Sunday. And there was nothing to separate West Bromwich Albion and Southampton in the other semifinal after another goalless draw.
Leeds hosts Norwich in the second leg on Thursday and Southampton is at home against West Brom the following day. All four teams will hope they can produce more creativity and cutting edge in the second legs to secure a place in the final at Wembley on May 26.
Manchester United won its first major trophy by routing Tottenham 4-0 in the Women’s FA Cup final at Wembley.
Ella Toone’s stunning long-range strike in first-half stoppage time set up victory for Marc Skinner’s team.
United cruised to victory after the breakthrough two goals from Lucia Garcia and another from Rachel Williams.
