AFC Bournemouth have dashed Manchester City’s title hopes in the Premier League, handing Arsenal their first English championship in 22 years.
Bournemouth, nicknamed the “Cherries,” held Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City to a 1-1 (1-0) draw on the penultimate matchday. As a result, Manchester can no longer dislodge the Gunners—who fielded international star Kai Havertz—from the summit. The Gunners’ last title, their 13th, came in 2004 when the unbeaten “Invincibles” boasted goalkeeper Jens Lehmann and legendary manager Arsène Wenger.
French teenager Eli Junior Kroupi (39′) stunned Guardiola with a thunderous strike into the top corner, securing Champions League hopefuls Bournemouth at least a place in the Europa League. City never looked like challenging for their favorites’ tag, and superstar Erling Haaland’s late equalizer (90+5) arrived too late.
Arsenal travel to Crystal Palace on Sunday with a four-point cushion, allowing them to play with freedom six days before their Champions League final against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain. For City, Sunday’s meeting with Europa League finalists Aston Villa will double as a farewell party for Pep Guardiola.
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Three days after the FA Cup final win over Chelsea (1-0), the focus was squarely on the star coach following reports of his imminent summer departure. A visiting fan had painted a bedsheet with the message “Pep, stay!”, while others chanted, “One more year!”
Moments before kick-off, Guardiola insisted that the speculation had not distracted his side’s preparations. “Zero, absolutely zero,” he insisted. His successor is widely reported to be Enzo Maresca, Guardiola’s current U23 coach at City and former Chelsea assistant, who won both the Conference League and Club World Cup with the Blues before being sacked on 1 January 2026.
Although the away fans celebrated first, former Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo was offside when his goal was correctly ruled out (12′). City created little apart from a Haaland chance (28′) in the opening 45 minutes, and Kroupi punished them with a fine curling effort.
Nico O’Reily wasted a golden chance to equalise immediately after the interval, and although Bournemouth created the clearer openings, David Brooks hit the post in first-half injury time.
GOAL
