Arsenal have one of the loudest supporter fanbases on social media, which can lead to intense scrutiny from rival fans when things do not go their way.
A Manchester City supporter recently went viral as he celebrated a victory with an Arsenal water bottle, a nod to Arteta’s side ‘bottling’ the title after three successive second-placed finishes.
After the Gunners lost at Etihad Stadium in April, City supporters unveiled a banner that said “Panic on the streets of London” – but Arsenal fans have used all of that to fuel their celebrations.
“I went to the stadium and I have to say it still feels a little bit surreal, even having been there in all the celebrations last night. I know the Arsenal squad were there too,” fan Scarlet Katz Roberts said.
“I’m not sure it will feel real until Martin Odegaard lifts that trophy over his head and it even feels weird to say that.
“So I would say there is an overwhelming sense of relief, but also like a slightly weird void of like, ‘wow, what do I do now? I don’t have to worry about that any more’.”
The Gunners will hold a title parade on Sunday, 31 May regardless of the outcome of the Champions League final.
At 27 years old, this is the first title success Scarlet can remember. She was five when she went to the parade to celebrate the Arsenal ‘Invincibles’ in 2004.
She added: “I have no sense of what’s normal for a title celebration, what’s proportional. All I can say is that, you know, it was such a lovely atmosphere in that crowd last night.
“I think we’ve been waiting a long time – particularly given the kind of circumstances of this season, and the way that I feel like it’s been the season of media as much as it’s been the season of football.
“It’s been almost as important what people have been saying about Arsenal as it is what they’ve actually been doing – or it’s felt that way in the fanbase.
“We have been mocked, we have been criticised throughout and it only relented at the point when we proverbially lifted the trophy.”
