Gunners end season with win as title dreams vanish

As the Arsenal fans sang joyously, you wouldn’t necessarily have thought they had just finished second.

- MIGUEL DELANEY

That could instead be seen on the dejected faces of the players, who didn’t even celebrate the Kai Havertz goal that gave them a 2-1 victory over Everton.

Arsenal had done what they needed, but it wasn’t enough. For their part, the one reason the fans were responding as they did was because of the long acceptance that this had been the case, and pride in the team.

Any true hope really vanished after just 76 seconds, when news of that Phil Foden goal at Manchester City began to come true.

It symbolised how there was only ever the illusion of tension to this, and most of the title race. City have been too strong, winning too many matches of this run-in with ease. Arsenal must keep trying to inch closer, as arduous as that is. They are gradually getting there.

The wonder is whether City, under Pep Guardiola in this idealised environment, will always have that bit more.

It says so much that Arsenal actually got to the 89 points that would have been required last season, only for City to go two further.

This is the challenge that is framed by so many bigger issues in modern football. That is why Arsenal fans expressed themselves in the way they did.

There had actually been a carnival atmosphere around the stadium for hours before the game, complete with a brass brand and the sense of people just enjoying themselves. There was clearly a will to defiantly show pride in the team regardless of anything else, if also the tinge of hope.