Myles Lewis-Skelly Fires Back at ‘Bottlers’ Label as Arsenal Celebrate Premier League Title

Arsenal’s long-awaited Premier League title triumph on Tuesday night, May 19, 2026, produced one of the more memorable moments of the club’s celebrations when midfielder Myles Lewis-Skelly turned a long-standing criticism on its head.

In a video captured and shared on Instagram by teammate Bukayo Saka, Lewis-Skelly addressed the ‘bottlers’ jibe — a label frequently directed at Arsenal following successive near-misses — with a bottle of champagne in hand. “They called us bottlers, and now we’re holding the bottles!” the young midfielder declared, to the delight of his celebrating teammates.

The title was confirmed on Tuesday night after Manchester City’s draw with Bournemouth, a result that mathematically guaranteed Arsenal could no longer be overtaken at the summit of the Premier League table. The achievement ends a 22-year wait for a top-flight title at the Emirates and breaks a run of three consecutive second-place finishes under manager Mikel Arteta — a sequence that had fuelled the ‘bottlers’ narrative among rival supporters.

Both Saka and Lewis-Skelly are products of Arsenal’s academy system and were significant contributors throughout the title-winning campaign. Saka, who has been a central figure during Arteta’s tenure, was among the players at the club during a turbulent period in 2021 when the team’s direction was far from certain. The club’s decision to retain faith in the Spanish manager proved pivotal, as Arteta gradually rebuilt the squad, secured consistent top-four finishes, and — aided by targeted investment in the transfer market — assembled a side capable of claiming the championship.

The narrative surrounding Arsenal’s previous collapses made the manner of this title win particularly significant. The club finished second in the 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 Premier League seasons, each time failing to convert strong positions into the ultimate prize. This campaign, however, proved different.

The domestic triumph may yet serve as a platform for an even greater historic achievement. Arsenal are scheduled to face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final in Budapest later this month — a fixture that would give the club the opportunity to win the European Cup for the first time in their history. The tie also carries added motivation: PSG were the side that eliminated Arsenal at the semi-final stage of last season’s Champions League competition.

Should Arsenal defeat PSG in Budapest, Arteta’s side would complete a domestic and European double in a season that has already rewritten the club’s modern history.