This was the kind of end-of-season match where there was almost as much interest in what was happening in the stands as on the pitch. Banned from the touchline after picking up a suspension against Newcastle last week, Mikel Arteta was seen deep in conversation with co-chair Josh Kroenke throughout as Kieran Tierney signed off with a goal before he returns to Celtic and Martin Ødegaard broke Southampton’s hearts with a late winner.
Summer recruitment plans were surely the main topic of conversation for Kroenke and Arteta, whose selection of Raheem Sterling for only the sixth time in a Premier League game since he joined on loan from Chelsea was perhaps another reminder of the Arsenal manager’s request for more firepower this week. If they need any inspiration to take the final step after being confirmed as runners-up for a third straight year, the success of Renée Slegers’ women’s team in becoming European champions against all the odds on Saturday night should provide it.
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