Owen Hargreaves makes bold Arsenal prediction ahead of UEFA Champions League final with Paris Saint-Germain - 'Everybody's got a problem'

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Owen Hargreaves believes Arsenal's rivals could struggle to keep pace if the club follows up its domestic success with a victory in the UEFA Champions League final.

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The Gunners were crowned champions of England on Tuesday night after Manchester City could only manage a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth, leaving them four points behind Mikel Arteta’s side with just one Premier League game remaining.

Arsenal can now afford to rest key players at Selhurst Park this weekend when Crystal Palace host the newly crowned champions, with Arteta expected to prioritise preparations for the club's first UEFA Champions League final appearance since 2006.

Holders Paris Saint-Germain stand in their way at the Budapest showpiece on May 30, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max, and Hargreaves has suggested a period of sustained dominance could follow for the North London club if they overcome Luis Enrique’s side in Hungary.

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Arteta has been credited with guiding Arsenal back to silverware after a five-year trophy drought, and Hargreaves told TNT Sports: "I love the patience the club have shown. They deserve it. They’ve been the best team this season.

"They’ve been the most consistent. If you look across virtually every category, they’ve been the best - home form, away form, clean sheets.

"I think only goals scored has been close. Fewest goals conceded. They’re top of everything, most goals from set pieces. I think it’s well deserved.

"Obviously it’s been a different season with a lot of VAR decisions and things, but this is now where Arsenal really start.

"You win one - and if you win the Champions League and strengthen in the summer like they did last year, Arsenal could go on to win it for the next three or four years. This group of players is growing together.

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"The first one is always the hardest. Once you get that first one, confidence grows. If they can beat PSG, then everybody’s got a problem with Arsenal for quite some time."

A 14th English title was widely celebrated outside the Emirates Stadium by Arsenal supporters, but attention is already turning toward the possibility of an unprecedented domestic and European double.

As Hargreaves mentioned, Arsenal’s success this season has been built heavily on set-piece goals, with Kai Havertz's headed winner against Burnley providing another example of their effectiveness in that area.

The Gunners have now scored from set pieces in 19 different Premier League matches during the 2025/26 season, a joint record in a 38-game campaign, according to Opta.

Arsenal's defence has kept 32 clean sheets across all competitions this term, six more than any other side in Europe's top five leagues.

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Arteta’s side have also won 1-0 on eight occasions this season - their second-highest tally in a single campaign - a scoreline that could again prove decisive against Paris Saint-Germain if they are to be crowned European champions for the first time.

Speaking ahead of Aston Villa’s Europa League final against Freiburg, Stiliyan Petrov told TNT Sports: "It's going to be a tough game. They’re going to face Paris Saint-Germain. Luis Enrique has built something special there. They play a certain way.

"They’ve got great individual players who can win matches. They play as a team, but they also have individuals who know how to decide games.

"It will be tough for Arsenal, but winning the league and giving themselves the opportunity to go and win the Champions League is a great achievement.

"I’m going for Paris Saint-Germain to win, unfortunately."

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