Arsenal are on the verge of ending a 22-year Premier League title drought—but they're doing it the hard way.

Mikel Arteta's side needed another nail-biting finish to edge past relegation-threatened West Ham 1-0 at the London Stadium, extending their lead at the top to five points over Manchester City. Leandro Trossard's first-half strike proved decisive, though not without late drama as the Hammers had an injury-time equalizer disallowed after a VAR review.

This victory marks Arsenal's seventh 1-0 win in the Premier League this season—a stat that tells two stories. Critics might say they're grinding out results without flair, but champions often find a way to win when not at their best. And right now, the Gunners are doing exactly that.

The win caps a pivotal week for the north London club. Just days after Manchester City dropped points in midweek, Arsenal have now strung together three consecutive clean-sheet victories, including a Champions League semifinal triumph that booked their place in the final. It's a remarkable turnaround from recent form—before beating Fulham last weekend, Arsenal had won just two of their previous eight matches across all competitions and suffered back-to-back league defeats for the first time this season.

"What a moment, what an afternoon, what a week it's been for us," Arteta said after the match. "Full of emotions. I cannot praise enough the attitude, the desire, the courage, and the quality of the team shown throughout this week, because there was so much at stake."

The Spaniard acknowledged the challenge of facing a West Ham side fighting for survival, calling it a "tough" test against a club with "incredible history."

After three consecutive second-place finishes, Arsenal now stand on the cusp of history. Whether it's been pretty or not, the mark of champions is finding a way to get over the line. And with just weeks remaining, the Gunners are doing exactly that.