Former Super Eagles captain, John Obi Mikel, has revealed that Arsenal supporters flooded his phone with messages after the club secured the Premier League title on Tuesday despite his long-standing loyalty to Chelsea and recent criticism of the Gunners’ playing style.
John Obi Mikel speaking at the Obi-one podcast
Speaking on his podcast, Mikel admitted he initially struggled to congratulate Arsenal after their historic league triumph under Mikel Arteta.
“I woke up to my phone blowing up, the messages were unbelievable, from Arsenal fans,” Mikel said.
“Why will I congratulate Arsenal for winning the Premier League? I, a Chelsea fan, no way would we congratulate Arsenal for winning the Premier League.”
The former Chelsea midfielder, however, acknowledged that Arsenal deserved to be champions after ending a 22-year wait for the title.
“But I have to say it though: they won the Premier League, they deserve it, fair play. We should not be bitter losers when it comes to sports.
“If someone has beaten you, you shake hands, and you move on.”
Mikel’s comments mark a notable shift in tone from his explosive criticism of Arsenal’s controversial set-piece tactics earlier this month.
Mikel Obi speaking on the Obi podcast
Following Arsenal’s narrow victory over West Ham United, the former Nigeria international accused Arteta’s side of playing “illegal football” through aggressive corner routines designed to obstruct goalkeepers.
“For me, those goals should not stand,” Mikel had said.
“What they’re doing to the goalkeeper is illegal. Those players have no intention of playing the ball. What they’re there for is to pin the goalkeeper down and obstruct him from coming out.”
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Mikel specifically singled out defenders Ben White and William Saliba, accusing them of repeatedly blocking goalkeepers during set-pieces.
“Ben White does that all the time and gets away with it all the time.
“Not just him, Saliba also. Both of them come and impede the goalkeeper from coming out. For me, that’s illegal.”
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The remarks reignited wider debate around Arsenal’s set-piece methods, with former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher also claiming the Gunners have mastered the art of “pushing the boundaries” under Arteta.
Despite those concerns, Arsenal’s consistency throughout the season ultimately proved decisive as they clinched their first league crown in more than two decades, a feat even one of Chelsea’s greatest midfielders could not ignore.
