Manchester United clinched the Premier League title but Arsenal ensured it did so without any of its trademark flair, holding the champions 0-0 in a lackluster draw.
The point was earned in a manner that lacked any of the drama that has characterized United's season, but still ensured that second-place Liverpool cannot catch up to the Red Devils with two games remaining.
While the game was forgettable, the result set off a massive title celebration at Old Trafford as the team was presented with the Premier League trophy on the field, with the players hugging and spraying champagne on each other.
For Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger the draw felt like a result worth celebrating. After being comprehensively outplayed in their Champions League semifinal meeting with the European champions, the Gunners went some way to restoring credibility to their cause as their fourth trophyless season ends with a whimper.
"It was very important for our pride and belief in our quality to give a good performance," Wenger said. "In sport things can change quickly -- what we showed today is we have the quality to be up there and we have to keep believing in these players and work hard.
"They have learned a lot this year."
Despite the match pitting two of England's best attacking teams against each other, Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski didn't have to make a single save as the Gunners resilient defense frustrated United's potent strikers.
Arsenal will finish fourth and have to play a qualifying match early next season to get into the group stage of the Champions League.
But Wenger believes that reaching the semifinals of the FA Cup and Europe's premier club competition is a mark of progress.
"We were not that far off," Wenger said. "Since November we have lost one game and that was after the disappointment of losing to Manchester United in the Champions League.
"We were close in the Champions League and close in the FA Cup and have been remarkably consistent since November. At the moment the team is not getting the credit it deserves but it is down to us to come back next year and show the same consistency."
Wenger said he had turned down an approach to coach Bayern Munich in the past, but wouldn't comment on reports that he rejected them again before Louis van Gaal was announced Wednesday as Juergen Klinsmann's replacement.
