Piers Morgan breaks silence on how he got onto the pitch for Arsenal's Premier League trophy lift

Piers Morgan has explained how he came to receive access to the Selhurst Park for Arsenal's Premier League trophy lift on Sunday.

The Gunners lifted a first Premier League trophy in 22 years on Sunday, having been crowned champions days before following Manchester City's failure to beat Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

Arsenal beat Crystal Palace 2-0 to finish seven points clear of City and finally got their hands on a 14th English top flight title, with Martin Odeagard proudly hoisting the trophy in the air.

After a 30-minute delay and a change into their home shirts following Oliver Glasner's Palace farewell, Mikel Arteta's squad were soon in a in euphoric mood on the pitch near their travelling away fans.

Staunch Arsenal fan Morgan and his sons ended up on the pitch, taking pictures with a whole host of players and Arteta and even putting Declan Rice's Premier League winners' medal around his neck for a snap.

READ MORE: Fan captures exact moment Declan Rice finds out about West Ham's relegation

However, the controversial television personality gaining access for such a special occasion for Arsenal fans caused a huge stir - particularly given he has regularly called for Arteta to be given the boot in the past.

Morgan was bombarded with backlash on social media and replied to a whole of users. When one, @DarrenArsenal1 on X, defended him, he explained that he paid full price for Palace hospitality tickets back in March and was then invited to go pitch-side for the trophy lift.

The 61-year-old wrote: "Thanks Darren. To clarify, on March 4, I paid full price (£750 + VAT each) for 4 tickets to Palace’s very nice 2010 Club hospitality suite. Then we got invited into the boardroom, and offered the chance to go pitch-side for the trophy-lift.

"We feel very lucky. Thanks @CPFC."

After another Arsenal supporter slammed him for "using his wealth to elbow out those who go every week", prompting Morgan to respond: "The tickets I bought were available to anyone and I paid full price. And I pay full price for 4 season tickets, go to every Arsenal game when I am in England, and watch every Arsenal game when abroad. That qualify me as a proper fan?"

Morgan also addressed his picture with Rice and his medal, claiming that Rice initiated giving him the memento for a picture opportunity and not the other way round.

He stated: "I didn’t pay for Declan to run over and put his winner’s medal around my neck for a souvenir pic, that’s true. But I was thrilled that he did."

Arsenal players celebrated long into the night, as did thousands of fans who gathered at the Emirates Stadium.

The club have confirmed a historic parade around Islington on Sunday 31 May - a day on from the Champions League final against holders Paris Saint-Germain.

The event will go ahead irrespective of whether Arsenal finally become European champions for the first time in Budapest.