Arsenal ended their 22-year wait for the Premier League title last season, prompting huge celebrations across north London.

With thousands of supporters pouring onto the streets for the title parade, it underlined once again the strong bond between the club and its fans.

For former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour, those scenes could now serve as the ideal source of motivation for Mikel Arteta’s squad as they look to do it all over again.

“They said something like half a million people turned up to the parade,” Parlour told FourFourTwo. “Which was amazing and just shows you how much that Premier League win meant to everyone.”

The Gunners wrapped up their pre-season build-up with an emphatic victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield, and Arteta’s side are the bookmakers’ favourites to be celebrating another league triumph next May.

If any added inspiration is required, Parlour feels the current group can draw on memories of the supporters’ title celebrations.

“If you ask any of those players who were there, hearing those fans cheering their names, it’s the sort of thing you want to do again,” he continued.

“You’ll be looking around at your team-mates, saying ‘Lads, come on, who enjoyed that?’ I'm sure they all did and they will want to do it again.”

Parlour believes that feeling will have stayed with the squad throughout the summer and, if channelled in the right way, could be crucial in helping Arteta’s players preserve their hunger and cope with the very different pressure that comes with defending a title.

“You get back to pre-season on a high,” he added.

“People talk about money but, ask most players and they’ll tell you, football is all about getting as many medals as you can while you’re still playing.”

If Arsenal are able to hold on to that mindset, Parlour will hope to be part of those celebrations once more at the end of the season.