A 2-0 loss at St James’ Park coming into the match on the back of two successive defeats all but killed Arsenal’s UEFA Champions League qualification hopes.
Back-to-back defeats against rivals Tottenham and Newcastle United have virtually extinguished Arsenal’s hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season. The Gunners’ latest collapse took place on Monday night at St James’ Park against a Newcastle side that had lost two on the bounce. As such, they need a win against Everton and Spurs to drop points against an already-relegated Norwich City to seal a top-four spot on the final day of the season.
The Magpies came out of the blocks racing, showing early intent to dominate their opponents and take advantage. In comparison, Mikel Arteta’s side looked feeble and frightened, suffocating under the intense press implemented by their opponents, backed by a vociferous home support.
Nevertheless, the Gunners made it to halftime relatively unscathed, with goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale called into action just once – to deny Allan Saint-Maximin’s low and powerful shot from squeezing into the bottom corner.
Arteta’s men, crucially, showed no improvement when the teams returned for the second period and were made to pay ten minutes into the half when Ben White turned Joelinton’s cross from the left into his own net.
Despite taking the lead, Newcastle continued to show great intent, with forward Callum Wilson threatening to double their advantage on more than one occasion; the Englishman’s speculative 40-yard effort on the volley, mere minutes after the Magpies had spurned a 2-v-1 situation, providing evidence to the same.
With the game stretched and fatigue set in, Newcastle sealed the points in the 85th minute. Wilson played a huge role in the build-up as it was his run off the shoulder of the last man that drew Ramsdale off his line and into making a stop, but as the ball bounced around the box, it was tapped into an empty net by the in-form Bruno Guimaraes.
Arsenal’s loss had implications further up the table, too. The Gunners spurned the chance to leapfrog Spurs into fourth and allowed rivals, Chelsea, to secure a top-four berth without kicking the ball.
