Gunners succumb to 2-0 defeat to stay two points behind Spurs in fifth place with one match to play
\nNews Agency
\nNEWCASTLE:
\nMikel Arteta castigated his Arsenal side for throwing away a season\u2019s work in a limp 2-0 defeat at Newcastle that looks set to see the Gunners miss out on Champions League football for a sixth successive season.
\nTottenham remain two points above their north London rivals in fourth place in the Premier League.
\nSpurs now realistically only need a draw away to already-relegated Norwich on Sunday to secure a top-four finish thanks to their superior goal difference.
\nArsenal\u2019s defeat also guaranteed third-place Chelsea\u2019s place in the Champions League next season.
\nBen White\u2019s own goal and Bruno Guimaraes\u2019 late strike was the difference between the sides.
\nBut the manner of the Newcastle performance was even more impressive as Eddie Howe\u2019s men sent a message they could be challenging for a top-four finish themselves next season.
\n\u201cA really difficult night to swallow,\u201d said Arteta. \u201cNewcastle deserved to win comfortably. They were much better from the first minute, we had nothing in the game.
\n\u201cThey were much better than us in everything that a football match requires. We could not cope tonight with the game we had to play here.\u201d
\nArteta\u2019s men were in the driving seat with three games to go as they lead Spurs by four points.
\nBut Tottenham\u2019s 3-0 derby win on Thursday cranked up the pressure on the young Gunners who failed to respond.
\n\u201cNewcastle were 10 times better than us and the performance was nowhere near what we need to play in the Champions League,\u201d added Arteta. \u201cWe weren\u2019t at the races.\u201d
\nOnly Manchester City and Liverpool have won more Premier League points than the Magpies in 2022 since they began to splash to wealth of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund in the transfer market.
\nMore big money signings are expected to arrive at St James\u2019 Park in the coming months, but Arsenal\u2019s budget in the transfer market could be severely dented by again missing out on the riches of the Champions League.
\n\u201cIt was a brilliant all-round performance. It was front foot, we never let up and that\u2019s the most pleasing thing,\u201d said Howe.
\n\u201cWe have to improve and work incredibly hard to improve everything about the team over the summer. It\u2019s a massive club, we have big ambitions, but I have to focus on how we do it rather than talk.\u201d
\nNewcastle\u2019s upturn under Howe had been lacking a scalp against one of the Premier League\u2019s traditional top six.
\nBut they got that and more as Arsenal were lucky to escape without a more comprehensive defeat.
\nAaron Ramsdale was nearly embarrassed when Miguel Almiron blocked his clearance early on.
\nBut the England international kept his side in the game with a brilliant save to deny Allan Saint-Maximin at his near post.
\nThe hosts\u2019 pressure was finally rewarded when Joelinton\u2019s dangerous low cross just evaded Callum Wilson and flew into his own goal off the unfortunate White.
\nNewcastle are firmly rooted in mid-table, but looked like the side with more on the line as they continued to storm forward.
\nWilson fired over from Guimaraes\u2019 cross and then sent an audacious effort from 40 yards floating inches past the post.
\nIn between times Ramsdale produced another big stop from a one-on-one with Jacob Murphy.
\nA second Newcastle goal seemed only a matter of time and it duly arrived five minutes from time when again Wilson was denied by Ramsdale, but Guimaraes swept home the rebound for his fifth goal since a January move from Lyon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Gunners succumb to 2-0 defeat to stay two points behind Spurs in fifth place with one match to play News Agency NEWCASTLE: Mikel Arteta castigated his Arsenal side for throwing away a season\u2019s work in a limp 2-0 defeat at Newcastle that looks set to see the Gunners miss out on Champions League football for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":261144,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[7373,7149,3262,5787],"class_list":{"0":"post-261126","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-arsenals","9":"tag-champions-league","10":"tag-dream","11":"tag-newcastle"},"yoast_head":"\n