NEWCASTLE, England – Arsenal no longer has UEFA Champions League qualification in its own hands.
A 2-0 loss at Newcastle saw Arsenal relinquish the initiative in its fight with fierce north London rival Tottenham for a finish in the English Premier League´s top four and a return to Europe´s top competition.
Tottenham remain two points above their north London rivals in fourth place in the Premier League.
Spurs now realistically only need a draw away to already-relegated Norwich to secure a top-four finish thanks to their superior goal difference.
Arsenal’s defeat also guaranteed third-place Chelsea’s place in the Champions League next season.
Arsenal will host Everton at the same time and knows a win still might not be enough to get back in the Champions League after a five-year absence.
Newcastle´s intensity at a rocking St. James’ Park proved too much for Mikel Arteta´s young Arsenal team, with the hosts well on top by the time Ben White turned the ball into his own net in the 55th minute as he stretched to clear a left-wing cross from Joelinton.
Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimarães ensured there would be no way back for Arsenal by adding the second in the 85th, sidefooting home a loose ball after it rebounded to him off goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
Arsenal slumped to a second damaging defeat in a five-day span, having also lost at Tottenham 3-0 on Thursday.
The result meant Chelsea, in third place, was sure of finishing in the top four and qualifying for the Champions League.
Newcastle were the better team by the width of the Bigg Market. Their first goal was the one that killed Arsenal and came from the boot of visiting defender Ben White after they had coughed up possession with a foul throw. Yes, really.
But there could have been more goals than the one the Brazilian Bruno Guimaraes drove in at the death.
Eddie Howe’s team, running free on confidence and optimism, were far too good, far too eager and far too brave for an Arsenal team that looked out of gas, out of courage and out of ideas.
This has been a season of progression under Arteta and with shrewd summer investment and further development of young players, they may well improve further.
But this was a performance from the bad old days and what a time to produce it. Arsenal started badly and finished even worse.
There was a period of about ten minutes midway through the first half when Arteta’s team could perhaps claim to have had a foothold in the game but that was it.
For the other 80-odd minutes, they were chasing black and white shadows and not chasing them particularly eagerly either. There are some among this Arsenal team who should not be allowed to forget this abomination for a very long time.
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