Arsenal’s top four hopes take critical blow in Toon defeat

Arsenal’s chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League were left hanging by a thread after a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle at St James’ Park.

Eddie Howe’s men were full value for their victory and an own goal from Ben White was followed up by Bruno Guimares to leave the Geordies with an outside chance of a top half finish.

The Gunners made a nervous start to proceedings on Tyneside with Aaron Ramsdale particularly culpable, dallying on the ball to allow Miguel Almiron to charge in but, luckily for the England goalkeeper, the ball was cleared.

This seemed to spread anxiety to the rest of the team with White picking up a booking less than a minute later for a foul on Callum Wilson.

Ramsdale was struggling again in the 18th minute when he made a meal of a Sean Longstaff cross before the ball was cleared as far as Joelinton, whose shot was blocked for a corner.

The Magpies were in the ascendancy and the crowd were roaring on, with Arsenal struggling to get a foothold.

Bukayo Saka injected a bit of urgency into his side and played a lovely one-two with Martin Odegaard, with his goal-bound shot blocked for a corner.

Saka had another effort which was the Gunners’ only strike on target in the first half, but his effort was easily held by Martin Dubravka.

Ramsdale made up for his earlier carelessness with a fine save to deny Allan Saint-Maximin at the near post before Arsenal’s injury problems took a turn for the worse.

Takehiro Tomiyasu picked up a hamstring injury to deepen the defensive issues.

Mikel Arteta’s side knew they had to improve after the break but their task got all the more difficult when White poked Joelinton’s cross into his own net. It was unfortunate for the former Brighton man but just what Newcastle deserved.

Arteta threw on the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe but they huffed and puffed and never truly looked like scoring. Odegaard’s blocked effort was as close as it got.

Newcastle then put the game beyond doubt in the 85th minute when poor Arsenal defending saw Wilson through with Ramsdale who did well to block only for the ball to fall to the talismanic Guimares to slam home.

The Arsenal players were sprawled out on the floor and you got the sense that they knew the game was up, both on the night and for their season.

All is not lost, but relying on a victory from bottom side Norwich City on the final day against Tottenham is not what Gunners fans will have wanted after being in such a strong position.

Arsenal must do their bit and beat Everton and hope for an unlikely result in Norfolk.

Anything less and it will be Thursday nights that the Gunners play their European football next season.

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