Arteta slams his Arsenal flops as Champions League dream dims

NEWCASTLE, England－Mikel Arteta castigated his Arsenal side for throwing away a season's work in a limp 2-0 defeat at Newcastle that looks set to see the Gunners miss out on Champions League soccer for a sixth successive season.

Tottenham remains two points above its north London rival in fourth place in the English Premier League.

Spurs 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.

Arsenal's defeat also guaranteed third-place Chelsea's spot in the Champions League next season.

Ben White's own goal and Bruno Guimaraes' late strike was the difference between the sides.

But the manner of the Newcastle performance was even more impressive as Eddie Howe's men sent a message they could be challenging for a top-four finish themselves next season.

"A really difficult night to swallow," said Arteta. "Newcastle deserved to win comfortably. They were much better from the first minute, we had nothing in the game.

"They 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."

Arteta's side was in the driving seat with three games to go as it led Spurs by four points.

But Tottenham's 3-0 derby win on Thursday cranked up the pressure on the young Gunners who failed to respond.

"Newcastle was 10 times better than us and the performance was nowhere near what we need to play in the Champions League," added Arteta. "We weren't at the races."

Magpies soar

Only 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.

More big-money signings are expected to arrive at St. James' Park in the coming months, but Arsenal's budget in the transfer market could be severely dented by again missing out on the riches of the Champions League.

"It was a brilliant all-round performance. It was (on the) front foot, we never let up and that's the most pleasing thing," said Howe.

"We have to improve and work incredibly hard to improve everything about the team over the summer. It's a massive club, we have big ambitions, but I have to focus on how we do it rather than talk."

Newcastle's upturn under Howe had been lacking a scalp against one of the Premier League's traditional top six.

But it got that and more as Arsenal was lucky to escape without a more comprehensive defeat.

Aaron Ramsdale was nearly embarrassed when Miguel Almiron blocked his clearance early on.

But the England goalkeeper kept his side in the game with a brilliant save to deny Allan Saint-Maximin at his near post.

The host's pressure was finally rewarded when Joelinton's dangerous low cross just evaded Callum Wilson and flew into his own net off the unfortunate White.

Newcastle is firmly rooted in mid-table, but looked like the side with more on the line as it continued to storm forward.

Wilson fired over from Guimaraes' cross and then sent an audacious effort from long range floating just past the post.

Ramsdale produced another big stop from a one-on-one with Jacob Murphy.

A second Newcastle goal seemed only a matter of time and it duly arrived five minutes from time when Wilson was again denied by Ramsdale before Guimaraes swept home the rebound for his fifth goal since a January move from Lyon.

AFP