LONDON — Arsenal booked their place in next season’s UEFA Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Newcastle United at Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Declan Rice’s 55th-minute strike was enough to ensure the Gunners avoided a frantic final Premier League weekend and are virtually certain of securing second place given only Manchester City can catch them and their goal difference is inferior by 10.
Newcastle were the better side early on, and without Alexander Isak — sidelined by a minor groin injury — they missed a catalogue of chances with Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya in fine form. Thomas Partey went close with a near-post header from Bukayo Saka’s 14th-minute corner, but Arsenal were subdued until upping their game after the break.
Anthony Gordon lost the ball cheaply and Martin Ødegaard made inroads down the right before playing a square pass to Rice, who whipped an excellent first-time shot low past Nick Pope. Newcastle pushed for an equalizer but were unable to find a way back as Arsenal beat Eddie Howe’s side for the first time this season, at the fourth attempt.
While Arsenal travel to already-relegated Southampton next weekend, Newcastle face an anxious final match against Everton, sitting in third place at the top of five clubs separated by only one point, with Manchester City due to host AFC Bournemouth for their game-in-hand on Tuesday. — James Olley
Arteta urges Arsenal to keep the faith
In each of the past two seasons, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has addressed supporters on the pitch after the final home game of the campaign, vowing to go one better next year. He was left with no alternative but to do the same again on Sunday after another trophyless campaign.
“We had a dream,” he began. “It was to be here today or in a week’s time and to bring the big trophies to you guys. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to do it for many circumstances.
“But make sure that chasing a dream doesn’t get blurry and you don’t [ignore] what these players, this staff, this football club is doing. Make sure we chase the dream with enthusiasm and positivity next season.”
Arsenal suffered with injuries and felt aggrieved by red cards they picked up early in the season when the application of new rules was still being worked through. Overall, though, Arteta has admitted the Gunners took a step back in the league, and while a first Champions League semifinal appearance since 2009 was a notable achievement, they did not meet their own expectations over the course of the campaign.
Instead of lifting silverware, Arteta is left to lift a fanbase now waiting five years for a trophy and facing a third consecutive year as runners-up. — Olley
Is Tonali-Guimarães a title-winning midfield axis?
Newcastle have quietly enjoyed an outstanding season, which has included winning a major domestic trophy for the first time since the 1950s, and the midfield axis of Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães has been the foundation for their success.
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The goals of Isak (23 in 33 Premier League games) have been crucial to Newcastle putting themselves in the driving seat for Champions League qualification, but all teams need a dominant midfield, and Tonali and Guimarães have given Howe’s team exactly that.
Italy international Tonali and Brazil star Guimarães offer Newcastle the perfect blend of tenacity and flair, and what makes them such a strong pairing is that they can both create and destroy. Since Tonali returned from his gambling suspension last August, he and Guimarães have formed a formidable double act, and they are now a match for the best midfields in the country.
The big question is whether they can build on that next season and give Newcastle a midfield capable of challenging for the title. With a fit-again Joelinton able to offer his physical strength and box-to-box qualities, plus the prospect of new additions to the midfield this summer, Newcastle really could have a team to make a sustained for the title next season. — Mark Ogden
Rice responds to Arteta’s goal demands
Rice has been a shining light for Arsenal this season, but it was noticeable last month when offered the chance to praise his £105 million midfielder, Arteta chose to mix in a warning that the England international needed to add more end product. Rice’s stunning free-kick double against Real Madrid will live long in the memory but, it’s the sort of goal the 26-year-old scored against Newcastle that Arteta believes should become a more regular occurrence.
Displaying a technique not dissimilar to those free kicks, Rice collected Ødegaard’s pass and whipped a first-time shot past Pope and into the bottom corner. Rice is now one short of reaching ten goals in a season for the first time in his career.
Perhaps more indicative of the evolution in his game, Rice has now scored more goals for Arsenal (16 in 102 games) than he did for West Ham (15 in 245 games). — Olley
Isak misses the game, both teams miss his presence
Isak missed this game due to a groin injury, and his absence denied Newcastle the cutting edge that could have won them the game.
Howe’s team had enough chances in the first half to take the lead, and it is safe to assume that Isak, who has hit 23 league goals this season, would have given Newcastle a better chance of converting at least one of them. Without the Sweden forward, Newcastle relied on veteran striker Callum Wilson to carry the goal-scoring burden, but the 33-year-old was making only his third Premier League start of the season — and it showed.
Newcastle really miss Isak when he is unavailable, which is why they will fight hard to keep him this summer.
Arsenal are a team that has been constantly linked with the 25-year-old because Arteta’s side simply don’t have a reliable goal scorer in their squad.
The long-term injury absence of Kai Havertz, who returned to action for the first time since February with a 76th-minute substitute appearance, derailed Arsenal’s trophy chances. The former Chelsea forward is still the team’s leading scorer with nine league goals, despite being sidelined for three months.
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So when Arsenal do their summer strengthening, a new striker will be a priority, and Isak would be a world-class addition. The smart money right now is on a move for Isak’s Sweden teammate, Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyökeres, but whoever Arsenal sign, they need to sign a center forward. — Ogden
Newcastle face final-day drama to seal Champions League spot
Newcastle had the chance to secure Champions League qualification by beating Arsenal, but their defeat at the Emirates has left them in a final-day, four-way race for two remaining qualification spots.
It could even be five teams chasing two spots if Man City fail to beat Bournemouth in their game in hand at the Etihad on Tuesday, but what we know for certain right now is that four clubs — Newcastle, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest — go into the final round of games next Sunday knowing that only a win will guarantee a top-five finish.
Newcastle face Everton at St. James’ Park with their fate in their own hands. If they win, they will be in the Champions League next season.
Aston Villa must win against Manchester United at Old Trafford, while Forest host Chelsea in a winner-takes-all clash at the City Ground. A draw there might be enough for Chelsea, but that will depend on what happens with the teams around them.
But in a season that has been finished for weeks in terms of the title — Liverpool clinched the championship on April 27 — and the bottom three, the battle for Champions League qualification is going right to the wire. Arsenal’s win means they can go to Southampton on Sunday with the pressure off, but Newcastle still have to get a result to be sure of a top-five finish. — Ogden
