LONDON — Arsenal booked their place in subsequent season’s UEFA Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Newcastle United at Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Declan Rice’s Fifty fifth-minute strike was sufficient to make sure the Gunners prevented a frantic ultimate Premier League weekend and are just about sure of securing second place given solely Manchester Metropolis can catch them and their objective distinction is inferior by 10.
Newcastle had been the higher facet early on, and with out Alexander Isak — sidelined by a minor groin damage — they missed a listing of possibilities with Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya in fantastic kind. Thomas Partey went shut with a near-post header from Bukayo Saka’s 14th-minute nook, however Arsenal had been subdued till upping their recreation after the break.
Anthony Gordon misplaced the ball cheaply and Martin Ødegaard made inroads down the fitting earlier than taking part in a sq. go to Rice, who whipped a superb first-time shot low previous Nick Pope. Newcastle pushed for an equalizer however had been unable to discover a method again as Arsenal beat Eddie Howe’s facet for the primary time this season, on the fourth try.
Whereas Arsenal journey to already-relegated Southampton subsequent weekend, Newcastle face an anxious ultimate match towards Everton, sitting in third place on the prime of 5 golf equipment separated by just one level, with Manchester Metropolis because of host AFC Bournemouth for his or her game-in-hand on Tuesday. — James Olley
Arteta urges Arsenal to maintain the religion
In every of the previous two seasons, Arsenal supervisor Mikel Arteta has addressed supporters on the pitch after the ultimate dwelling recreation of the marketing campaign, vowing to go one higher subsequent 12 months. He was left with no different however to do the identical once more on Sunday after one other trophyless marketing campaign.
“We had a dream,” he started. “It was to be right here in the present day or in every week’s time and to deliver the massive trophies to you guys. Sadly, we’ve not been capable of do it for a lot of circumstances.
“However ensure that chasing a dream does not get blurry and you do not [ignore] what these gamers, this workers, this soccer membership is doing. Make certain we chase the dream with enthusiasm and positivity subsequent season.”
Arsenal suffered with accidents and felt aggrieved by purple playing cards they picked up early within the season when the applying of latest guidelines was nonetheless being labored by way of. Total, although, Arteta has admitted the Gunners took a step again within the league, and whereas a primary Champions League semifinal look since 2009 was a notable achievement, they didn’t meet their very own expectations over the course of the marketing campaign.
As a substitute of lifting silverware, Arteta is left to carry a fanbase now ready 5 years for a trophy and dealing with a 3rd consecutive 12 months as runners-up. — Olley
Is Tonali-Guimarães a title-winning midfield axis?
Newcastle have quietly loved an impressive season, which has included successful a serious home trophy for the primary time for the reason that Nineteen Fifties, and the midfield axis of Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães has been the inspiration for his or her success.
The targets of Isak (23 in 33 Premier League video games) have been essential to Newcastle placing themselves within the driving seat for Champions League qualification, however all groups want a dominant midfield, and Tonali and Guimarães have given Howe’s workforce precisely that.
Italy worldwide Tonali and Brazil star Guimarães provide Newcastle the proper mix of tenacity and aptitude, and what makes them such a robust pairing is that they will each create and destroy. Since Tonali returned from his playing suspension final August, he and Guimarães have shaped a formidable double act, and they’re now a match for the most effective midfields within the nation.
The large query is whether or not they can construct on that subsequent season and provides Newcastle a midfield able to difficult for the title. With a fit-again Joelinton capable of provide his bodily energy and box-to-box qualities, plus the prospect of latest additions to the midfield this summer time, Newcastle actually may have a workforce to make a sustained for the title subsequent season. — Mark Ogden
Rice responds to Arteta’s objective calls for
Rice has been a shining mild for Arsenal this season, however it was noticeable final month when supplied the prospect to reward his £105 million midfielder, Arteta selected to combine in a warning that the England worldwide wanted so as to add extra finish product. Rice’s beautiful free-kick double towards Actual Madrid will dwell lengthy within the reminiscence however, it is the kind of objective the 26-year-old scored towards Newcastle that Arteta believes ought to turn into a extra common prevalence.
Displaying a way not dissimilar to these free kicks, Rice collected Ødegaard’s go and whipped a first-time shot previous Pope and into the underside nook. Rice is now one in need of reaching ten targets in a season for the primary time in his profession.
Maybe extra indicative of the evolution in his recreation, Rice has now scored extra targets for Arsenal (16 in 102 video games) than he did for West Ham (15 in 245 video games). — Olley
Isak misses the sport, each groups miss his presence
Isak missed this recreation because of a groin damage, and his absence denied Newcastle the leading edge that might have gained them the sport.
Howe’s workforce had sufficient possibilities within the first half to take the lead, and it’s protected to imagine that Isak, who has hit 23 league targets this season, would have given Newcastle a greater likelihood of changing no less than certainly one of them. With out the Sweden ahead, Newcastle relied on veteran striker Callum Wilson to hold the goal-scoring burden, however the 33-year-old was making solely his third Premier League begin of the season — and it confirmed.
Newcastle actually miss Isak when he’s unavailable, which is why they are going to battle laborious to maintain him this summer time.
Arsenal are a workforce that has been consistently linked with the 25-year-old as a result of Arteta’s facet merely do not have a dependable objective scorer of their squad.
The long-term damage absence of Kai Havertz, who returned to motion for the primary time since February with a 76th-minute substitute look, derailed Arsenal’s trophy possibilities. The previous Chelsea ahead remains to be the workforce’s main scorer with 9 league targets, regardless of being sidelined for 3 months.
So when Arsenal do their summer time strengthening, a brand new striker will likely be a precedence, and Isak could be a world-class addition. The good cash proper now could be on a transfer for Isak’s Sweden teammate, Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyökeres, however whoever Arsenal signal, they should signal a middle ahead. — Ogden
Newcastle face final-day drama to seal Champions League spot
Newcastle had the prospect to safe Champions League qualification by beating Arsenal, however their defeat on the Emirates has left them in a final-day, four-way race for 2 remaining qualification spots.
It may even be 5 groups chasing two spots if Man Metropolis fail to beat Bournemouth of their recreation in hand on the Etihad on Tuesday, however what we all know for sure proper now could be that 4 golf equipment — Newcastle, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest — go into the ultimate spherical of video games subsequent Sunday understanding that solely a win will assure a top-five end.
Newcastle face Everton at St. James’ Park with their destiny in their very own palms. In the event that they win, they are going to be within the Champions League subsequent season.
Aston Villa should win towards Manchester United at Outdated Trafford, whereas Forest host Chelsea in a winner-takes-all conflict on the Metropolis Floor. A draw there is likely to be sufficient for Chelsea, however that may depend upon what occurs with the groups round them.
However in a season that has been completed for weeks by way of the title — Liverpool clinched the championship on April 27 — and the underside three, the battle for Champions League qualification goes proper to the wire. Arsenal’s win means they will go to Southampton on Sunday with the stress off, however Newcastle nonetheless should get a consequence to make sure of a top-five end. — Ogden
