Newcastle denies Arsenal's Champions League hopes with a 2-0 victory at St James' Park
Arsenal's Champions League hopes have all but vanished following a 2-0 defeat at Newcastle... with bitter rivals Tottenham sitting fourth heading into the final day ahead of a trip to relegated Norwich.
Mikel Arteta simply turned and retreated to his dugout after scoring the game's first goal early in the second half. A season's worth of work was quickly going down the drain, and there was no one to blame but himself and his team.
Last Thursday, it appeared to be all the referee's fault as Arsenal failed their first major European exam at Tottenham.
This time, no. No, this time it was all about the yellow people. With a season underway the line here and with a place in the Champions League places up for grabs, Arsenal were simply boring. Mind, body, and spirit are all weak.
Arteta made changes and threw forwards once they were behind. It was, or should have been, kitchen sink time. But the truth is that Arsenal never even turned on the water. Newcastle continued to press, and Wilson – twice – and Joelinton both missed excellent chances before Bruno sealed the game with five minutes remaining.
Longstaff was the mastermind this time, as he chipped Wilson into the penalty box. Ramsdale was quick to smother at the striker's feet, but the ball got loose and Bruno drove it into the net at the Gallowgate End to make it a realistic score line.
It was raining by full-time, and Arteta, who was dressed entirely in black, was completely soaked by the time the denouement arrived. He most likely will not have noticed. That is what misery can do to a man.
n difficulty Joelinton's dash down the line was quick, and his low, out swinging cross was so devilishly delivered that White had no choice but to play at it. Callum Wilson was close behind him and would have scored. Eventually, White did it for him, and Arsenal now needed two goals when a simple shot on goal had seemed out of reach all night.
That was the most peculiar aspect of Arsenal's performance. A draw was never going to suffice. They knew they had to win the moment Tottenham won against Burnley on Sunday lunchtime. But they never looked or played as though they believed or understood that.
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