Arsenal sealed Champions League qualification as Declan Rice’s brilliant finish earned them a 1-0 win over Newcastle. The victory also effectively wrapped up second place in the Premier League for a third consecutive season, and ended a five-match winless run.
The Magpies, who went into the match with three wins over Arsenal this season to their name, were the better side in the first-half, with David Raya forced into five saves before the break. Mikel Arteta’s side though, were improved after half-time and took the lead ten minutes after the restart, when Rice fired in a superb first-time effort into the bottom corner from 20 yards out.
The Arsenal boss was booked late on for kicking a ball back onto the pitch and that means he will serve a touchline ban on the final day of the season, but there is now effectively nothing riding on that trip to Southampton for the Gunners.
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FT: Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle
And at long last he blows the full-time whistle!
Arsenal secure their place in next season’s Champions League and they are almost certain to finish second.
Job done for the Gunners, thanks to that brilliant Declan Rice strike.
Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle
90+9 mins: Now everyone’s standing around waiting for VAR to check that scrum.
Could be here forever....
Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle
90+8 mins: That felt inevitable!
Raya claims and then there’s pushing and shoving all over the place, as frustrations boil over.
Referee waving a yellow card in the direction of anyone looking at him.
Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle
90+7 mins: Newcastle corner. Pope is up.
Not sure why the whistle hasn’t gone yet, but here we go.
Arteta furious.
Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle
90+6 mins: We’re just going to keep playing...
It’s end to end and absolutely chaotic!
Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle
90+4 mins: Swinging elbow from Havertz as he challenges for the ball and he’s the latest Arsenal player into the book.
Jorginho then seems to have been rugby tackled in midfield, but the referee waves play on.
Raya drops the ball under pressure... Lewis-Skelly back near enough on the line to hack it away!
Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle
90+3 mins: Raya down stretching out his right leg. I dare say he’ll be ok.
Arsenal using the chance to make one final change. Odegaard strolls off, Jorginho on.
Another played making one final home appearance. He’s set to move to Brazil in the summer.
Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle
90 mins: One-man counter from Martinelli.
Looks exhausted but still goes past Livramento on the outside and wins a corner for Arsenal.
Hosts look unsure as to how many to bring up for this. Five minutes added on.
Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle
88 mins: Big cheer for Tierney as he comes on to replace Trossard.
This is his final home appearance for Arsenal, before he makes the move back to Celtic in the summer.
Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle
86 mins: Newcastle having a decent spell, this one isn’t done yet.
Arsenal dropping deeper and deeper, haven’t really offered anything in attack in the last 15 minutes or so.
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