90min

Twitter reacts as timid Arsenal blow advantage in Champions League race

By Jude Summerfield

Arsenal are no longer in charge of their Champions League destiny
Arsenal are no longer in charge of their Champions League destiny / Ian MacNicol/GettyImages
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It's been billed for weeks just how tough a game Arsenal were in for at Newcastle on Monday night. And a tough game is exactly what they got.

In fact, the Gunners turned in one of their worst performances of the season when a fiery response to last week's north London derby defeat was needed.

Mikel Arteta's side struggled to create clear cut chances in front of goal and were given the run around in midfield by impressive Magpies duo Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes.

It was Joelinton who played a major role in Newcastle's first goal, running down the left and firing a ball into the box towards Callum Wilson.

The striker didn't get to it, but Gunners defender White did. Unfortunately for the visitors and their top-four hopes, the England international could only divert the ball beyond goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale and into his own net.

Game, Tottenham.

Arsenal needed a response but just couldn't muster anything sufficient enough to trouble the physical hold Newcastle had got on the game.

The visitors only managed a few goalmouth scrambles, with Martin Odegaard having a strike blocked when an equaliser looked on.

That's really as good as it got for Arsenal in the attacking third, and their fans were understandably upset with the lack of output.

Instead of an unlikely comeback from the visitors, it was Newcastle who netted next as they searched desperately for a winner.

Sean Longstaff dinked a ball over to Wilson, who was smothered by Ramsdale. The ball fell for Guimaraes, who struck cleanly into the back of the net despite Cedric's frantic attempt to clear the ball.

For Newcastle and manager Eddie Howe, the result capped what has been a magnificent turnaround since Steve Bruce was given the boot. They were better than Arsenal in every department and will now go into the final weekend of the season with the hope of a ten top finish, having been tipped for relegation for much of the campaign.

As for Arsenal, their hopes of Champions League football are in tatters. Now sitting two points behind Tottenham, the Gunners need Norwich to beat their north London rivals and themselves to defeat Everton at the Emirates.

Either way, it was a night of immense disappointment for Arsenal and their fans.

It even broke lovable everyman Ian Wright, and that quite frankly is unforgivable.

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