Newcastle deals a big blow to Arsenal's top-four hopes
Key takeaways:
- Ben White was making his return to the starting XI after recovering from injury.
- Arsenal's hopes of finishing in the Premier League top four were dealt a massive clash as Newcastle thrashed them well at St James' Park.
Mikel Arteta's side required a victory to move past Tottenham into fourth and put them in the driving seat to book a Champions League spot heading into the season's final weekend.
But they were second best throughout and dropped behind early in the second half when Ben White turned the ball into his net under stress from Callum Wilson, who was making his first start since 27 December.
Bruno Guimaraes, who has become a fan's hero since joining Newcastle at the beginning of this year, then rounded off the incredible victory when he went into the net as Arsenal struggled to clear.
Arsenal contributed next to nothing, with Martin Dubravka only tested once, with a 25-yard Mohamed Elneny shot in the second half.
Indeed, Newcastle could have prevailed with Wilson coming close to capping a dream return from injury with a spectacular long-range shot that dropped just wide of the goal.
The result, which also proved Chelsea's finish in the top four, indicates that Arsenal must defeat Everton in their last game on Sunday (16:00 BST) and expect Tottenham loses at relegated Norwich.
Newcastle, meanwhile, rounds off a season that enables the future with a journey to Burnley.