Our 3️⃣ points as Arsenal's top four hopes dashed by Newcastle | OneFootball

Newcastle put in an outstanding showing in their final home game of the season to land what looks to be a lethal blow to Arsenal’s top four dreams.

This is what we made of it.

Top four gone?

Even the most optimistic of Arsenal supporters would find it hard to make a case for hearing the Champions League theme at the Emirates next season.

It was an insipid performance from the Gunners who created little and never looked like netting, while Aaron Ramsdale was responsible for several massive saves to stop it being an even more convincing Newcastle win.

The Magpies had won just once in the last 20 meetings between the sides and hadn’t scored in September 2018 but put in a high intensity showing from the off, pinning their opponents back and never letting them off the ropes until the end.

The gamble to rush Ben White and Gabriel back from injuries didn’t pay off but as Mikel Arteta pointed out, it is the time to take risks, particularly after Rob Holding’s suspension left them short.

He has performed exceptionally to put Arsenal in a position where a top four finish was in their hands with two games remaining but ultimately injuries (Takehiro Tomiyasu again going down during the first half here) across the campaign have finally caught up to the youngest outfit in the division.

There will undoubtedly be understandable frustration at how things have slipped away though, given their position of being four points ahead with three games left. Arsenal need a win from already relegated Norwich on the final day against Tottenham and beat Everton themselves to have any hope.

It is hard to see it happening …

Good to be back

One of the big factors for the result was the performance of Callum Wilson, who performed like a dog let off the leash at last.

In his first start for over four months, the Magpies striker set the tone for everything with his constant running and incredible energy, selflessly working himself to the bone.

He paid for his industriousness too as a first half collision saw a front tooth knocked loose in nasty fashion – but such was his determination to the cause that Wilson shrugged off the physios concern to continue.

And that proved a wise call when his presence forced the opener as White turned into his own net under pressure from the ex-Bournemouth man.

He made a massive difference to Eddie Howe’s team and reminded everyone that as impressive as Newcastle have been since the turn of the year, there is huge scope to get even better given that was achieved without their main man in attack.

Bruno Guimarães excelled again with a sublime showing and Joelinton also shone but on the night of his comeback, it was all about Wilson for the hosts, who have picked up the second most points at home in 2022 in the league after Liverpool with 22.

Opener controversy?

Areta will be furious over the manner of the opening goal which Arsenal conceded and turned the contest against them.

Foul throws for Arsenal full-backs have been something of an irritating theme in recent years, with Hector Bellerín in particular coming under scrutiny for his mis-steps in that regard.

But the one which was awarded against Nuno Tavares seemed extremely excessive and the kind of throw-in that goes unpunished week in, week out at the top level.

The lack of consistency with this rule was even on show in this particular game as Matt Targett escaped a much more egregious foul from the sidelines previously.

While Arsenal’s performance deserved, and got, nothing, there is still likely to be anger in their camp over how the opener unfolded.