Arsenal lost Champions league spot to Spurs after a 2-0 defeat by Newcastle

Arsenal 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United on Monday has now given Tottenham a comfortable lead to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Newcastle took the lead through Ben White’s own goal “55” and Bruno Guimaraes later then struck with five minutes remaining to seal Newcastle’s victory at St James Park.

The result leaves Arsenal fifth in the Premier League with one game remaining and two points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspurs.

Newcastle’s victory looks set to see the Gunners miss out on Champions League football for a sixth successive season and will only need a miracle for the Gunners to seal a top four finish.

Tottenham Hotspur only need a draw away to the relegated side Norwich on Sunday to secure a top-four finish and a Champions league football season.

“A really difficult night to swallow,” said Arteta. “Newcastle deserved to win comfortably. They were much better from the first minute, we had nothing in the game.

“They were much better than us in everything that a football match requires. We could not cope tonight with the game we had to play here.”

“Newcastle were 10 times better than us and the performance was nowhere near what we need to play in the Champions League,” added Arteta. “We weren’t at the races.”

“It was a brilliant all-round performance. It was front foot, we never let up and that’s the most pleasing thing,” said Eddie Howe.

“We have to improve and work incredibly hard to improve everything about the team over the summer. It’s a massive club, we have big ambitions, but I have to focus on how we do it rather than talk.”

‘They were brutalised by that Tottenham fanbase for 60 minutes,’ said Gary Neville.

‘That’s a young team that’s inexperienced, who doesn’t have that experience and character.

‘I never fully trusted them to get into the top four, to be honest with you, all the way through.

‘But I thought that they would come out in the second half and respond from a poor first half but they showed us nothing.

‘It tells us where they’re at. They got schooled on Thursday at Tottenham, they’ve lacked experience tonight on and off the pitch, and it will cause them a big problem.’