David Raya’s outstanding first half and Declan Rice’s magnificent goal helped Arsenal seal second-place on the Premier League table and a return to the UEFA Champions League following a 1-0 win over Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Raya made five saves, several of them show-stoppers, as the game reached halftime scoreless before Martin Odegaard set up Rice for a vicious finish across goal.
WATCH — Arsenal v Newcastle full match replay
The Gunners will finish second for the third-straight year, their 71 points five more than Newcastle who need to beat Everton on the final day or get help from the rest of the field to return to the Champions League.
Newcastle’s 66 points lead Chelsea and Aston Villa on goal differential. Man City’s on 65 points but have yet to play their Week 37 match, Nottingham Forest on on 65, too. Chelsea finish the season at Forest, thickening the plot.
Arsenal experiencing the lows of under-achieving excellence
This Arsenal team is so good. It has electric attackers, game-controlling midfielders, and — when healthy — two of the very best center backs in the world. This Arsenal team is also suffering from a bad case of the let-downs. A tremendous Champions League run came up short despite getting past Real Madrid. They exorcised the Premier League ghost of Man City only to find a new bogeyman in Liverpool. The FA Cup was one-and-done at home to a poor Manchester United, and the League Cup saw Arteta’s men controlled by Newcastle 4-0 over two legs. In a world where being excellent should be good enough, it’s a shame that the feeling around the club isn’t a celebration but of “What if?”
Arsenal vs Newcastle United player ratings
(from fotmob.com)
Arsenal vs Newcastle United player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Arsenal vs Newcastle United player ratings (from fotmob.com)
What’s next?
Newcastle finish at home to Everton, while Arsenal are away to Southampton.
All Week 38 matches kick off at 11am ET Sunday.
How to watch Arsenal vs Newcastle live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 11:30am ET, Sunday (May 18)
Venue: Emirates Stadium — London
TV Channel: USA
Streaming: Watch live on NBC.com
Arsenal vs Newcastle final score: 1-0
Goalscorers: Declan Rice 55'
Arsenal vs Newcastle live updates — by Nick Mendola
Full time — Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle United
The Gunners earned this with solid defending, while Newcastle will rue its first-half finishing (and Raya’s strong saves).
Kieran Tierney gets final few minutes
The former Celtic star, oft-injured in London, gets a few minutes at the end of his Arsenal career.
Kai Havertz returns to pitch
The German replaces Saka after a long injury absence.
Newcastle bring on ex-Arsenal man Joe Willock for Barnes.
Gunners lead 1-0 in the 80th minute.
Ben White just wide
Close!
From the same spot as Rice’s goal, essentially, Ben White drills a low shot that runs an inch wide of the far post.
Subs
William Osula is on for Callum Wilson, while Emil Krafth replaces Jacob Murphy and Lewis Miley enters the game for Botman.
Sven Botman shaken up
Bukayo Saka cuts in from the right and fires a rocket toward goal.
Sven Botman is brave to block it with a header that drops the center back to the grass.
He looks dazed but is being allowed to continue for the moment.
Arsenal up 1-0 in the 60th minute.
Declan Rice goal — Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle (55th minute)
A sweet hit from the Englishman.
Anthony Gordon gives the ball away in his own half, and Martin Odegaard finds Declan Rice outside the 18.
Rice lashes a shot across goal and past a flying Pope.
Halftime — Arsenal 0-0 Newcastle United
David Raya has kept a zero on the board despite some terrific moments for Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, and Newcastle.
So far, though, Alexander Isak’s absence has been felt quite a bit.
Good watch through 30 minutes
Arsenal are holding the ball a bit more — just under 60 percent — but Newcastle have been more dangerous.
Raya already has four saves and at least three have been show-stoppers.
Newcastle almost in a 3-4-2-1 a la Ruben Amorim, as Joelinton’s injury continues to affect their plans.
0-0, 31'.
Raya having a day, as Arsenal playing with fire
Barnes gets into the final third and snaps a low shot toward the near post.
Raya reads it well but it takes a huge turn toward the far post, where the keeper does tremendous work to push it wide for a corner.
That leads to another corner, with Raya savinf rom Burn and then Botman.
Arsenal playing with fire.
Trossard flashes
The Belgian wins a corner with a dribble from the left that evades two defenders.
His shot is slightly turned by Harvey Barnes and that may have been crucial as it just flashed wide of the goal.
First corner is saved over the goal by the long right arm of Nick Pope.
The second ends with Martin Odegaard hitting the ball into outer space.
0-0, 15'.
Raya again
Terrific counter attack from Newcastle but the end product isn’t ideal.
Livramento drives the left and works a 1-2 with Anthony Gordon, the latter back heeling to the fullback.
David Raya has little problem with Livramento’s curved shot into his arms.
0-0, 11'.
Raya makes amends
A mistake from David Raya helps Newcastle put a chance together.
Bruno Guimaraes looks set to make it 1-0 but the Arsenal keeper makes a terrific save.
How did he keep that out?
Speedy Arsenal to challenge NUFC back four (or five)
Newcastle’s either working a back four with Dan Burn, Fabian Schar, Sven Botman, and Valentino Livramento or a back five with Jacob Murphy serving on the opposite side of Livramento.
The Gunners have quick Leandro Trossard up top and Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka will try to hassle the wide areas.
No Alexander Isak, Kieran Trippier for Newcastle
Arsenal fans aren’t going to have a lot of sympathy for a team missing a forward, as the Gunners will trot Leandro Trossard out at center forward, but Newcastle’s taken a big hit.
Alexander Isak is the Premier League’s second-leading scorer and he misses out, as does fullback Kieran Trippier. Can Callum Wilson deliver a vintage performance for the Magpies? Dan Burn looks like he’s swung to left back for Newcastle
Arsenal lineup
Raya, White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Trossard
Newcastle lineup
Pope, Livramento, Botman, Schar, Burn, Tonali, Guimaraes, Murphy, Barnes, Gordon, Wilson
