Arsenal’s search for return to Champions League set to continue

If Arsenal’s Premier League defeat against Tottenham Hotspur last week was painful, their Champions League ambitions were all but gone against Newcastle on Monday.

What stings the most for Arsenal fans is that the team was on the verge of announcing its return to the top of European football before those two games.

Arsenal’s chances of finishing in the Premier League top four were dealt a major blow following their 2-0 defeat at St James’ Park, which midfielder Granit Xhaka characterized as a “disaster.”

The Gunners are now two points behind Tottenham with one game remaining.

Arsenal will really need to beat Everton on Sunday and hope that bottom-placed Norwich, who haven’t won in six Premier League games, can beat Tottenham to reclaim fourth place and qualify for the Champions League.

However, the disappointing loss on Monday looked to be costly.

Xhaka sneered at his team’s performance against Newcastle, saying, “If someone isn’t ready for this game, stay at home.”

“If you’re not prepared for that, if you’re afraid, stay on the bench or stay at home,” he told.

“We need individuals with balls — pardon the pun — to come here and play, because we know this is one of the most significant games for us.”

Newcastle dominated the game and could have been in front by halftime, with the best chance coming to Allan Saint-Maximin following a spirited run past Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Ben White deflected Joelinton’s cross into his own net to give the home side the lead 10 minutes into the second half.

That score did little to motivate Arsenal, as waves of Newcastle raids persisted and Callum Wilson was given many chances, including a daring long-range attempt to lob Aaron Ramsdale.

After Wilson was denied by Ramsdale with five minutes left to play, Bruno Guimares scored Newcastle’s second, sending Arsenal back-to-back defeats after last week’s sucker-punch loss to Tottenham.

“From the beginning to the end, Newcastle were 100 times better than us in every sector, and it’s difficult to accept,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta remarked.

“However, you must accept that because it is the reality of what occurred on that pitch today… We didn’t compete, we never got into the game, we kept getting ourselves into difficulty, and we lost every duel.”

“We were second best in every facet of the game, and Newcastle deserved to win, and perhaps by a larger margin.”

Arsenal will almost certainly participate in the Europa League next season, and Europe’s second-tier league presents its own set of hurdles, such as going to Europe on a Thursday before returning to play in the Premier League the following weekend.

Arteta may find it tough to do this considering his team’s lack of squad depth throughout the season.

“What we were able to construct is what we were able to build, and it’s the team that has brought us all the way here,” the manager said after the loss on Monday.

Midfielder Thomas Partey has been out since Arsenal’s loss to Crystal Palace in early April, while left-back Kierney is recovering from knee surgery he had last month.

Arsenal’s demise might be blamed on those injuries, as well as the club’s choice not to sign any more players during the January transfer window. Discipline has also been an issue.

In August, Xhaka was sent off in the first half against Manchester City, and Arsenal went on to lose 5-0.

With the score at 1-1 in a game Arsenal was controlling, defender Gabriel was sent off shortly before the hour mark in the return match at the Emirates Stadium.

City went on to win 2-1, with the second goal coming in injury time.

In last week’s 3-0 loss to Tottenham, Rob Holding was sent off after just 30 minutes.

This season, though, there have been hints of confidence among supporters.

Arsenal had won four straight games prior to the loss to Tottenham, including triumphs over Chelsea, Manchester United, and West Ham, and this will be the club’s best league finish under Arteta.

While this young team has shown that it can punch above its weight on multiple occasions over the last nine months, fans will be left thinking about what could have been: a return to the Champions League for the first time since the 2016/17 season.

“Technically, it’s not over; we can still win,” winger Bukayo Saka said.

“But we’ve lost two major opportunities to put ourselves in a strong position.”

“It’s simply too bad.”