Arsenal will play in the Europa League next season after a 5-1 win over Everton was not enough to see them move into the top-four.
Mikel Arteta’s side finish fifth in the table, two points behind Tottenham who sealed a return to Europe’s top table, and the Gunners will reflect on a painful five days that derailed their Champions League ambitions.
Going into the north London derby, victory would have secured a top-four finish for Arsenal but they were well-beaten by their big rivals and then backed that up with a woeful display away to Newcastle.
The left them going into the final day of the season needing Norwich to pull of an unlikely win over Tottenham, though few fans would have been holding out much hope.
And so it proved, as Spurs eased to a 5-0 win at Carrow Road. Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah put the Gunners in control and although Donny van de Beek equalised before the break, goals from Cedric, Gabriel and Martin Odegaard ensured the Gunners finished the season on a high.
The Gunners started impressively against Everton as they looked to at least do their part, and they were gifted the chance to take the lead when Alex Iwobi gave away a penalty for handball against his former side.
Martinelli stepped up and made no mistake from the spot, before Nketiah doubled the lead four minutes later on what may prove to be his final Arsenal appearance. It was Martinelli turning provider this time, flicking on a corner and Nketiah did the rest from close range.
It was a dominant first-half display but Everton halved the deficit just before the break, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin dragged the ball across the face of goal and Van de Beek had a simple task to tap-in.
A low-key start to the second period was followed by another quickfire Arsenal double, both generously aided by some woeful Everton defending from set-pieces.
Bukayo Saka rolled the ball out to Cedric on the edge of the box from a corner and he was completely unmarked to whip in an effort for a rare goal, before the ball fell to Gabriel soon after and he drilled a low shot past Asmir Begovic.
Arsenal showed no real desire to keep pushing for more goals, but Odegaard did get his side’s fifth late on. He dropped his shoulder to drive into the box and then passed the ball beautifully into the far corner. A strong finish to the season, though the Gunners will reflect on what could have been.
