Newcastle United saved the best to last in their final home game of the campaign. It was supposed to be Arsenal playing for a place in the top four but, on Monday night's evidence, it was the Magpies who looked like the side fighting for a place at Europe's top table following a superb 2-0 victory at St James' Park.
Forget beating Arsenal - it had been nearly four years since Newcastle had even managed to score a goal against the Gunners. That's what made the manner of this victory so impressive - regardless of how poor the visitors were.
The relentless hosts simply did not let Arsenal settle and put in their best all-round performance yet under Eddie Howe as they were roared on by more 49,000 Geordies on another special night under the lights. As well as dominating possession, territory and the shot count, crucially, Newcastle made their dominance count in the second half.
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Ben White put the ball through his own net in the 55th minute following Joelinton's cross from the left and, then, Bruno Guimaraes, who, of course, was once wanted by Arsenal, sealed all three points half an hour later after reacting first to a loose ball before calmly slotting home.
It was the least Newcastle deserved on a night that felt like a glimpse into the Magpies' future. Amanda Staveley, Mehrdad Ghodoussi and Jamie Reuben were all in attendance, alongside new director Majed Al Sorour, and the quartet have all the inspiration they need ahead of a busy summer window. If this is the reception now, can you imagine the scenes if Newcastle actually had an even stronger side that won something one day?
Just as Bruno et all hinted at what was to come, and a more front foot approach, supporters also got the chance to potentially say goodbye to some long-serving servants on Monday night. That it is why the traditional lap of appreciation was particularly significant as it may end up serving as a St James' farewell for a number of experienced pros. Although no decisions have been formally made just yet, Howe has already admitted that he is 'sure there will be players that will move on who have represented the club in a brilliant way'.
It remains to be seen just who will go but, perhaps, it was not a surprise that players, staff and all their families spent around 10 minutes stood in front of the Gallowgate End taking it all in after the game while special guests Ant and Dec watched on pitchside. Bruno, Miguel Almiron, Martin Dubravka, Kieran Trippier, Allan Saint-Maximin, Dan Burn, Joelinton and Matt Targett were all soon serenaded with their own individual chants.
Targett, of course, is among those who faces an uncertain future as his loan comes to an end and the left-back looked visibly moved as supporters repeatedly sang: 'There's only one Matt Targett!' If Bruno had anything to do with it, Targett will be staying and the Brazil international hijacked his team-mates in-house interview with club media after the game to declare: "He needs to stay!"
This was an emotional night, then, for so many and you can see why it certainly did not feel like a meaningless end of season game. In fact, you would not have known that Newcastle had already achieved mathematical safety.
Captain Jamaal Lascelles was intending on 'causing an upset' and warned 'Arsenal know coming to St James' is going to be a difficult game for them'. Kieran Trippier insisted Newcastle 'had to match them - there's no excuse'. Joelinton, meanwhile, hoped his side could give supporters 'the three points they deserve'.
There was once a time in a previous era where Newcastle's levels may have dropped off in the penultimate game of the season, but Howe was not about to let up in the final week of the campaign as the Magpies attempted to keep their hopes of a top half finish alive and looked to potentially finish with their best points total since 2014.
"It's so important that we perform in our last home game and leave a good feeling with our supporters for the summer and whet their appetite as to what's going to come next year," Howe told reporters ahead of the game. "That's vitally important."
Newcastle had failed to pick up a single point against sides in the top five this season, so this was another test of how far the black-and-whites had come following back-to-back defeats against Liverpool and Man City. Newcastle, after all, had previously lost 33 Premier League games against Arsenal - more than they have against any side in the competition - and been the losing side in 17 of their previous 18 top-flight meetings.
However, in some ways, it did not feel like the worst time to face Arsenal and there was a positive feeling in the camp even when the players were going through their final tactical walkthroughs on Monday morning. Arsenal may have been a wounded animal, desperate to bounce back after a 3-0 defeat against bitter rivals Spurs four days previously, which blew the race for the top four wide open again, but the vulnerable Gunners were forced to field Gabriel and Ben White at the back despite their pair's recent hamstring issues. Although Newcastle had failed to score in any of their previous seven games against Arsenal, and only defeated the Londoners at home on one occasion since 2006, that should have given the hosts encouragement - particularly at home.
It is not a coincidence, after all, that Newcastle had won six of their previous seven league games at St James' Park. The supporters have certainly played their part in turning this stadium into a fortress again and the fans helped to generate another electric atmosphere before a ball was even kicked on Monday night as Wor Flags produced their biggest display yet.
Was it any wonder that members of the group were invited to meet players and staff at the training ground on Saturday? Nearly 100 volunteers helped ensure every Newcastle supporter were involved as around 49,000 sheets of foil were placed on seats to create a stunning display across all four stands, which included the word 'UNITED' being spelt out across the East Stand and a 'Newcastle United Football Club' banner that spanned the Gallowgate with a picture of one of this season's celebratory dressing room photographs.
The players would not have needed any additional motivation for a game against Arsenal, but they could not help but look around the stadium as stand-in skipper Callum Wilson led his side out on his first start since December after recovering from a troublesome calf issue. St James' has been loud in recent months, but this was another octave altogether.
Substitute Matt Ritchie had told his team-mates that 'if you can't get up for this then you shouldn't be playing football' and the players certainly fed off the energy of the crowd. Indeed, it was noticeable how Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale took his time with goal kicks in the opening stages in an effort to slow the game down as Newcastle unnerved the visitors by pressing them high and forcing them into errors at the back.
On the ball, Newcastle looked to pick out the lively Wilson with balls over the top on a night where not even losing a front tooth and having a mouth full of blood could affect the number nine following a nasty collision in the first half.
There were eight minutes on the clock when Matt Targett played Wilson in down the left with one such pass and a nervy White had to resort to taking a yellow card and pulling Wilson back. Bruno whipped in the resulting free-kick but no one could get a touch to the Brazil international's dangerous delivery to glance it into the net.
Newcastle, crucially, did not allow Arsenal to settle and Bruno soon cut the Gunners open in the 18th minute with a slide pass, but Sean Longstaff's cross across the face of goal was cleared. As Martin Dubravka whipped up the supporters behind the Gallowgate End into a frenzy, by waving his arms up and down, you felt Newcastle had to make this pressure and possession count given the quality Arsenal had going forward.
Indeed, the Gunners sent a timely warning midway through the first half when Bukayo Saka cut in off the right for the first time and saw a shot blocked behind by Dan Burn, Yet, remarkably, that ended up proving one of the only real openings Arsenal had during the entire game.
In fact, it was Allan Saint-Maximin who produced the best effort of the half in the 36th minute as the Frenchman glided in off the left flank and forced Ramsdale into a fine stop with his drilled near-post effort. Newcastle did not have that all important first goal to show for their efforts, but it was hardly a surprise that the players were applauded off the pitch a few minutes later following one of their best first-half displays of the season.
You would imagine Howe simply asked for more of the same during his half-time team talk in an effort to finally get that complete performance he desired over the course of 90 minutes. While Newcastle could have been disrupted by Fabian Schar going off with a head injury early in the second half, tellingly, the hosts soon got the goal their dominance deserved in the 55th minute. Joelinton galloped down the left and White, knowing that Wilson was lurking, could only turn the Brazilian's cross into his own net.
The roof came off the stadium and rather than sitting back as they once would have several months ago, Newcastle went in search of a killer second. Wilson fired just over in the 63rd minute after getting on the end of Bruno's cross and, then, had a shot blocked behind for a corner from close range just a few minutes later.
You wondered whether that killer second was going to come for Newcastle as Wilson and substitute Jacob Murphy were denied late on, but Bruno sealed all three points in the 85th minute with a calm finish from close range after Ramsdale brought down Wilson as Newcastle signed off at St James' in style.
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