Newcastle United made easy work of Champions League chasing Arsenal with a convincing display at St James' Park.
It was a victory that ensured the Magpies have now clocked up their biggest points tally since promotion in 2017 and they go into their final match of the campaign with a sniff of a top 10 finish. Newcastle could not have dreamed of notching 46 points when they lay bottom of the pile back in December.
But while Arsenal dented their chance of getting into the top four with a disjointed display it is Newcastle who have put together Champions League qualification form in 2022. Indeed, it's now 35 points in the bag for Eddie Howe's side, four more than Arsenal, and things bode very well for next season.
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The game started at a ferocious pace and in a raucous atmosphere with all four sides of the ground waving flags before kick off in a superb display by Wor Flags. That set United up nicely for their final home encounter and they rose to the occasion in the first half in front of a crowd of 52,274.
Newcastle probed the Gunners after five minutes when Bruno Guimaraes played a long ball over the top of the defence for Callum Wilson but it went straight into the hands of Aaron Ramsdale.
Ramsdale then nearly got himself into trouble when trying to clear on seven minutes but the ball fell kindly for him after Miguel Almiron's block rolled across the face of goal before being cleared. Wilson then won a free-kick after Gabriel's foul on the left-hand side of the penalty area but the set-piece evaded everybody in black and white and curled wide of the target.
A Joelinton shot deflected off an Arsenal defender on 18 minutes to earn Newcastle a corner on the right-hand side. Matt Targett's inswinging delivery was frantically headed clear by Nuno Tavares.
It took Arsenal until the 21st minute to get a sight of goal when England star Bukayo Saka got free down the right, beating Targett in the process, before seeing Dan Burn's sliding block prevent him from taking the lead. It was Saka causing the attacking threat once more two minutes later when he again pushed down the right but this time Martin Dubravka gathered low down.
Wilson took a blow to the mouth after half an hour with one his front teeth dislodged and the striker requiring treatment. There were nine minutes left when Allan Saint-Maximin made a piercing run through the middle before unleashing a low shot which Ramsdale tipped wide.
Arsenal were forced into an earlier than expected change when Takehiro Tomiyasu went off injured for Cedric Soares on 40 minutes. Despite enjoying 67% of the possession in the first half United and Arsenal went in level at the break.
A strong challenge on Fabian Schar from Eddie Nketiah resulted in a yellow card just after the restart. The blow to Schar's head knocked him to the ground and he was replaced by Jamaal Lascelles.
On 51 minutes Longstaff's shot was deflected wide for a corner at the Gallowgate End. Targett swung the ball in and Lascelles headed across goal but the danger was cleared. The ineffective Emile Smith-Rowe went off for Gabriel Martinelli on 52 minutes.
The goal the Geordie fans had been craving arrived on 55 minutes when Joelinton crossed from the left-hand side after a powerful run before Wilson swept towards goal with Ben White's deflection turning past his own keeper.
Arsenal then turned to Alexandre Lacazette on the hour mark with Tavares coming off as the Gunners went for broke.
But it was Newcastle who registered the next goal attempt as Bruno crossed for Wilson who volleyed over the top on 64 minutes. Moments later, Joelinton fired one high over the bar as United looked for the insurance goal.
Longstaff forced a corner mid-way through the second half with Targett's corner fumbled by Ramsdale and then the play breaking down because of a foul. Emil Krafth crossed the ball in on 72 minutes for Wilson but his effort was deflected.
Arsenal's last roll of the dice came with 17 minutes left when Nicolas Pepe replaced Gabriel.
Newcastle's double change of Ryan Fraser and Jacob Murphy for Almiron and Saint-Maximin with 13 minutes left almost paid instant dividends.
The duo countered and swapped passes before Murphy's shot was palmed to safety by Ramsdale. Wilson then looked a shot over his shoulder from 50 yards and almost caught Ramsdale napping but it bounced to safety.
But Newcastle doubled the lead when Longstaff's deft pass through looking to find Wilson resulted in Ramsdale spilling the ball. It fell perfectly into Bruno's path before he hammered the ball into the net and made it 2-0.
Howe introduced Dwight Gayle, the fourth change of the night for Newcastle after Schar's withdrawal counted as a concussion sub, with the striker replacing Wilson. The number 9 left the field to a standing ovation on a night in which he offered genuine threat in the final third.
Fraser could have put the lid on it but Ramsdale saved late on. A third goal wouldn't have been undeserved on Newcastle who were absolutely superb on the night.
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