Declan Rice’s stunning strike secures Arsenal’s Champions League place | OneFootball

Declan Rice’s second-half strike fired Arsenal to a 1-0 win against Newcastle at the Emirates and a place in next season’s Champions League.

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya kept his side in the match with a string of fine saves prior to the interval before Rice delivered from range with 55 minutes gone.

Arsenal’s victory moves them five points clear of third-placed Newcastle with just one match remaining.

Newcastle’s Champions League fate remains in their hands, but they will start the final day level on points with Chelsea and Aston Villa, albeit with a superior goal difference.

Manchester City will bump Newcastle, who host Everton at St James’ Park in their concluding game, down to fourth if they beat Bournemouth on Tuesday.

Arsenal knew a defeat here – against a team that had already beaten them times this season – would leave them requiring a result in their final game at Southampton to ensure a top-five finish.

Arsenal were handed a major boost prior to kick-off when Alexander Isak, linked with a summer move to north London, was absent from the visitors’ team sheet with a groin problem.

Yet, it was Newcastle who should have been ahead at half-time with only a string of Raya saves keeping the scores level.

It was Raya’s sloppy pass after just six minutes which presented the first chance of the game. Sandro Tonali picked up the Arsenal goalkeeper’s wayward ball before he found Callum Wilson who did well to present Bruno Guimaraes with a shot. However, Raya atoned for his initial error when he got down low to block Guimaraes’ strike and then scooped the ball away.

Raya was back in action just five minutes later when he saved well from Tino Livramento following the full-back’s neat one-two with Anthony Gordon.

At the other end, Nick Pope produced a fine save to deny Thomas Partey’s header from Bukayo Saka’s corner. But it was soon Raya taking centre stage again – this time diverting Harvey Barnes’ deflected shot wide after the Newcastle midfielder was allowed to run unchallenged from the halfway line to the edge of the Arsenal box.

Raya then turned away Dan Burn’s header from point-blank range before batting away Sven Botman’s follow-up with his left hand.

Declan Rice tested Pope from range, but referee Simon Hooper’s half-time whistle was greeted with a rumbling of discontent by the home supporters with Newcastle firmly in the driving seat.

But Arsenal, so flat and nervy in the first 45 minutes, started the second half with greater purpose, and they took the lead after just 10 minutes.

Gordon was caught in possession by Saka with the Arsenal winger finding Martin Odegaard in Arsenal’s right-hand channel. Odegaard took one look up before spraying the ball to Rice on the edge of the area with the midfielder’s low curling effort nestling into Pope’s bottom corner.

Newcastle had lost their stranglehold on the game with Arsenal looking more likely to add to their advantage, and Ben White’s effort from range had Pope at full stretch.

However, Arsenal have drawn or lost 10 matches from winning positions this season, and while Newcastle’s deficit stood at one, they remained firmly in the game.

Barnes might have done better when he skied his effort over from the edge of the area, and substitute Joe Willock then came close to haunting his old club when he fashioned a chance only to blaze his shot high and wide.

Arsenal’s campaign has been derailed by injuries and Kai Havertz was handed his first appearance in 102 days following hamstring surgery.

Newcastle pressed for an equaliser – with Pope arriving to contest a Newcastle corner in the seventh minute of stoppage time – but Arsenal held firm to leave Eddie Howe and his players facing an anxious final day to ensure their return to Europe’s premier competition.