Arsenal booked their place in next season’s UEFA Champions League thanks to a spectacular second-half goal by Declan Rice, who sealed a 1-0 win over top-five rivals Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Rice’s thunderbolt from outside the box ended Arsenal’s five-game winless streak and ensured Mikel Arteta’s side will not face a nervous final day of the Premier League season. With this victory, Arsenal have effectively secured a top-five finish, easing concerns over European qualification.
The Gunners, currently second in the league, look set to finish runners-up to champions Liverpool for the third consecutive season. Although Arsenal have gone five years without lifting a trophy and recently exited the Champions League at the semi-final stage against Paris Saint-Germain, they remain the most credible challengers to Liverpool’s crown next season.
Newcastle, who sit third, were missing their top scorer Alexander Isak due to injury — a factor that proved costly. Despite dominating parts of the match and hitting the woodwork, the Magpies couldn’t break through Arsenal’s resolute defense, particularly goalkeeper David Raya’s impressive performance. Raya made several key saves, including denying Bruno Guimaraes, Tino Livramento, and Harvey Barnes, helping keep a clean sheet.
The match’s pivotal moment came in the 55th minute when Martin Odegaard created space and found Rice, who unleashed a precise first-time strike past Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope. Arsenal then controlled the game’s tempo, with substitute Kai Havertz making his first appearance since February and helping see out the victory.
Newcastle must now beat Everton in their final game on May 25 to secure Champions League qualification. Meanwhile, the tight race for European places continues, with Chelsea, Aston Villa, Manchester City, and Nottingham Forest all within reach of the top six.
This win keeps Arsenal firmly in contention for major honors next season as they aim to end their trophy drought and challenge Liverpool once again.
