Arsenal are just one win away from securing a place in next season’s Champions League following a routine 3-0 victory over Newcastle

First-half goals from Laurent Koscielny and Mesut Ozil plus another after the break from Olivier Giroud lifts the Gunners four points clear of top four rivals
Everton, while condemning Alan Pardew’s side to their sixth straight defeat.

It was the battle of the Premier League’s two longest-serving managers at the Emirates Stadium, though the defeat heaps more pressure on Pardew, who returned
to the dugout after seeing out a seven-game touchline ban.

The Magpies manager’s tactics were clear - though not entirely convincing - from the off, with his side sitting deep and inviting pressure from the hosts. And while they did have a solid-looking start, Chelsea they are not , as the Gunners began to carve away at
their back-four.

Aaron Ramsey was a bright spark in the heart of Arsenal’s midfield, though the Welshman’s final ball
was sometimes lacking as he failed to find solo frontman Olivier Giroud after the Frenchman’s run
down the middle.

The fit-again Mesut Ozil had a great chance to open the scoring with 20 minutes on the clock, the German playmaker picking up the ball on the edge of the area after a poor clearance, but he dragged his volley wide.

Newcastle almost replied with a goal when Moussa Sissoko found himself through on goal, and while the midfielder probably visualised a Yaya Toure -esque curler into the top corner, the Frenchman opened up his body too much and sent his effort over into the stands. With both sides only managing to muster half-chances at best, it seemed highly likely that set-piece routines would come into play.

So it was little surprise when Laurent Koscielny took advantage of some poor marking from a free-kick to poke in the Gunners’ first
in the 26th minute. That goal raised the tempo, with Lukas Podolski twice testing Toon stopper Tim Krul, though Cheick Tiote soon tested Wojciech Szczesny’s concentration with a rasping 30-yard drive which was tipped away by the Pole.

Despite Newcastle’s sniffs at goal, it was the hosts who stuck next, Ozil finding the back of the net shortly
before the break to double their lead. Krul was on hand again with a brilliant double save from Giroud, but luck hasn’t been on the Magpies’ side throughout the season, with the Dutchman’s second save rebounding to the feet of Ozil who tapped in.

The stopper was involved again on the stoke of the whistle, managing to get a stretching hand to Santi
Carzorla’s stinging effort, and Arsenal continued their dominance after the break.

Wenger’s men delighted the Emirates crowd with some really tidy, intricate play around the box, but Krul was given a bit of a breather as he was rarely troubled. "That was until the Gunners wrapped up a comfortable
three points when Giroud finally found the net, the striker darting into the box to put Ozil’s inviting cross away with a bullet header.

It proved a comfortable win
against a sorry Newcastle
side, while the result was made extra sweet as it also meant a top four finish was mathematically out of the question for rivals Tottenham.

Written by ELUBEKU OLUWATOBI