Arsenal, Newcastle set to meet in EPL showdown

LONDON (AP):

Arsenal and Newcastle set up a English Premier League (EPL) showdown next weekend as the race for the remaining Champions League spots intensified yesterday.

After a weekend of upsets and comebacks in the EPL, the six-way battle to qualify for European club football’s top competition looks set to go down to the wire.

With the top five qualifying for the Champions League next season, just six points separate second-placed Arsenal and seventh-placed Nottingham Forest, with two rounds to go. And only two points separate Arsenal and Newcastle in third ahead of their penultimate league game at the Emirates Stadium next Sunday.

Arsenal rallied from two goals down against champions Liverpool to draw 2-2 at Anfield yesterday and Newcastle beat Chelsea 2-0.

Manchester City are a point further back in fourth after being held 0-0 by last-placed Southampton on Saturday.

Forest’s chances were hit by a 2-2 draw against relegated Leicester yesterday that led to owner Evangelos Marinakis appearing to remonstrate with manager Nuno Espirito Santo on the field after the match.

Europa League finalists Manchester United and Tottenham maintained their woeful domestic form — both losing 2-0 at home.

United were beaten by West Ham and Spurs lost to FA Cup finalist Crystal Palace.

ARSENAL FIGHTBACK

Dumped out of the Champions League semi-finals by Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the week, Arsenal’s main focus now is ensuring a return.

But trailing 2-0 after just 21 minutes against Liverpool, it looked like another sobering day for Mikel Arteta’s team, who are already on a run of just one win from their last five league games.

Now it’s one in six, but Arsenal successfully avoided defeat after a second-half fightback through goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Mikel Merino, who was later sent off.

The Gunners paid the price for a lacklustre start as they conceded twice in quick succession, with goals from Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz.

“What we did in the first half is nowhere near the level, so to do it after is too late. We reacted, great, but the standards in those 20 minutes were unacceptable,” Arteta said.

BATTLE FOR SECOND

Two points will guarantee Champions League football for Arsenal next season, but a third straight runner-up spot could be in doubt if they fail to beat Newcastle, who will have second place in their sights after victory against 10-man Chelsea at St James’ Park.

Sandro Tonali fired the home team ahead from close range in the second minute and Nicolas Jackson was sent off for Chelsea in the 35th, following a VAR review, for a foul on Sven Botman.

Chelsea pushed for an equaliser after the break, but Bruno Guimaraes’ dipping shot from distance in the 90th killed off the visitors’ hopes of a comeback.