Arsenal secured a vital 1-0 victory over Newcastle United in their final home game of the 2024/25 Premier League season, officially booking their place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.

The only goal of the match came in the 55th minute, when Declan Rice produced a moment of pure brilliance. Picking up the ball outside the box, the England midfielder unleashed a thunderous strike into the bottom-right corner, leaving Nick Pope with no chance and sending the Emirates Stadium into celebration.

With the win, Mikel Arteta’s side have mathematically secured a top-five finish and now need just a point in their final game against Southampton to guarantee second place behind likely champions Manchester City.

As for Newcastle, the pressure is mounting. Eddie Howe’s team must now beat Everton at home in the final round to keep their own Champions League hopes alive. A slip-up could see them miss out on European football’s biggest stage.

2024-25, England - Premier League

Arsenal - Newcastle 1:0 (0:0)
Goals: Rice, 55 (1:0)

Arsenal: Raya; Saliba (Calafiori, 46); White B.; Kiwior; Lewis-Skelly; Partey T.; Saka B. (Havertz, 76); Odegaard (Jorginho, 90); Rice; Martinelli; Trossard (Tierney, 88)
Bench: Neto; Zinchenko; Sterling; Nwaneri
Yellow Cards: Raya 90; Kiwior 90; Havertz 90

Newcastle: Pope; Botman (Krafth E., 64); Schär; Livramento; Burn; Tonali; Barnes H. (Willock, 76); Bruno Guimarães; Wilson C. (Osula, 64); Gordon A.; Murphy J-b (Miley, 63)
Bench: Dubravka; Ruddy; Lascelles; Longstaff S.; Neave
Yellow Cards: Krafth E. 64; Burn 90; Willock 90