Arsenal are ‘not a failure’ if they don’t finish in the Premier League top four, claims Bent

It would not be a failure if Arsenal missed out on the top four this season, according to former Premier League striker Darren Bent.

A Ben White own goal in the 55th-minute and a late Bruno Guimaraes strike saw the Gunners lose 2-0 against Newcastle United on Monday night.

Mikel Arteta’s outfit headed into the match knowing a victory would put them in pole position to secure Champions League qualification on the final day of the season.

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Instead, fourth-placed Tottenham hold a two-point lead over Arsenal with a far superior goal difference, meaning a draw for Spurs at Norwich in their final match would see them finish in the top four ahead of their arch-rivals.

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But despite the likelihood that Arsenal now miss out on the Champions League, Bent thinks there has been big progress at the Emirates Stadium this season.

Bent said on talkSPORT: “It was disappointing and, unfortunately for Arsenal, when they needed to show composure and discipline the most, they didn’t. The four performances before that were good, but then the one against Spurs completely took the wind out of their sails.

“They went to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and got blasted. Rob Holding lost his head, the penalty, the atmosphere. Then they went from one cauldron to another. They got beat by Tottenham then went