What went wrong for Arsenal?

As St James' Park erupted in celebration, Arsenal's players sank to the turf. Their Champions League hopes are not mathematically over yet but the despondent reaction which greeted the final whistle on Monday night said it all.

Arsenal know the chances of Tottenham slipping to defeat against relegated Norwich on the final day are slim in the extreme. And even if they do, their own performance against Newcastle does not exactly augur well for their hopes of overcoming Everton.

"We had nothing in the game," Mikel Arteta told Sky Sports afterwards. Granit Xhaka went further. "We didn't deserve to be on the pitch," he said. "What happened was a disaster performance."

It is a disappointing end to a once-promising season. Arteta's side looked on course to achieve a top-four finish after securing a fourth consecutive win against Leeds earlier in the month, but the north London derby was always likely to be pivotal and so it has proved. The back-to-back defeats to Spurs and Newcastle have left supporters to digest what has gone wrong.

Xhaka's outspoken interview prompted an angry reaction from some but his comments were largely accurate. Arsenal did not show up at St James' Park. The pressure of the situation told.

It could be seen as early as the first few minutes of the game, when Aaron Ramsdale lost his footing repeatedly, setting the tone for Arsenal's nervous performance in and out of possession.

The manner of the defeat provided more ammunition for those eager to put Arsenal's costly slump down to mental fragility but more likely is that it is a symptom of their youthfulness.

Arsenal are the youngest team in the Premier League this season and their form is streaky as a result. They are able to build up momentum when