Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle: Premier League – live reaction

 Minute-by-minute report: Declan Rice’s winner means one point separates Newcastle in third and seventh placed Forest.

18:43

Declan Rice’s reaction

Look, in the last few weeks we’ve been poor by our standards in the Premier League. We weren’t so hard in the Champions League that our form dropped; that happens sometimes.

Newcastle are such a good side and we’ve lost three games to them this season. The manager’s message before the game was clear: take it personally. I think we did today. We had a bit of a slow start but we grew into the game and three points is a nice way to top off the season at home.

It’s about time I started scoring frequently. I like that finish a lot, when I can whip it on top of the ball across the keeper. It was a special moment and I’m really, really happy.

[How do you reflect on this season?] Difficult. Really difficult. After coming so close last year in the Prem, this year we were poor by our standards – let’s be real. And to go out of every cup competition… with the team we’ve got, with the manager we’ve got, we need to be competing for titles.

Next year we’ll be back for more. Hopefully we’ll strengthen in the summer because we’re probably gonna lose a few players as well. We’ll come back even hungrier to win something for this club because that’s what we all want.

18:29

Arsenal are the Premier League runners-up once again – not mathematically, but you have my word. The last time they finished second three years in a row was between 1998 and 2001, and we all know what happened next.

A booming drive from Declan Rice was enough to see off Newcastle in an intriguing game between two excellent teams who both respect and dislike each other. After a nervous first half in which David Raya made three excellent saves, Arsenal went up a gear and dominated most of the second half. It got a bit tense towards the end but they held on to the three points, and to second place.

Full time: Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle

18:27

No red card, and the referee Simon Hooper blows the final whistle to ensure there isn’t any more nonsense.

18:26

90+8 min Kiwior and Burn are booked for their part in that scrum. There’s also a VAR check for a potential red card against somebody.

18:26

90+8 min Raya claims the corner and then players on both sides get involved in a rolling scrum in the six-yard box.. Dan Burn was involved, Raya and Osula as well. Given the recent history of these teams, I’m surprised it took so long.

18:24

90+7 min One last corner for Newcastle. Nick Pope is forward. Pope springs eternal and all that.

18:23

90+5 min: Chance for Newcastle! Gordon stands up a dangerous cross that Raya fails to hold as he comes through the crowd. The loose ball is helped in the general direction of goal and pushed away by Raya. That was the closest Newcastle have come in the second half.