Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has admitted that his side's embarrassing performance in Monday's Premier League defeat to Newcastle United was "nowhere near" Champions League standard.
Following Tottenham Hotspur's victory over Burnley, Arsenal needed to take all three points home from St James' Park to ensure that fourth place would still be in their own hands heading into the final day.
However, the Gunners were immediately overwhelmed by the Magpies' press and intensity and were largely indebted to Aaron Ramsdale for keeping the game goalless in the first half.
Arteta's side soon went behind to a Ben White own goal in the second period before Bruno Guimaraes wrapped up a deserved Newcastle win, and Eddie Howe's side were arguably unlucky not to have scored more on the night.
Arsenal were outplayed in every department and offered little to nothing in attack, making it impossible for Arteta to defend his players after the crushing defeat.
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"Newcastle deserved to win the match and were much better than us. We had nothing in the game. They were much better in every department and we were poor with the ball," Arteta told Sky Sports News.
"A lot of things happened during the game, like substitutions for injuries, but it's not an excuse because they were much better than us.
"It's true that we could not cope with the game that we had to play here. We tried to change some things but it didn't make it better. We had moments where we looked better but then the execution was so poor and the goals we gave away were extremely poor.
"It's extremely disappointing that Newcastle were 10 times better than us and the performance was nowhere near the level we need to be at if we want to play in the Champions League.
"I am incredibly disappointed. It's a very painful one. It was in our hands and today it's not in our hands. We have to beat Everton and wait for Norwich to beat Spurs. There's always a tiny chance in football."
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Arsenal have now gone seven games without scoring or taking a point after conceding the first goal, and fingers were immediately pointed at a lack of January transfer activity.
The 40-year-old reiterated the fact that Newcastle were "100 times better" in his post-match press conference and also claimed that his side did what they could over the winter.
"Normally I sit here I can defend what we've done. Today I cannot. Newcastle were 100 times better in the end. Every aspect of the game they were better than us. Today you have to put your head down swallow every poison possible," Arteta added.
"We've done what we can, what we're allowed to do and what we could do. The team we were able to build is what we were able to build but it's also the team that got us this far."
In order for Arsenal to qualify for the Champions League on the final day, they must pray for basement side Norwich City to get the better of Tottenham while they attempt to see off Everton at the Emirates.
Ben Knapton
