Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said his side’s 2-1 defeat at Newcastle was the “the story of our season”, as their terrible away league record continued.
Matt Ritchie scored Newcastle’s winner in the 68th minute, as they came back from 1-0 down to beat the Gunners and all but secure their Premier League future, passing the 40-point mark.
Arsenal, who reached the Europa League semi-finals with a 6-3 aggregate win over CSKA Moscow in Russia on Thursday, are the only team in England’s top four divisions yet to earn an away league point in 2018.
Wenger said his players “physically suffered” in the second half after a three-day turn around and the trip to Russia had been a “weight” on his team.
But his side were also hampered by defensive mistakes and bar the opening 30-minute spell, they lacked an attacking threat in the rest of the game.
“We didn’t put our chances to bed and made unbelievable mistakes,” Wenger told Match of the Day.
“It’s been the story of our season, 70% possession, 1-0, lots of chances, and then you wonder how you lose the game.
“But these players are quality and we need to forget about today and focus on the next game. We have to be realistic. We came out of it with no points and overall we thought we should have got three points.”
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, playing for the first time together, had linked up for Arsenal’s opener in the 14th minute.
The Gabon striker received Shkodran Mustafi’s chip and clipped the ball to the far post for the arriving Lacazette to slide in and score.
Ayoze Perez equalised just before the half-hour mark, running in past Shkodran Mustafi, to guide in DeAndre Yedlin’s cross at the near post.
Calum Chambers should have put Arsenal back in front towards the end of the half, but he pushed an attempt wide as he slid in to meet Mustafi’s header.
It took until the 67th minute for either side to have a shot in the second half, with Ritchie then getting the winner a minute later.
Nacho Monreal failed to clear the ball and substitute Islam Slimani’s header was flicked on by Perez into the path of Ritchie, who coolly steered his shot past goalkeeper Petr Cech.
Kenedy almost made it three, his shot looping up and hitting the bar.
There were some nervy moments in the closing stages as Arsenal pressed for an equaliser, but Newcastle held on for a vital win, their fourth straight league victory.
It puts them on 41 points with five games remaining, 13 clear of relegation.