Arsenal within sight of Champions League

Arsenal now need just one win from their remaining two games — at home to West Brom and away to Norwich — to secure an 17th consecutive season of Champions League football.

They could even have enough in the bank already with Everton, beaten 2-0 by Southampton on Saturday, four points behind them in fifth.

With an FA Cup final against Hull also to look forward to it is safe to say Arsene Wenger will rate himself successful enough to sign a contract extension at the end of the season.

No such luxuries for his Newcastle counterpart Alan Pardew, who could be on his way.

He is currently the second longest serving Premier League manager behind Wenger, but for how much longer can he retain that dubious claim to fame?

Pardew returned to the touchline for the first time after a seven-match ban to oversee a sixth successive defeat and their worse top flight run in 27 years.

A number of the Newcastle fans clearly want him out and the club’s board might be moved to think the same too now he is in danger of failing to secure his targeted top 10 finish.

Pardew conceded: “Arsenal were on form and it was tough. I’ve lost six on the trot so you have to accept criticism. Of course I’m under pressure.”

Arsenal, rejuvenated in recent weeks following the return to fitness of Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil, had the three points all but bagged by half-time following goals by Laurent Koscielny and Ozil.

“We did ever so well tonight,” Ramsey said. “It was important we took advantage of Everton dropping points.”

Mikel Arteta added: “Let’s win on Sunday [at home to West Brom] and wrap it up — let’s not take any chances.”

In truth, they dominated from the outset. An early Santi Cazorla cross from the right was punched to the edge of the area by Tim Krul and volleyed back a whisker away from the Newcastle keeper’s left hand post by Ozil.

Newcastle were defending well for a while and were seemingly organised at the back. That gave them a foundation to attack from and Moussa Sissoko betrayed that threat midway through the first half when he ghosted past a wooden Per Mertesacker only to lift a good chance way over the bar.

Sissoko was fully charged now and his next contribution was to get booked for fouling Olivier Giroud and conceded the free-kick that led to Arsenal taking a 26th minute lead.

Cazorla whipped the ball in and Koscielny stretched beyond the last line of the Newcastle defence to toe poke the ball in past a helpless Krul.

Koscielny’s booking for a celebratory boot of the ball into the crowd was not the highlight of Lancashire referee Neil Swarbrick’s night.

Or, maybe it was.

Lukas Podolski could and should have increased their lead only moments later but this time the Dutch keeper saved with his feet before making an even better stop from the German striker from the ensuing corner.

Newcastle might have folded now, but as the ‘Pardew Out’ banners were displayed by their supporters, the players threatened to get back into it and Cheick Tiote had a stinging shot saved by Wojciech Szczesny.

Arsenal could not fully relax into their stride until Ozil scored their second just before half-time. Mikel Arteta’s pass helped Giroud spring the offside trap and Krul saved his first two shots before Ozil tapped in the rebound.

The loyal Newcastle fans, who braved both the long evening trip south and a London tube strike, turned their focus from backing the team to calling for their manager’s head for much of the second half.

Their venom only increased when Giroud scored Arsenal’s third with an unchallenged header from Ozil’s cross in the 66th minute.

ARSENAL: Szczesny 7, Sagna 8, Mertesacker 6, Koscielny 7, Monreal 6, Arteta 6, Ramsey 7(Flamini 74, 6) Ozil 8 (Rosicky 74, 6), Cazorla 7, Podolski 7, Giroud 7 (Sanogo 84, 6).

NEWCASTLE: Krul 8; Debuchy 6 (Yanga-Mbiwa 84, 5), Williamson 5, Coloccini 5, Dummett 5; Gosling 5 (Shola Ameobi 70, 6), Anita 5, Tiote 6, Gouffran 5; Sissoko 6; Remy 5.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire).