Arsenal won for the first time in four games in all competitions thanks to Mohamed Elneny's first Premier League goal and a superb strike from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Fourth bottom Newcastle remain nine points clear of the relegation zone with four games left.
Amid growing calls for his dismissal after one of Arsenal's worst seasons in decades, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta knows the only way to silence the critics is to qualify for next season's Champions League by winning the Europa League.
Arteta admits he is prioritising the Europa League, so it was no surprise that only Martin Odegaard, Dani Ceballos and Granit Xhaka kept their places in the team beaten 2-1 by Villarreal in the semi-final first leg on Thursday.