Jamie Carragher has suggested that Mikel Arteta will be 'furious' after Arsenal gave Newcastle United the chance to move within just a few points of the Gunners in the table.
Arsenal, who have failed to win six of their last nine top-flight fixtures, twice threw away a lead to draw 2-2 against Crystal Palace at the Emirates on Wednesday night. League leaders Liverpool, as a result, now only need a point to be crowned champions.
However, Arsenal will also be looking over their shoulder in the race for second place. In fact, Newcastle, who have been lifted by the return of boss Eddie Howe, could move within five points of Arsenal if the Magpies beat Ipswich Town at St James' Park on Saturday.
While Arsenal still have a healthy lead with four games to go, Arteta's team are having to juggle other commitments, namely trying to reach the Champions League final. Arsenal also still have to face Bournemouth, Liverpool and Newcastle, who not only won at the Emirates back in January, but who have also beaten the Gunners three times in all competitions this season.
Sky Sports host David Jones warned Arsenal 'need to be careful' that Newcastle and others 'don't creep up on their shoulder'. Jones said Arsenal's upcoming match against Newcastle becomes a 'crunch game' to which Carragher replied 'exactly'.
"I think Mikel Arteta will be furious because they will be fine in terms of qualifying for the Champions League," he said. "The point being is he will want to put that to bed as early as he can.
"Now when you look at the fixtures, they have got Bournemouth, which is not an easy game at home, and that's in between the two biggest games of the season. If you win tonight, you can almost write the Bournemouth game off and change the whole team. I don't think he's in a position to do that because of what comes next, Liverpool away.
"So if you put out a really weakened team against Bournemouth, which I think he will have wanted to do to really go for the Champions League final, and you lose the game and you go to Anfield and there's a good chance you're going to lose on the back of playing PSG and Liverpool being at home with a free week, if they lose the next two games, the others are a point or two behind you. Then you have got Newcastle."
Newcastle are looking to bounce back from a bruising 4-1 defeat against Aston Villa, but the Magpies will have the benefit of clear weeks to prepare for each of their final five matches this season. Assistant Jason Tindall stressed last week that black-and-whites have 'always looked up because that's where we have always wanted to be'.
