Arsenal 5 Everton 1: Gunners romp to huge win but miss out on Champions League to Tottenham

ARSENAL kept up their side of the bargain but it still wasn’t enough to end their six-year absence from the Champions League.

Mikel Arteta’s team had to win their final game of the season and pray that bottom of the table Norwich could somehow beat Spurs to allow them to snatch fourth place right at the death.

But though goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah, Cedric Soares, Gabriel Magalhaes and Martin Odegaard were more than enough to secure all three points, it was rendered academic by news of Tottenham’s Carrow Road victory.

So it is Thursday nights in the Europa League again for Arsenal as Arteta was left to reflect on what might have been.

But at least they can console themselves with the knowledge that they are in much better shape than an Everton team who have only just escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth and aren’t going to be challenging for Europe any time soon.

It was a full 12 minutes before the visitors even touched the ball inside their opponents’ half and for the first 20 minutes Arsenal had an astonishing 90 per cent possession.

Martin Odegaard had an early shot blocked by Jarrad Branthwaite before Martinelli drew an excellent reaction save from Asmir Begovic.

But though Demarai Gray briefly threatened on the break, Arsenal were not going to be frustrated for long and a helping hand from former Gunner Alex Iwobi was all they needed to force the breakthrough.

Martinelli’s fiercely struck shot hit Iwobi on the top of his arm but once VAR ruled that he had leaned into the ball there was never going to be any stopping Martinelli’s 27th minute penalty.

Not that the travelling Everton fans cared as they continued to celebrate Premier League survival despite their team playing as though they still had sore heads from Thursday night.

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Even a second Arsenal goal could not dampen their spirits when Eddie Nketiah headed in from close range after Martinelli had flicked on Bukayo Saka’s 31st minute corner.

The Gunners supporters were not quite so upbeat as news filtered through of Tottenham’s Carrow Road stroll yet at least they could enjoy this final day display of attacking excellence from their young team.

But just when it was all looking so easy, Arsenal switched off at the back to allow substitute Donny van de Beek to score a simple tap-in with the last kick of the first-half from Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s cross.

Any thoughts of an Everton comeback, though, were quickly dismissed when Cedric was left totally free to slam home from Saka’s low corner in the 56th minute.

Three minutes later it was all over bar the lap of appreciation when Gabriel netted with a shot which Begovic could only parry but not keep out of his net.

And Martin Odegaard’s late fifth wrapped up Arsenal’s biggest League win of the season as Everton completely crumbled.