When Arsenal were beaten at Spurs at the beginning of March, it left Arsene Wenger admitting that qualifying for the Champions League looked distinctly unlikely; they were seven points adrift of Tottenham with 10 games to play.

With one game to play, Arsenal are now a point ahead of their great rivals, and have qualification in their grasp. It's been quite a swing, with Arsenal taking 23 points to Spurs' 15 over the same period.

So all Arsenal have to do is win at Newcastle and they will have pipped Tottenham to the riches of the Champions League - and given Gareth Bale a big decision to make.

Winning at Newcastle has not been the toughest of assignments in recent weeks - Sunderland and Liverpool did it with ease, combined score 9-0.

Newcastle's week has been much like their season - mixed. First they secured safety with the win at Loftus Road, then Alan Pardew made his ill-advised 'joke' about not caring if he lost 4-0 to Arsenal now that they couldn't go down. I doubt they were laughing their heads off at White Hart Lane over that one.

To make matters worse, the website of owner Mike Ashley's Sports Direct company then claimed that Newcastle were in talks to sign Wayne Rooney from Manchester United.

Now that did give everyone a good laugh - there's probably more chance of Ashley himself lining up in the Newcastle side next season. Cue an embarrassed retraction from Sports Direct, and a deafening silence from Team Rooney.

Yet amidst all this black and white comedy, there is no question that, despite damaging injuries, Newcastle have some terrific talent at their disposal.

For the first time in months, they can play without fear but with the motivation of making amends for the horror shows against Sunderland and Liverpool.

Do Newcastle have it in them to avoid defeat and give Spurs the chance they're hoping for? Arsenal will be anxiously reflecting that they just might.

Head-to-head



• Arsenal won the reverse fixture at the Emirates 7-3 in December, with Theo Walcott scoring a hat-trick.



• Two seasons ago, the Magpies were 4-0 down after 26 minutes. They were still 4-0 down with 22 minutes left but then staged an incredible fightback to earn a 4-4 draw.



• Newcastle have won just one of their last 11 Premier League games against Arsenal (W1, D5, L5).



• Four of the last five league meetings at St James's Park have been draws, with Arsenal winning the other.



Newcastle




• Only relegated Reading and Wigan have conceded more goals than Newcastle's 67 this season.



• Newcastle have failed to score in two successive Premier League home games. They last failed to score in three in a row back in August 2007 (six games).



• The Magpies have won only one of their games on the final day of a Premier League season in their previous 10 campaigns (W1, D5, L4).



• Newcastle have earned 10 fewer points at home this season compared to last season (28:38). They have lost eight home games so far in 2012-13, compared to three in their 19 home games in the last league campaign.



• Alan Pardew's side have won just three of the 19 games they have played against teams in the top half (W3, D4 L12).



Arsenal




• Arsenal are unbeaten in their last nine league matches, winning seven of them.



• Arsenal have won four successive Premier League away games. The last time that the Gunners won five in a row away in the league was back in September 2004.



• Four Arsenal players have scored 10 or more league goals this season, more than any other top-flight club - it's only the fourth time in the Premier League era that four players from one club have reached doubles figures.



• Just four players have reached double figures in both goal and assist categories in the Premier League this season, with two of these Arsenal players (Theo Walcott has 14 goals, 10 assists, and Santi Cazorla has 12 goals, 11 assists).



• If only the second half of games counted, Arsenal would already have been crowned Premier League champions.