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'It's a good place to be... it's in our hands': Mikel Arteta reminds critics that under-fire Arsenal are in the driving seat for a top-four spot ahead of crunch Newcastle clash Mikel Arteta has stressed that Arsenal control their Champions League destiny Arteta is excited at the prospect of delivering a return to the competition Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, meanwhile, feels his players deserve more credit Howe says people are too quick to talk about club's finances over performances

By Adrian Kajumba and Craig Hope for the Daily Mail

Published: 00:29 BST, 16 May 2022 | Updated: 00:29 BST, 16 May 2022

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Mikel Arteta insisted that despite recent setbacks, Arsenal are in a position they would have loved to be in at the start of the season. It was a point worth making after a morale-sapping setback against their biggest rivals on Thursday.

Presented with the chance to seal a return to the Champions League at Tottenham, Arsenal instead endured a night to forget.

Well-beaten 3-0 to give Spurs renewed hope of pipping them to fourth spot, Arsenal also had Rob Holding sent off, lost another centre back Gabriel to injury and Arteta ended the night under fire from Antonio Conte.

Mikel Arteta vows to 'go for it' as Arsenal plot a return to the Champions League next season

It was an untimely wobble and one containing so many negatives that it could briefly make you forget the good news of Arsenal still having Champions League qualification in their own hands with two games left, despite Spurs overtaking them following their victory over Burnley.

Asked ahead of Monday night’s match at Newcastle whether he would have taken this at the start of the season, Arteta replied: ‘Absolutely, yes. It is a good place to be. It is in our hands.’

Accentuating the positives was seemingly Arteta’s approach heading into the final week of the season. ‘We want to be playing in the Champions League,’ he continued ‘We’ve come so far and we want to capitalise on that, and the