Gunners strengthen grip on 4th place

LONDON - Arsenal went four points clear in the race for fourth spot in the Premier League and a place in next season's Champions League with a 3-0 win at home to Newcastle on Monday.

First-half goals from Laurent Koscielny and Mesut Ozil left Arsenal in complete command at the Emirates Stadium before Olivier Giroud's 66th-minute header saw Arsene Wenger's side go 3-0 in front.

Victory left the Gunners on 73 points, four ahead of fifth-placed Everton, with both sides having two league games to play in the battle for the fourth and final Champions League spot on offer to English clubs.

But Newcastle's sixth successive Premier League defeat -- their worst run in the English top flight since January 1987 -- piled the pressure on Magpies' manager Alan Pardew.