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Spurs earn £100million less a season in income – £144m to Arsenal’s £245m – because the match-day income from the Emirates three times that at White Hart Lane.
Spurs were seven points clear in the race for fourth with 10 games to play, but Arsenal took 26 points from a possible 30 in their impressive final run-in.
The pressure is now on Tottenham to keep hold of Bale this summer – their biggest asset and the hottest property in Europe.
In the matchday programme, chairman Daniel Levy vowed to retain his best players and invest in new signings this summer.
Bale has been linked with a summer move to Real Madrid after an outstanding season that has seen him score more than 30 goals for club and country.
Levy used his annual chairman’s message to Spurs supporters as a way of insisting that the club’s top stars would not be leaving in the summer.
‘Looking ahead to the summer, we shall continue to seek to strengthen and improve the team and to retain key players,’ Levy wrote.
‘We also look forward to the return of Sandro and Younes (Kaboul) who were missed this season but who are well on the road to full fitness.’
Newcastle had the better of a goalless first half, defending stoutly and limiting the visitors to few chances.
Arsenal improved and Laurent Koscielny poked home from a Theo Walcott free-kick to put the Gunners ahead.
There were few chances from there on, until Walcott weaved into the box and hit the post in stoppage time.
Tottenham missed out on Champions League qualification to Arsenal despite Bale’s 90th-minute winner in a 1-0 win over Sunderland.
The Welshman curled a superb 25-yard shot into the top corner but Arsenal’s win at Newcastle leaves Spurs in the Europa League next season.
David Vaughan was sent off for Sunderland with 15 minutes left as the hosts piled on heavy pressure.
Bale had a strong first-half penalty appeal turned down before Aaron Lennon hit the post after the break.
Fernando Torres’ first league goal since December confirmed third place and automatic Champions League qualification for Chelsea.
Sir Alex Ferguson was denied victory in his 1,500th and final game in charge of Manchester United by Romelu Lukaku’s second half hat-trick in an incredible 5-5 draw at West Brom.
The champions went 3-0 up through Shinji Kagawa, Jonas Olsson’s own goal and Alexander Buttner’s fine finish.
James Morrison reduced the deficit and Baggies substitute Lukaku made it 3-2, before Robin van Persie and Javier Hernandez put United 5-2 ahead.
But a Lukaku brace and Youssouf Mulumbu denied Ferguson a winning send-off.
In Rafael Benitize’s last game, the Europa League winners led after six minutes when Juan Mata swept in after Tim Howard saved from Demba Ba.
With David Moyes also in charge for the final time, Everton pulled level with Steven Naismith’s neat finish.
But Torres thumped in from a Victor Moses knock-down to earn the win.
Jamie Carragher’s farewell Liverpool appearance before retirement ended with a comfortable 1-0 win over relegated QPR.
The Reds were denied an early goal when Philippe Coutinho’s header from a corner seemed to cross the line.
QPR then had a penalty appeal turned down for a Lucas Leiva trip on striker Loic Remy before Brazilian Coutinho rifled in a 25-yard strike.
Carragher almost scored a dream goal on his departure only for his long-range shot to bounce back off the post.
The central defender was substituted to a huge ovation late on, with Anfield bursting into a rendition of ‘we all dream of a team of Carraghers’ on his exit.
Earlier on, there had been a huge roar as the former England international walked out for his 737th appearance. He was given a guard of honour by both sets of players, with the Kop paying its own tribute by displaying a mosaic of his initials and squad number.
The 35-year-old went on to bow out of the game with a clean sheet, while relegated QPR said their own goodbye to the Premier League with a defeat which left them bottom of the table.
Manchester City’s turbulent week ended with 2-3 defeat by worthy Norwich in an entertaining final-day encounter.
Poor home defending allowed Anthony Pilkington through to give Norwich the lead, only for Jack Rodwell to finish a neat Blues move for the equaliser.
Grant Holt’s back-post shot restored the Canaries’ lead, but Rodwell raced clear to level again.
However, Jonny Howson’s brilliant run from the halfway line gave Norwich only their second away win of the season.
In beating four men and sliding past Hart from an angle, Howson also gave Norwich their first top-flight win at Manchester City.
It was only the Blues’ second home defeat in 48 Premier League games on their first appearance at the Etihad Stadium since losing the FA Cup final and sacking manager Roberto Mancini.
With a subdued crowd showing banners and chanting support for Mancini throughout, the home side, with Brian Kidd in caretaker charge, were largely culpable as they went down to a Norwich side who had only secured their Premier League safety with last week’s 4-0 win over West Brom. – Mailonline/BBC
Online Reporter