Newcastle United 1-2 Arsenal
by Roger Domeneghetti
at St James’ Park

WE’RE a long way off knowing whether this Arsenal team have the mettle to win the title, but victory in this early test suggests they just might.

Having more than matched the psychological and physical intensity of Eddie Howe’s Newcastle and the St James’ Park crowd for all but a brief period at the end of the first half, after they fell behind, they got the win their performance deserved.

With Liverpool’s slip up on Saturday at Palace, this was a chance for Arsenal to close the gap at the top of the table. More than that, it was a test of their character.

They settled into the game almost immediately. For the first quarter of an hour, it looked as if they might overwhelm Newcastle, Nick Pope outstanding between the posts, saving from two early chances.

Then he was adjudged to have fouled Victor Gyokeres. Jarred Gillett pointed to the spot but changed his mind after being sent to the monitor. The Newcastle fans was greeted the decision as if they’d scored a goal; Arteta greeted it with sarcastic applause.

The Gunners’s sense of injustice increased when Nick Woltemade rose to meet Sandro Tonali’s cross to open the scoring. As he jumped, the striker’s hand lightly touched Gabriel’s back. The defender went down as if he’d been punched in the kidneys. This time there would be no need to the monitor. 

For the rest of the half, Arsenal fell into their old bad habits. Every decision against them was greeted by shaken heads and exasperated, swirling arms. They had allowed Newcastle to get under their skin, again, playing the occasion, not the game.

The break came at just the right time, allowing them to rese, regain their composure. As Newcastle kept dropping deeper, eventually switching to a back five, and failing to keep the ball when they had it, Arsenal took a vice-like grip of the game. When Mikel Merino got the better of Sven Botman to head home Declan Rice’s cross it was no great surprise.

With seven minutes of added time, Arsenal looked like the only winners and so it was. Gabriel atoning for his part in Newcastle’s opener by leaping highest in a mele of players to head Martin Odegaard’s corner into an empty net.

The celebrations for the late goal and at the final whistle showed the importance of the win for Arsenal, but the performance also sent a message to their rivals.