It was another disappointing performance from the Gunners as Mikel Arteta’s men failed to score in the English Premier League, with Newcastle taking the victory at St. James’ Park.
Alexander Isak’s 12th-minute header proved the difference, as Arsenal struggled to get going in the early kickoff match on Saturday.
Before entering the encounter, Arsenal had not won at St. James’ Park for four seasons, making this an uphill task against a side they lost to last season.
Lineups
Newcastle: Goalkeeper: Nick Pope, Defenders: Tino Livramento, Fabian Schar, Dan Burn, Lewis Hall, Midfielders: Sean Longstaff, Bruno Guimaraes, Joe Willock, Forwards: Anthony Gordon, Alexander Isak, Joelinton.
Arsenal: Goalkeeper: David Raya, Defenders: Thomas Partey, William Saliba, Gabriel, Jurrien Timber, Midfielders: Bukayo Saka, Mikel Merino, Declan Rice, Forwards: Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard.
How the Match Unfolded
The match began with an end-to-end first 10 minutes, with both sides surging with purpose each time they had the ball and retreating to a more defensive outlook without it. However, in the 12th minute, Swedish striker Alexander Isak powered a fantastic header past David Raya after an even better cross from Anthony Gordon on the right, stunning the visitors.
Arsenal had a chance to respond, but Lewis Hall cleared Mikel Merino’s effort off the line, and Bukayo Saka had a shot dragged wide after cutting into the box from the right. During the second half, Newcastle almost added a second, with Joe Willock blasting the ball over near Raya’s near post. Ethan Nwaneri’s mistake should have cost Arsenal another goal, but Raya saved Isak’s effort after the ball from the striker.
So, so good! 😍 pic.twitter.com/jAzT5FFbAt
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) November 2, 2024
Arsenal almost had an equalizer right at the end, as Declan Rice’s header went wide, and Newcastle secured their first victory in five matches in the Premier League.
Post-Match Analysis
Arsenal were unusually light on creativity today, with the away side creating few clear chances and having only a single effort on target. Martin Odegaard was especially missed in midfield, and the Newcastle players were superior in the physical duels, allowing them to take control of the midfield.
After the match, this is how Newcastle Manager, Eddie Howe saw the game: “It was 95 minutes of concentration and consistency in our attitude. We managed and controlled some very good players pretty well today. It’s three points but it means so much because we hadn’t won for a while in the Premier League. I’m sure it will do us the world of good.”
Mikel Arteta of Arsenal said: “We deserved to lose today. I thought we started well and were dominant. We didn’t defend the box well enough. Credit to them. They scored a great goal with a good ball. Then, the game changes, and you start to play a different game. You have to adapt, and we didn’t do that well enough. I am very frustrated.“
What’s Next
Arsenal is now in fourth place, having lost two of their last three games. They will face Chelsea next. Newcastle leaped to ninth, only three points behind Arsenal on 15 points. The Toons will face high-flying Nottingham Forest next.
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