Arsenal produced a stirring late comeback to stun Newcastle United with a 2-1 victory at St James’ Park that strikes them inside two factors of champions Liverpool on the prime of the Premier League.
The Gunners headed to St James’ Park with further motivation after Liverpool fell to a shock 2-1 loss at Crystal Palace, however made the journey to Tyneside with demons to banish having misplaced 4 of their final 5 away video games at Newcastle.
It appeared as if it might be a well-recognized story for Mikel Arteta’s aspect as, after controversially seeing a first-half penalty award overturned following a Nick Pope problem on Viktor Gyokeres, Nick Woltemade powered Newcastle forward with a Thirty fourth-minute header.
However Arsenal produced a response to show round a recreation they probably would have misplaced final season, their late stress telling as former Newcastle midfielder Mikel Merino headed them degree within the 84th minute earlier than Gabriel, who took problem with Woltemade’s conduct on the opening objective, nodded in from a nook within the sixth of eight extra minutes to safe what may show to be a vital win within the title race.
Newcastle United v Arsenal
Opposite to most of their latest visits to Tyneside, Arsenal flew out of the blocks and would have taken the lead had Pope not gotten right down to his left to show Eberechi Eze’s excellent low drive across the publish.
It seemed as if Arsenal’s early superiority could be rewarded when Gyokeres went down beneath Pope’s problem, however a prolonged session with the VAR on the pitchside monitor introduced an overturn from Gillett, accompanied by delight from the house crowd and fury from Arsenal.
Nonetheless, Arsenal continued within the ascendancy, with Trossard thundering towards the close to publish earlier than an Eze volley introduced extra good goalkeeping from Pope.
Pope was referred to as into motion once more to disclaim Saka after a prolonged surge down the fitting from the England ahead, and Arsenal have been left bemoaning their luck when Woltemade punished their profligacy.
Cristhian Mosquera clumsily gave away a nook when he sliced an aimless lengthy ball behind. After a short-corner routine, Sandro Tonali whipped in an in-swinging supply and Woltemade rose to energy the ball into the bottom-left nook.
Arsenal complained that Woltemade had pushed Gabriel to the bottom within the act of scoring, however the referee and VAR dismissed their protestations, stating that the German had made “minimal contact” with the Brazilian.
Newcastle improved after going forward and Woltemade struck the crossbar shortly after the break, although the flag had been raised for offside.
Arsenal quickly resumed dominance of possession, nonetheless, and extra Pope heroics have been required to maintain out a close-range Jurrien Timber header.
Newcastle’s rearguard effort was dealt a major setback when full-back Tino Livramento was taken off on a stretcher and, seven minutes after his exit the Gunners lastly received their leveller when Merino met an in-swinging Declan Rice supply with an excellent header into the bottom-right nook.
The hosts responded aggressively and had an enormous enchantment for a penalty dismissed by Gillett and by VAR regardless of Anthony Elanga’s effort placing Gabriel’s hand. The VAR dominated Gabriel had deflected the ball onto his hand within the act of creating a problem on Elanga.
Defensively, Newcastle noticed out most of stoppage time with little incident, however a poor clearance from the in any other case glorious Pope invited what proved to be the telling Arsenal assault, with Gabriel rising to go past the stranded goalkeeper from Martin Odegaard’s nook.
