Arsenal thrashed Newcastle United 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium to restore their two-point deficit in the Premier League title race.
Sven Botman unluckily netted into his own net from Gabriel 18th minute header from a corner to put Arsenal in front, whilst Kai Havertz added the Gunners’ second goal from an unmarked 24th minute strike.
Bukayo Saka added their third goal with a clinical 65th minutee strike which was followd by Jakub Kiwior’s 68th minute header.
Newcastle substitute, Joe Willock scored an 85th minute consolatory header against his former team to deny Mikel Arteta’s Gunners a clean sheet.
Speaking post-match, Arteta praised his team for their “great performance,” in response to increased pressure from title rivals, Liverpool and Manchester City, with excellent intensity and aggressivee play.
“The way they executed everything – the intensity, the commitment, the determination, the aggression and progression in everything that we were doing with the ball. They played with a lot of courage against the team and we got rewarded. I think we fully deserved to win the game.”
Arsenal remain third in the Premier League and now two points off league leaders, Liverpool, whilst Newcastle stay eighth.
Following Wednesday’s late Champions League first-leg defeat at Porto, Arsenal could of began this game flat but they instead quickly seized control as Newcastle’s Loris Karius was forced into several early saves.
Newcastle however were defensively organised to resiliently weather Arsenal’s waves of attacks until Tino Livramento headed Jorginho’s 17th minute diagonal cross behind for a corner, despite the Gunners being the league’s most prolific goalscorers from set pieces.
That clearance quickly came back to haunt Livramento a minute later as the Newcastle full-back blocked Gabriel’s header off the line as Karius flapped his save, only for the ball to bounce in off his teammate – Botman onto Karius’ chest once over the line as Arsenal took the lead.
Newcastle soon afterwards were unable to keep Arsenal at bay as six minutes later, as Jorginho intercepted a high clearance and played a diagonal cross into the box which found Gabriel Martinelli free to cut back towards the goal, with Havertz free to smash in their second goal unmarked.
Arsenal proceeded to chase a third goal to further reduce any chance of a Newcastle comeback but Martinelli thumped a 31st minute header over the bar, having met Saka’s cutback cross after the winger and Martin Odgaard had combined up the right flank.
Saka, Martinelli and Declan Rice saw further chances denied as Newcastle managed to keep their deficit at half-time to two goals down, although Eddie Howe’s Magpies did enjoy a positive finish to the first half despite failing to create any opportunities upon goal.
Havertz though nearly ended Newcastle’s faint hopes of a fightback just two minutes into the second half as he was played through by Saka, yet the German could only fire wide of the bottom-right corner.
David Raya meanwhile denied Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon in quick succession before the game eventually settled into a quiet spell, until Isak rifled over the bar in the 62nd minute.
Arsenal in response three minutes later punished sloppy playing out of Newcastle’s defence as an interception was worked towards Havertz, but he opted to play Saka in from the right and the 22 year-old calmly bent into the far-left corner to seal a home win.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners however refused to settle in the knowledge that goal difference could be crucial in the title race come end of this season, and added a fourth goal as Kiwior headed in from a 68th minute corner.
Newcastle however inflicted a late slight dent into Arsenal’s goal difference as a neat free-flowing move up the left found Burn to whip in a cross, which found ex Gunner – Willock to nod in to reduce the Magpies’ arrears.
Arsenal ultimately clung on for their sixth straight league win which kept them two points off league leaders, Liverpool, albeit with a marginally better goal difference over Jurgen Klopp’s Reds.
What’s Next?
Arsenal face an easy-looking trip to relegation-battling Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Monday 4 March, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm GMT.
Newcastle turn their attention to a Fifth Round trip to Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup on Tuesday 27 February at 7:45pm GMT.
Teams
Arsenal: David Raya, Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel, Jakub Kiwior, Declan Rice, Jorginho (Elneny 89′), Martin Odegaard (Smith Rowe 76′), Bukayo Saka (Nelson 76′), Gabriel Martinelli (Trossard 64′), Kai Havertz (Nketiah 76′)
Substitutes: Aaron Ramsdale, Cedric Soares, Mohamed Elneny, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith Rowe, Leandro Trossard, Eddie Nketiah, Gabriel Jesus
Newcastle: Loris Karius, Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Sven Botman (Lasceelles 73′), Tino Livramento (Burn 73′), Sean Longstaff, Bruno Guimaraes (Willock 74′), Lewis Miley, Miguel Almiron (Murphy 64′), Alexander Isak (Barnes 64′), Anthony Gordon
Substitutes: Jamaal Lascelles, Matt Ritchie, Harvey Barnes, Emil Krafth, Lewis Hall, Jacob Murphy, Joe Willock, Mark Gillespie, Dan Burn
Referee – Paul Tierney