Arsenal scored twice late on to overturn a first-half deficit and secure a 2–1 victory over Newcastle United at St. James’ Park.
Cristhian Mosquera’s impressive start to his Gunners career meant Mikel Arteta was happy for William Saliba to drop to the bench on Tyneside, and the club made it abundantly clear with their lineup release that Eberechi Eze was starting “in the middle”, after much was made about his absence last weekend.
Arteta’s men were assured in the opening stages, with Eze drawing a sensational save out of Nick Pope between the Newcastle posts. The Gunners were subsequently forced to navigate a set-piece barrage, before they were seemingly handed a gift by Jacob Murphy. The winger’s tame back pass to Pope was seized upon by Viktor Gyökeres, who was taken out by Pope to win Arsenal a penalty.
Or so it seemed. The video assistant referee (VAR) jumped onto the scene and spotted a slight nick on the ball from the Magpies goalkeeper, with referee Jarred Gillett subsequently overturning his on-field decision.
That failed to deter the visitors, though, who then crashed the inside of the post via Leandro Trossard before Eze and Bukayo Saka forced Pope into strong stops.
Newcastle’s opening goal thus came against the run of play—and from a set-piece. A short corner routine led to Sandro Tonali delivering superbly for Nick Woltemade, whose contact on Gabriel was not enough for the Brazilian to fall to the ground, and the German cushioned his header perfectly beyond David Raya.
That stifled Arsenal, whose supporters doubtless felt they were once again on the receiving end of a PGMOL conspiracy in the opening period.
Arteta’s side moved through the gears at the start of the second half, with Eze coming to the fore as a central combiner. They got plenty of bodies into the box, with right back Jurriën Timber spurning two big chances, one of which was excellently saved by the brilliant Pope.
An Arsenal defence, one now containing Saliba, stepped up in a bid to suffocate the hosts, and Eddie Howe responded by changing tack and introducing two runners into Newcastle’s attack.
Arteta, meanwhile, went full throttle, and the introduction of distinct aerial threat Mikel Merino paid dividends, as the Spaniard flicked home Declan Rice’s wicked whipped delivery beyond a motionless Pope.
Unlike last Sunday, there was no sense that Arsenal were content with 1–1, and after surviving a VAR scare for a Gabriel handball, the Brazilian was decisive in the Newcastle box, heading home Martin Ødegaard’s corner to win it for the Gunners.
Set-piece again. Ole. Ole.
