1-0 to the Arsenal - But it could have been different | Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle | Match Report

A day that started off with glorious sunshine and heat, you could be excused for thinking it was summer time. Arsenal and Newcastle fans streamed from Holloway Road onto Hornsey Road, the travelling Toon Army then making their way to the clock end corner to take their places for a game that Newcastle needed something from, facing an Arsenal side that needed a win to keep pace in the title race.

The game started as many would have expected with Arsenal having most of the early possession and their pressure told with a couple of corners for them in which on the 9th minute saw one of their usual set piece routines paid off as Eberechi Eze found the back of the net with a whipped finish from 20 yards out which hit the top corner leaving Nick Pope helpless.

You would have been mistaken in thinking that this was going to see Arsenal continue to grow in confidence netting more goals but it had the opposite effect with nerves settling in to both the players on the pitch and the fans in the stadium, an injury to Kai Havertz saw Victor Gyökeres enter the fray. 

Newcastle grew into the game with most of the possession in the first half and being level in terms of shots, Osula, Tonali & Guimarães came close but not enough to put David Raya under any real pressure, whilst Arsenal went into the break 1-0 up but would not have felt the game was won.

The second half saw more of the same with Newcastle pushing for an equaliser, Eddie Howe made changes bringing on both Harvey Barnes and Yoane Wissa to replace Jacob Murphy & Will Osula on the 66th minute. Nick Pope can count himself a lucky man when his decision to run out of the box and foul Gyökeres, the ball was heading away from goal and there was a covering defender which saved Pope from a red card for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity.

Just a minute after this, saw Nick Woltemade come on to replace Newcastle captain Bruno Guimarães, who after starting his first game back from injury had run his race and looked drained. Woltemade did have an impact, using his height to help in physical battles and winning the ball and getting passes out from his feet to other attacking players. The moment of the game for Newcastle came when in the 80th minute, Nick Woltemade played a sumptuous pass over the top of the Arsenal defenders into the path of Yoane Wissa, who couldn’t get the right control and skied it over the bar.

The poor form continues with this defeat, but there are signs of hope for Newcastle with a much improved performance against title-chasing Arsenal. Eddie Howe responded after the game: "To lose in the way we did was disappointing. We had a few chances, and that was pleasing. We were much better with the ball, and we are going to be with Bruno's return. We are frustrated to lose the game, and the disappointing run continues, which is something we want to stop.”