The Arsenal team completely dismantled Newcastle’s strategy and achieved their desired revenge.

Kieran Trippier gestured towards Fabian Schar. Fabian Schar gestured towards Loris Karius. Loris Karius gestured towards Tino Livramento. Everyone directed their attention towards Sven Botman. Bruno Guimaraes kicked a red object, seemingly out of boredom. On the sidelines, Eddie Howe stood with his hands on his hips. Over Howe’s shoulder, Jason Tindall also stood with his hands on his hips and whispered into Howe’s ear. Newcastle’s strategy had fallen apart. They were completely dominated by Arsenal, making it an easy victory for the opposing team.

Arsenal performed exceptionally well. Mikel Arteta’s team used the disappointment from their defeat against Porto and frustration from their previous loss to St James’ Park in November to secure their sixth consecutive Premier League victory, bringing them within two points of the top spot. Playing under the bright lights at the Emirates, Arsenal showed great intensity and ferocity, both in their pressing to force Newcastle into submission and in their attacking play with precise and high-quality execution. Bukayo Saka’s impressive third goal, scored after the one-hour mark, finally gave Arsenal some room to breathe after a first half dominated by their relentless performance.

It was evident how much Arsenal took pleasure in this match; Arteta’s team not only defeated Newcastle, but they also dominated them. In the overwhelming victory, Martin Odegaard celebrated loudly after chasing Guimaraes into his own penalty area and causing the Brazilian to fall as he blocked his clearance. This demonstrated Arsenal’s determination to control the game in Newcastle’s half. In previous seasons, when Newcastle had the best defence in the league and could come to Emirates Stadium and prevent the hosts from scoring, this type of match may have been favorable for them. However, Newcastle is not the same team anymore and their excuses of injuries are becoming less convincing.

Newcastle’s offense was non-existent, but the lack of dedication was even more concerning. Howe expressed his disappointment, stating, “It was a huge letdown. We didn’t show up tonight. That’s not typical of us.”

Unfortunately, Nick Pope and Martin Dubravka were unable to play due to illness. This left Karius, who had a difficult experience in the 2018 Champions League final, to save Newcastle from a potentially worse loss. Karius may have been spared from further humiliation, but the rest of the team’s defense continued to struggle without Pope. Arsenal’s lead was handed to them by Botman’s silly own goal, but Newcastle’s defense lacked movement and allowed Arsenal’s impressive speed to dominate.

Jorginho, the sole modification from Wednesday’s unfortunate loss in Porto, skillfully controlled the game from the core of Arsenal’s midfield, providing opportunities for Saka and Gabriel Martinelli to constantly attack Newcastle. Odegaard dazzled and outplayed the visiting team, while Declan Rice made strong runs. The unexpected standout of Arsenal’s season, Ben White, excelled in his unique role as a hybrid midfielder, effectively connecting various aspects of the team. Although Kai Havertz only scored one goal and missed several chances, he admirably led the forward line and pressed alongside Odegaard, who dictated an impressive pace. Together, Arsenal were unstoppable.

The Emirates also played a role in creating a dynamic atmosphere. Despite Newcastle’s attempts to slow down Arteta’s team, Arsenal remained composed and attacked in quick succession. The team managed to break through Newcastle’s defense with a set-piece goal, although it required assistance from a Newcastle player to get it over the line. Karius made a great save to stop Gabriel’s powerful header, but the spin of the ball caused it to rebound towards the goal. Unfortunately, Livramento’s clearance attempt ended up deflecting off Botman’s knee and going in. This was not a promising start for Arsenal, who had previously conceded 18 goals in their last five Premier League matches.

Newcastle’s defense was nonexistent and Arsenal had multiple opportunities to score. Havertz scored Arsenal’s second goal from a close range after receiving a perfect pass from Jorginho. Martinelli’s speed prevented the ball from going out of bounds, despite Botman’s lack of pressure. Botman appeared to give up, while Howe’s team failed to produce any shots on goal in the first half. Schar almost gave Arsenal a third goal, but Longstaff’s interception stopped Havertz from scoring another easy goal. Odegaard’s skillful flick set up Martinelli for a header that went over the goal. Saka took a powerful shot that was saved by Karius at his near post.

Karius would once again be left feeling frustrated in the second half as Newcastle showed some improvement after the break. They managed to create a chance on goal through Anthony Gordon, but it was saved by David Raya. Alexander Isak, who had returned to the game, also had an opportunity but shot over the goal. Howe’s team had a chance to seal the win when Havertz missed a shot after a quick attack from Saka and Martinelli. However, Saka took control of the game and skillfully maneuvered past Livramento before scoring into the far corner. Later, during another corner, Jakub Kiwior’s header was accidentally deflected in by Lewis Miley.

Arteta had the luxury of making substitutions as his team was leading by four goals. He gave Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, and Havertz a break after mostly relying on his starting line-up from the previous game on Wednesday. The reaction from Arsenal was impressive. Despite the late 8pm kickoff and the long journey home, the Newcastle supporters stayed united in the away section. They celebrated at the end of the game. Former Arsenal player Joe Willock, who came on as a substitute, scored a header from Dan Burn’s cross to get one goal back for Newcastle. However, the away fans deserved a better result than this.

Source: independent.co.uk