Report and reaction
That’s all for this liveblog. If you fancy some more live action, the great Scott Murray is on Ryder Cup duty. You won’t believe the score!
Mikel Arteta's verdict
The way we performed, the way we competed, the chances were generated… we won in a very dramatic manner but I think we fully deserved it. I’m so happy and so proud of the team.
[On the scars from previous trips to St James’ Park and overcoming adversity today] That’s how you get to a different level: by going through those moments and learning from them.
We discussed the fact this game was a massive opportunity to make a statement and to prove to everybody – and ourselves – the team that we are. We did that with the performance and thankfully, at the end, the result. Newcastle are a terrific team; they are so difficult to play against.
It’s the way we played – the courage, the determination, the intelligence and quality we showed… We want to achieve the next level and to do that you have to come to these places, when a lot is at stake, and play with the conviction and desire to get it done.
[On the impact of this win after Liverpool’s defeat at Palace] There are moments, opportunities, in the season and you have find a way to come to these places and win.
[Nick] Pope was exceptional. Some of the saves he made – wow. Fair play to him. But we insisted, we believed, we maintained our composure against a team that is very good at managing a result.
[On the penalty that wasn’t] If it’s not a clear and obvious error, VAR should not intervene. We’ve been told this for a few years. For me, it’s very clear that VAR doesn’t have to intervene because it was a penalty.
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Louise Taylor’s match report
Arsenal reaction
Bukayo Saka
It’s unbelievable, man. Late winners – there’s nothing better in football. I’m speechless, I’m so happy.
[Does it feel like a St James’ Park curse has been broken?] Yeah, and there’s a few things we could speak about like the penalty. VAR is for a clear and obvious error, so if it took the referee that long to decide it’s not a clear and obvious error. Things like that always go against us, but today we got what we deserved and that’s why we’re so happy. [The penalty] doesn’t matter now, does it?
Mikel Merino
Late winners are the best. From my perspective it’s even greater [Merino played for Newcastle in 2017-18]. Coming back here is always big for me; great memories, an amazing place. I was only here a year but it was a big part of my life and my career. Being able to score and help the team from the bench is incredible.
[On moving two points behind Liverpool] Maybe that’s more for the fans and for you guys than for us. We know how much hard work we’ve been putting in and the performances we’ve been producing.
Winning the way we did today shows the character of the team, how much we trust each other and how confident we are. We have an amazing team, amazing squad, amazing staff and obviously amazing fans. We’re ready for it.
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Haway the title race
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 6 | 5 | 15 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 6 | 9 | 13 |
| 3 | Crystal Palace | 6 | 5 | 12 |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 6 | 7 | 11 |
| 5 | Sunderland | 6 | 3 | 11 |
Oh, just one more thing…
Both Arsenal goals were from corners. No judgement – I couldn’t care less – but a fascinating detail in the ongoing Arteta Wars.
A grown-up writes
“Hard to say that’s not deserved,” says Chris Paraskevas. “Don’t think Newcastle’s midfield (Tonali, Bruno, Joelinton) ever really got into this game properly and took it by the scruff of the neck. Kept dropping deeper without keeping the ball carefully enough when they got it.
“Don’t think Howe quite got his set-up right either, with Dan Burn at left-back creating prohlems. Seemed to be playing as a midfielder in the second half?
“An odd, nervy performance from us but we are a work in progress, and Arsenal have arguably the most balanced squad in the EPL.”
“Can’t believe how conservative and cautious Arsenal were today,” deadpans Angus Chisholm.
So, does today prove Mikel Arteta was right or wrong last week? There was a similar discussion when, having binaried their way through Euro 2012, Spain thrashed Italy 4-0 in the final.
The dream for Arsenal is that this game eventually sits alongside three famous coming-of-age victories, all away from home against big rivals:
Spurs 1-2 Arsenal (Littlewoods Cup semi-final, 4 March 1987)
Man Utd 0-1 Arsenal (Premier League, 14 March 1998)
Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal (Premier League, 23 December 2001)
Whether it will, not even Biff Tannen knows, and perhaps the concept of a coming-of-age victory in September is an oxymoron. But Arsenal desperately needed this particular kind of statement victory: from behind, against the odds (at least in their heads), up north, against a team they don’t like one bit, with a last-minute winner, on a ground that has brought them only misery in recent years.
In short, it ticks a lot of boxes for a footballing rite of passage. If they win the Premier League this year, this game will go into Arsenal folklore.
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Full time: Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Gabriel sinks to his knees and roars in triumph. That is such a precious victory for Arsenal. They move to within two points of Liverpool, but it’s the manner of the win that will empower their title challenge and set up different neural pathways in the brain.
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90+8 min There’s no doubt Arsenal deserve the win overall. Don’t be surprised if Newcastle querty whether Gabriel should haave been sent off for shoving his hand into Woltemade’s neck/face just after Newcastle’s goal. The other thing is that the corner stemmed from a mistake by Pope, who gave the ball away cheaply with a loose kick-out. I thnk he thought he was fouled but so much was happening that I haven’t seen it.
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Gabriel Magalhaes has scored a mighty goal for Arsenal! He was a minor shambles for Woltemade’s goal but he’s had the final word, and then some. Odegaard coaxed a terrific inswinging corner from the right into the six-yard box, Pope was blocked (legitimately) by Saliba and Gabriel rose highest to head into the empty net.
GOAL! Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal (Gabriel 90+6)
The title race starts here!
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90+5 min: Great defending by Thiaw!
Odegaard, just to the left of centre, knifes Newcastle open with a stunning through pass to Lewis-Skelly in the area. He has options galore in the middle but his cross from just outside the six-yard box is crucially blocked by the sliding Thiaw. Arsenal are pushing furiously.
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90+4 min: Newcastle substitution Harvey Barnes replaces Joelinton.
90+3 min There is a feasible scenario whereby the ultimate success or failure of Mikel Arteta’s time at Arsenal comes down to the next five minutes. If they are going to take the next step, they need something like a 98th-minute winner after coming from behind against a team they don’t like on a recent bogey ground.
90+2 min Right now Arsenal look the likelier winners, but then so did England against Romania in 1998.
90 min There will be eight minutes of added time.
Saliba, who has been booked, trips Osula just outside the area. Thankfully for him, a foul (or offside) had already been given against Osula.
88 min Dan Burn is booked for a tactical foul. Meanwhile, Myles Lewis-Skelly has come on for Leandro Trossard.
87 min: No penalty! It was a block tackle between Elanga and Gabriel, with the ball ricocheting against the upraised arm of the sliding Gabriel. That’s really tough to adjudicate and therefore to overturn. Had it been an uncontested shot from Elanga a penalty might have been given, but he and Gabriel kicked the ball almost simultaneously.
Gabriel was also en route to the canvas, which sometimes increases a defender’s slack.
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86 min: VAR check for a Newcastle penalty Elanga’s cross-shot hits the raised arm of the falling Gabriel in the penalty area. Mikel Arteta may be about to explode.
Rice took a short corner on the left, got the ball back from Odegaard and whipped a terrific first-time cross into the middle. Merino rose before Botman, eight yards out, and flicked an ultra-precise header across the motionless Pope. The ball hit the inside of the post and bounced into the net. That is such a good finish.
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GOAL! Newcastle 1-1 Arsenal (Merino 84)
Mikel Merino equalises with an expert header!
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84 min “Nick Pope might get a hypothetical game for Man United,” writes Matt Dony, “but we know he definitely wouldn’t be able to influence the formation. Boom.”
83 min Joelinton kicks the ball away, is booked and then sarcastically applauds the referee. Careful now.
82 min: Arsenal substitution Martin Odegaard replaces Martin Zubimendi.
81 min Eze flicks a nice pass round the corner to find Gyokeres just inside the area. He rides one challenge but then slips in the act of shooting; the ball hits his standing/sliding foot and flies well wide.
It wasn’t a clear chance as there were bodies flying everywhere, but with a clean shot Gyokeres would have fancied his chances.
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80 min Arsenal have been on top for most of the second half, but their last clear chance was that Timber header in the 59th minute. Newcastle’s defensive record is excellent this season; this would be a fifth clean sheet in six Premier League game.
77 min: Newcastle substitution Tino Livramento is being stretchered off, hands over his head. He’s not in agony but he does look pretty devastated. Jamaal Lascelles replaces him; he goes to centre-back with Dan Burn moving across to left wing-back.
Livramento jumped early to win a header against Saliba, who leaned into him while he was in mid-air. That meant Livramento fell awkwardly and, as it tunred out, very painfully.
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76 min “Livramento has been quietly superb,” writes Chris Paraskevas. “And for all the stick I give Nick Pope about his first touch, are there any better pure shot-stoppers in the EPL? He’s proven in the UCL that he can mix it with the best. After 100+ games... he has proven to be one of our best signings ever.”
Agreed. He consistently makes eye-widening saves, a virtue that seems to be going out of fashion. Let’s put it this way: he might get a game for Manchester United.
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75 min Livramento landed awkwardly after that foul from Saliba and is receiving treatment. He looks like a man who fears his game is over.
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74 min I think this is the revised Arsenal formation. Don’t quote me though because there’s a lot going on.
Arsenal (3-1-2-3-1) Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel; Zubimendi; Merino, Rice; Martinelli, Eze, Trossard; Gyokeres.
72 min Saliba is booked for an unusually brainless foul on Livramento.
71 min A long throw from the right finds its way through to Gyokeres, whose shot on the turn takes a deflection and flies wide of the far post. That was a much sharper bit of centre-forward play.
70 min: Double substitution Gabriel Martinelli and Mikel Merino replaces Bukayo Saka and Riccardo Calafiori. No idea what their revised shape is yet.
69 min Saka’s deflected shot is miscontrolled by Gyokeres, eight yards out the far post. It was an awkward ball to take and in hindsight maybe he should have taken the shot first time. Easy to say from here, and there were defenders between him and the goal.
68 min This is Newcastle’s revised shape.
Newcastle (5-4-1) Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Burn, Livramento; Elanga, Tonali, Bruno, Joelinton; Osula.
67 min: Triple substitution for Newcastle Will Osula, Kieran Trippier and Anthony Elanga replace Jacob Murphy, Anthony Gordon and Nick Woltemade. That means a switch to a back five.
Woltemade received a cracking ovation as he left the field. They love a No9 at Newcastle, even when he wears No27.
Updated
64 min: Chance for Newcastle! Arsenal are almost stung on the break. Murphy makes an excellent run through the inside-left channel and is found deftly by Tonali (I think).
At one point Murphy has the run on Rice and is through on goal, but there’s a long way to travel and Rice is able to recover and block the eventual shot at the expense of a corner.
63 min It’s all Arsenal. I feel like I’ve typed that a few times this afternoon.
60 min Arsenal want, but don’t get, a penalty for holding at the subsequent corner. Never mind a face like thunder; Mikel Arteta has a face like the apocalypse.
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59 min: Fabulous save by Pope!
A gorgeous bit of play from Arsenal just outside the Newcastle area. First Eze dances away from his man, either Tonali or Bruno Guimaraes; then Zubimendi flicks an insouciant pass over the top with the outside of his boot. Timber, the right-back, is playing centre-forward and strains his neck muscles to force a downward header towards the near post. Pope dives full length to his right to push it around the post.
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58 min “It’s a good point about Thierry Henry’s early days at Arsenal. It’s easy to forget that he had done precisely nothing at Juventus, and it took him a little while to become Thierry Henry. The Premier League has been graced by some of the greatest footballers in history, but many of them became great while playing in the league.
“In fact, you could argue (if arguing about football is your thing) that Angel Di Maria was the first time a genuine, established world-wide star actually moved to the league at the peak of his powers.
“Of course, you could also argue that’s a load of rubbish. And thus an enjoyable evening in the pub is guaranteed! And, hey, it’s better than arguing about VAR, which feels like it’s taken over from almost all other football dialectic. And will probably be the subject of most arguments following this game. Sigh.”
57 min Joelinton, on the left edge of the area, whistles a cross shot not far wide. Raya had the shot part covered but it was an excellent ball, crying out for somebody to roof it at the far post.
56 min Calafiori is booked for tripping Livramento.
55 min Arsenal break and Trossard’s short-range cross is volleyed into orbit by Eze.
54 min Murphy’s pass is helped down the left by Tonali to Gordon. He runs at Timber and slides an inviting low ball that rolls right across the face of goal. Gabriel did well to ensure Woltemade couldn’t get a run at the ball.
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51 min “Arsenal fan here,” says Russell Eberts. “ There should be no complaints about either of the big calls. I wish Arsenal would just play on instead of showing so much frustration. They were dominant for a long spell in that first half, and need to keep their heads in the game.”
They’ve been better since half-time without controlling the game as they did for the first half hour. It’ll surely go off at some stage, so Arsenal need to strike before the iron gets hot.
49 min Arsenal have had coming-of-age victories up north in the past: think Marc Overmars at Old Trafford in 1998 or Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires at Anfield in 2001-02.
A hard-fought victory today could have a similar impact on an emerging team. But another defeat would make life uncomfortable for Mikel Arteta in the short-term. The margins are so fine these days.
46 min Woltemade hits the bar after 30 seconds of the second half, after which the flag goes up against Murphy. It looked tight but fractionally offside so any goal would not have counted. Murphy’s cross went under Saliba and reached Woltemade, who sliced the ball against the bar from eight yards.
Arsenal half-time substitution William Saliba is on for Cristhian Mosquera.
“With Gyokeres, it’s a confidence thing isn’t it?” says Charles Antaki. “I don’t mean his confidence, I mean the Arsenal fans’ confidence, and mine is draining away. Why didn’t he just shoot when he was effectively one on one with the keeper? Perhaps he’s storing it all up for a blazing second half, prelude to a triumphant 10 years as Arsenal’s greatest ever centre-forward. But the evidence is, shall we say, limited…”
Don’t forget Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry were being openly ridiculed at this stage of their Arsenal careers. I think it’s way too early to judge.
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The penalty incident
On Sky Sports, Jamie Redknapp thinks Pope’s touch “was not sufficient to negate the foul… I’m amazed that got overturned”.
“Gyokeres trying to cut back instead of shooting (40 mins) made me think of Gabriel Batistuta,” says Niall Mullen. “Batigol (and Shearer, Fowler, Wright etc.) would have kicked the leather off the ball 100 times out of 100 in that situation. For all the ‘get it in the mixer’ revival, whither the venomous strikers of yesteryear?”
Gyokeres hasn’t watched the Arsenal 1999-2000 season review, clearly.
Half-time reading
Half time: Newcastle 1-0 Arsenal
You didn’t expect a controversy-free game, did you? A number of players share their dissatisfaction with the referee Jarred Gillett as the players leave the field.
The two big decisions – overturning a penalty awarded for a tackle by Nick Pope on Viktor Gyokeres, and allowing Nick Woltemade’s goal despite Arsenal appeals for a foul on Gabriel – seemed correct to me, but it’s easy to say that as a neutral.
Arsenal are probably a bit frustrated with themselves, too. They were fabulous for the first half hour, with Eberechi Eze drawing excellent saves from Pope either side of Leandro Trossard hitting the post, but lost their composure after Woltemade’s goal.
Spoiler alert: the second half is not without beef.
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45+7 min “Hi Rob,” says Richard Hirst. “I’m doing a double shift with Scott Murray on the golf (we’re a dedicated lot), and I’m just imagining how long a round would take if VAR was in operation!”
Especially this weekend! Imagine Big Don rumbling down onto the green, making the VAR sign.
45+5 min The half-time break will come at a good time for Arsenal, who are yet to regain their composure since going behind. Their ability to do so probably holds the key to this match.
45+1 min There will be seven minutes of added time. Most are for the VAR check on the potential penalty; there was also the Woltemade/Gabriel business and other stuff I’ve forgotten.
45 min “Pope touched the ball just before hitting Gyokeres; fair enough (maybe),” says Joe Johnson. “But at the beginning of that move, Guimaraes had professionally bundled over an Arsenal player trying to break (advantage played — but no yellow card), and then when the whistle was blown for the penalty, Arsenal had two unchallenged players around the ball in the penalty area — but after the review the referee awards a drop-ball to the Newcastle keeper.”
You want VAR to have even greater powers?! I take your point but I’d be loath to go anywhere near that particular can of worms. That said, there are glitches. For example, a Newcastle goal in the 11th minute (details below) would have exposed a glitch in the VAR protocol. From memory something similar happened in the 2018 World Cup final, but I don’t have time to look now because this game is on the hob and the hob has been turned up.
42 min Replays show Gabriel shoving an arm into Woltemade’s neck, maybe his fac, shortly after the goal. I’d like to see that again!
That’s why Woltemade was angry, and why he rejected Gabriel’s offer of a handshake.
As for the actual football. Woltemade’s header for the goal was terrific. The cross from Tonali had a nice trajectory but no real pace on it; Woltemade guided it whence it came with enough power and precision to beat the diving Raya. It was the kind of goal Alan Shearer used to score.
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40 min Arsenal have lost their heads since the goal. An emotional game suits Newcastle, who are having their best spell. Arsenal played with controlled aggression for the first half an hour and were all over Newcastle.
Saying which, Gyokeres has a sniff when he charges through the inside-right channel and into the area. Then he tries to chop back inside Thiaw, who reads it and stays on his feet to make an excellent interception. Classy defending.
36 min Arsenal don’t have a case this time – Woltemade eased Gabriel out of the way but he didn’t push him; Gabriel either slipped or dived.
Gabriel and Woltemade are having words with the referee after the resumption of play. I think Woltemade is saying Gabriel tried to elbow him.
The other guy is dead, long live Nick Woltemade. He has given Newcastle the lead against the run of play, but it’s a bit of a nightmare for Arsenal. It came from a corner on the left, conceded when Mosquera, under pressure from Woltemade, shinned a backpass out of play.
Tonali took the corner short to Gordon, got it back and floated a good ball into the middle. Woltemade eased Gabriel out of the way, six yards out, and guided an accomplished header into the bottom-left corner. Excellent header.
Arsenal think there was a push on Gabriel – but the goal stands.
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GOAL! Newcastle 1-0 Arsenal (Woltemade 34)
Oh, Arsenal.
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34 min “You can debate whether it was a penalty,” says Zach Neeley, “but no one can deny that VAR was able to STOP FOOTBALL (for four minutes in the middle of a match).”
Wait, so you’re telling me VAR could be a force for good? Everything I know is wrong.
32 min Saka leaves Burn in his slipstream and whips a right-foot shot from a tight angle. Pope is well positioned and pushes it behind for a corner.
Arsenal have been brilliant.
31 min “On USA, the commentators (who can hear the VAR communications) said the VAR group had to explain to the ref FOUR OR FIVE TIMES why it wasn’t a foul,” writes Joe Pearson. “The mind boggles.”
Exactly. That’s why they had to explain it, right? My mind boggles when I do the grocery shop, so goodness knows how frazzled a Premier League referee must be.
29 min Turns out it was Nick Pope’s towel that Calafiori was trying to use. “You can’t be nicking towels off the English…” says the Sky co-commentator Gary Neville, no doubt silently lamenting all the Egyptian cotton that has mysteriously disappeared from his hotels over the years.
28 min Calafiori grabs a towl from somewhere before taking a long throw. The referee runs over and tells him he’s not allowed, don’t ask me why.
Eventually the throw is headed away to the edge of the area, where the backpedalling Eze watches the bounce and whacks a quarter-volley is excellently saved by the diving Pope. Not quite as good as his first save, but still a quality piece of goalkeeping.
25 min: Trossard hits the post!
If Arsenal aren’t careful this is going to turn into another hard-luck story. They’ve been superb and deserve to be ahead. Saka cut inside from the right and opened up the game with a square pass to the galloping Rice. He moved to the edge of the D and played in Trossard, who battered a left-foot shot off the near post.
24 min A neat set-piece from Arsenal. Rice coaxes a free-kick beyond the far post to Gyokeres, he heads back across goal and Calafiori stoops to head not far wide. Tough chance.
22 min Before the penalty was overturned there were some suggestions that Nick Pope would be sent off. As if. “I’m pretty sure,” says Peter Oh, “you can’t send the Pope packing on a Sunday!”
21 min You’ll probably remember the “disgrace” of this fixture a couple of seasons ago. But if you’ve forgotten, there’s a reminder at the bottom of this entrry.
Can we just skip the rest of the game and cut to Mikel Arteta’s post-match interview? Give that news cycle some grist!
19 min From one Aussie to another. “Always thought Jarred Gillett was a top bloke and an even better referee!” writes Chris Paraskevas.
17 min: No penalty!
“After review, the Newcastle goalkeeper plays the ball and there is no foul.” So says the referee Jarrad Gillett to huge cheers.
Mikel Arteta is smiling sarcastically on the touchline.
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16 min Pope got something on the ball with his right foot, so this will probably be overturned. Who knows any more. Gyokeres touched the ball first, then Pope, but the argument for a penalty is that Gyokeres would have got to the ball regardless had he not been tripped.
There’s also an argument that Gyokeres engineered the contact, though I’m not sure about that. There’s an argument for everything these days.
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15 min Murphy’s poor backpass was read superbly by Gyokeres, who went round Pope and seemed to be tripped. We don't know yet whether Pope will be booked, sent off or none of the above.
Hang on, the referee is going to monitor.
14 min: Penalty to Arsenal!
Nick Pope trips Gyokeres and Arsenal have a penalty.
13 min Tonali’s corner is half cleared, swung back in by Gordon and headed behind for another by Rice.
12 min “Not sure I see a place for Ødegaard in Arsenal’s best XI now they have Eberi Eze. Ødegaard is a very one footed player which means he is quite predictable and easier to pin down than Eze who can go either way. Eze is more direct as well which gives Arteta a sharper attack now they actually have a proper striker.”
I politely disagree but there’s no time, Newcastle have another corner.
11 min It doesn’t. Thiaw rises well but heads straight at Raya from 10 yards. Like Gyokeres’s header, it was a very tough chance, if it was a chance at all.
10 min Murphy’s cross towards Burn, in an offside position, is headed behind by Timber. Arsenal will be thrilled if this corner leads to a goal.
7 min Gyokeres’ snapshot from 12 yards is blocked by Botman (I think). Arsenal have made an impressive, dominant start to the game. Just don’t mention the handbrake.
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5 min: Lovely save by Pope!
A cross from the right is headed clear to Eze on the edge of the area. He controls the ball quite brilliantly in mid-air, then cracks a quarter-volley back across goal with his left foot. Pope dives low to his left to brush it round the post. That’s a superb save because I think he saw it late.
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2 min Joelinton leaves plenty on Saka, a challenge that displeases Mikel Arteta. Rice takes the resulting free-kick and Gyokeres, 12 yards out, heads straight at Pope. Tough chance.
2 min “Ødegaard’s absence from the starting XI is beginning to look a little ominous,” says Charles Antaki. “He’s not the kind of player who regains form by running harder, jumping higher or tackling more robustly; his kind of talent comes, you would’ve thought, from some inner genius which is either very much on or, if not, very much not. May he come on, do some bamboozling, set up two goals and score a third. That’ll help.”
He’s still in their best XI, I’d say, but he hasn’t been himself for a while. If he rediscovers the form of 2023-24, Arsenal will win the league. FACT.
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1 min Peep peep! Arsenal kick off form left to right as we watch. Newcastle have started in a 4-3-3 formation.
Eddie Howe’s pre-match thoughts
[On the rivalry with Arsenal] They’ve been really tight games. I think there are two teams who show a great will to win, pride themselves on detail and tactical plans, so I think they’ve been intriguing games.
[On Newcastle’s shape and flexibility] There are a few different ways we can play – we can change our shape in-running if we need to. You don’t do it to keep people guessing, that’s irrelevant; it’s how we perform on the pitch. We’ve made a few changes but I do think it’s a strong team and we’re looking forward to seeing them gel together.
[In that case, would you like to tell us whether it’s a back three or back four?] You’ll find out in no time!
Mikel Arteta’s pre-match thoughts
[On Eberechi Eze’s inclusion] We’re very happy with what he’s doing so he’s earned the right to start the game.
[On Cristhian Mosquera’s inclusion] Willy [Saliba] is coming back from an ankle injury that he is still trying to resolve. He’s played twice in six days and we have another two games coming up this week so we have to managed the squad.
[On Martin Odegaard, who is on the bench] He’s very keen. He’s trained the last two days and he’s desperate to get on the pitch.
These stadiums and these moments make you a team. The scars, the difficulties and challenges you face, in the end they make you a better team. Hopefully we’ll show that today.
To three or not to three
I thought Newcastle were playing 4-3-3 but Sky have their formation as 3-4-2-1 with Jacob Murphy at right wing-back. That system was very effective against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final last season.
Newcastle (3-4-2-1) Pope; Thiaw, Botman, Burn; Murphy, Bruno, Tonali, Livramento; Gordon, Joelinton; Woltemade.
This is how the Premier League table looks after that Villa result.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 6 | 5 | 15 |
| 2 | Crystal Palace | 6 | 5 | 12 |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 6 | 7 | 11 |
| 4 | Sunderland | 6 | 3 | 11 |
| 5 | AFC Bournemouth | 6 | 1 | 11 |
| 6 | Man City | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| 7 | Arsenal | 5 | 8 | 10 |
| 8 | Chelsea | 6 | 3 | 8 |
| 9 | Brighton | 6 | 0 | 8 |
| 10 | Fulham | 6 | -1 | 8 |
| 11 | Leeds | 6 | -3 | 8 |
| 12 | Everton | 5 | 1 | 7 |
| 13 | Brentford | 6 | -2 | 7 |
| 14 | Man Utd | 6 | -4 | 7 |
| 15 | Newcastle | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| 16 | Aston Villa | 6 | -2 | 6 |
| 17 | Nottm Forest | 6 | -5 | 5 |
| 18 | Burnley | 6 | -7 | 4 |
| 19 | West Ham | 5 | -8 | 3 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 6 | -9 | 1 |
Premier League result: Aston Villa 3-1 Fulham
The Newcastle view
“Things were looking promising,” writes Chris Paraskevas. “We had just won a trophy. The wild magpies that I’ve adopted as pets (nickamed Big ‘Al and Eddie) were literally eating out of my hand. Newcastle had a recognised striker.
“Then the other bloke left. And of the two replacement strikers we purchased, one is crocked and the other one isn’t really a striker, apparently.
“And now the magpies think I’m some sort of threat owing to a recent misunderstanding with the dog (see: Bournemouth MBM). I checked the backyard today and they were circling, ready to swoop.
“So if Mikel Arteta thinks he has problems then I’d like to see him survive an Australian spring with a nest of pi$$ed-off, pumped-up, swoop-ready magpies nearby.”
The Newcastle front six today looks really strong to admittedly dead eyes, so I wouldn’t be too worried about them despite the frustrations of PSR and the Swedish striker.
I’m less confident your magpie dispute will have a happy ending. Those buggers can’t be reasoned with.
‘I would love it’, etc.
Read Jonathan Wilson on Newcastle
Note to trolls, keyboard warriors and Messrs Angry: I did not write this piece, nor have I read it.
Newcastle team news
Eddie Howe also makes three changes from the last league game, a goalless draw at Bournemouth in Newcastle’s case. Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Anthony Gordon – who all played against Bradford in the Carabao Cup in midweek – start ahead of the Lewises, Hall and Miley, and Joe Willock.
Newcastle (4-3-3) Pope; Livramento, Thiaw, Botman, Burn; Bruno, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Woltemade, Gordon.
Substitutes: Ramsdale, Trippier, Lascelles, Barnes, Krafth, Osula, Elanga, Willock, Miley.
Arsenal team news
The handbrake is off! Ish. Eberechi Eze replaces Mikel Merino in the Arsenal midfield, one of three changes from the notorious Emirates XI that started against Manchester City. Bukayo Saka starts in place cof the injured Noni Madueke. The other change is at the back, where Cristhian Mosquera replaces William Saliba. You’d imagine that’s injury-related, though Saliba is on the bench.
Arsenal (4-3-3) Raya; Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori; Eze, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard.
Substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Saliba, Lewis-Skelly, White, Odegaard, Norgaard, Merino, Martinelli, Dowman.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to Handbrake Watch, a new series in which the Guardian’s finest minds we assess and judge Mikel Arteta’s tactical approach. Arteta, whose Arsenal side visit Newcastle today, was heavily criticised for picking a cautious XI against Manchester City last week. He added more grist to the news cycle by rejecting those criticisms, so there will be plenty of scrutiny on his XI today. Maybe even the football itself?!?!?!
Yesterday’s results have taken some of the focus away from Arteta and Arsenal – partly because other managers are back in the doghouse, mainly because Crystal Palace, lovely, life-affirming Crystal Palace, beat Liverpool at Selhurst Park. Arsenal will jump from seventh to to second, two points behind Liverpool, if they win today.
Not that it’ll be easy. They’ve lost their last three games at St James’ Park without scoring, and few things invigorate the Newcastle crowd quite like a visit from Arsenal. Newcastle’s need for a win is just as great. They are 15th after a largely quiet start to the season – on the field, if not off it.
If recent games between Newcastle and Arsenal are a guide, this won’t be high-scoring. But it’ll be eventful, probably a bit spiteful, and there’s a chance one of the managers will be spewing come 7pm.
Kick off 4.30pm.
Updated
