Alexander Isak ‘s early goal proved decisive as Newcastle United secured a 1-0 victory over Arsenal at St James’ Park, dealing a blow to the Gunners’ Premier League title aspirations.
The Swedish striker headed home in the 12th minute after Anthony Gordon’s excellent cross following Arsenal’s failure to clear their lines. Despite Arsenal’s bright start, they struggled to create meaningful chances after falling behind.
Arsenal managed just one shot on target throughout the match despite Mikel Arteta making several second-half changes to try to break down Newcastle’s stubborn defence. The defeat leaves Arsenal third in the table, potentially eight points behind leaders Manchester City if they win their game against Bournemouth.
The Gunners welcomed back several key players, with Gabriel and Jurrien Timber starting after injury concerns, while William Saliba returned from suspension. However, the absence of Martin Odegaard was notable as Arsenal lacked creativity in the final third.
Newcastle’s victory, following their 2-0 EFL Cup win over Chelsea midweek, moves them up to eighth in the league. Isak continued his impressive scoring form, with only Erling Haaland (24) and Cole Palmer (21) having scored more Premier League goals this calendar year than his 17.
Eddie Howe’s side put in a disciplined defensive performance, with full-backs Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento particularly impressive in containing Arsenal’s wide threats Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
The result ends Arsenal’s recent struggles, having gone three league games without a win since their unbeaten run was halted by Bournemouth two weeks ago. For Newcastle, the victory marks a potential turning point after a five-game winless streak in the league.
Arsenal’s best chance came late in the game when Declan Rice headed wide, while Newcastle could have extended their lead through Joe Willock and Isak, whose powerful shot was saved by David Raya.
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