Arsenal produced a dominant performance against Newcastle to record their sixth consecutive win and underline their qualification for the Premier League title.
The result leaves Mikel Arteta's side two points behind leaders Liverpool and one point behind second-placed Manchester City.
The outcome of this contest looked inevitable from the moment Gabriel's header from a corner was met with a good save from Newcastle goalkeeper Loris Karius and the ball was slotted in by visiting defender Sven Botman. Ta.
Although there was an element of bad luck with the Dutch defender stepping out of the way of Newcastle teammate Tino Livramento as he attempted to clear, Arsenal's performance had little to do with luck.
The Gunners' intensity and fluent passing repeatedly cut through Eddie Howe's flanks, with Libramento and Botman in particular enduring a tough night on the Magpies' left.
Moments later, Kai Havertz scored a deserved second goal, with Gabriel Martinelli taking advantage of some indecision from the Newcastle defense to put the ball back into the path of the German forward.
As Arsenal continued to press, Bukayo Saka twisted Livramento one way and then the other, sending a left-footed shot into the bottom left corner to give the hosts the advantage.
Arteta also had the luxury of being able to take off captain Martin Odegaard, Havertz and Saka well before full-time after Jakub Kivioglu's shot deflected past the helpless Karius from another Declan Rice corner. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Newcastle, still eighth in the table, were able to secure a late win thanks to Joe Willock's looping header, but there was little else for the visiting supporters to cheer about.
Arsenal seem real this time
By this stage last season, Arsenal's title challenge had already begun to crumble, with defeats to Everton and City sandwiched between a draw at home to Brentford.
They enjoyed an eight-point advantage by the end of January, but ended up finishing five points behind Josep Guardiola's side.
However, their early season form has been less impressive this time around, but they look to be well on their way to peaking for the run-in.
Their impressive results since January have included a deserved victory over Liverpool, scoring 25 goals and conceding just three in six games in England's top flight.
Not only are they playing with the same swagger they had at the start of last season, but there appears to be a new resilience in this Arsenal team perhaps not evident since their last title win in 2004.
During this period, Arsenal were frequently targeted for corner kicks and free kicks in the air by other teams in the Premier League.
However, Arteta has fielded a physically dominant squad with the aerial ability of Gabriel, Ben White, Kivior and William Saliba, who have scored more than the Gunners' 19 set-piece goals this season. There isn't.
More to come.
player of match
SlopeBukayo Saka
newcastle united
-
squad number28player nameWillock
-
squad number18player namecarius
-
squad number33player nameBurn
-
squad numberTenplayer namegordon
-
squad number15player nameburns
-
squad number2player nameTrippier
-
squad numbertwenty oneplayer nameLibrament
-
squad number39player nameBruno Guimarães
-
squad number6player nameRussells
-
squad number14player nameIsaac
-
squad number67player namemiley
-
squad numberFiveplayer nameCharl
-
squad numbertwenty threeplayer namemurphy
-
squad numberFourplayer namebotman
-
squad numbertwenty fourplayer nameAlmiron
-
squad number36player nameS. Longstaff
lineup
arsenal
formation 4-3-3
- twenty twoRaya
- FourWhite
- 2Saliba
- 6Gabriel
- 15Kiwior
- 8OdegaardBooked in 7 minutesReplacementsmith rowin 76 minutesminutes
- 20JorginhoReplacementElnenyin 89 minutesminutes
- 41rice
- 7SlopeReplacementnelsonin 76 minutesminutes
- 29HavertzReplacementNketiain 76 minutesminutes
- 11martinelliReplacementTrossardin 64 minutesminutes
substitute
- 1Ramsdale
- 9Gabriel Jesus
- Tensmith row
- 14Nketia
- 17Cedric Soares
- 19Trossard
- twenty oneFabio Vieira
- twenty fournelson
- twenty fiveElneny
newcastle
formation 4-3-3
- 18carius
- 2Trippier
- FiveCharl
- FourbotmanReplacementRussellsin 73 minutesminutes
- twenty oneLibramentReplacementBurnin 73 minutesminutes
- 36S. Longstaff
- 39Bruno GuimarãesReplacementWillockin 73 minutesminutes
- 67miley
- twenty fourAlmironReplacementmurphyin 64 minutesminutes
- 14IsaacReplacementburnsin 64 minutesminutes
- Tengordon
substitute
- 6Russells
- 11Richie
- 15burns
- 17craft
- 20hole
- twenty threemurphy
- 28Willock
- 29Gillespie
- 33Burn
- Referee:
- Paul Tierney
- Attendance:
- 60,298
live text
-
Game over, Arsenal 4, Newcastle United 1.
-
End of the second half, Arsenal 4, Newcastle United 1.
-
Attempt failed. Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal) took a header from the center of the box, but it went wide of the left side of the frame.
-
Attempt saved. Reiss Nelson (Arsenal) took a right-footed shot from outside the box that was saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Declan Rice.
-
Corner, Arsenal. Jacob Murphy concedes.
-
Attempt blocked. Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal)'s left-footed shot from the center of the box was blocked.
-
I'm late. They are ready to continue.
-
Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal) was late to the match due to injury.
-
Fabian Schaal (Newcastle United) was late to the game due to injury.
-
Substitution, Arsenal. Due to Jorginho's injury, Mohamed Elneny will take his place.
-
goal! Arsenal 4, Newcastle United 1. Joe Willock (Newcastle United) heads a shot from the center of the box into the bottom right corner. Dan Byrne assisted on the cross.
-
Foul on Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal).
-
Joe Willock (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in defence.
-
Attempt blocked. Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal)'s right-footed shot from the center of the box was blocked. Assisted by Eddie Nketiah.
-
Leandro Trossard (Arsenal) wins a free kick in defence.
-
Foul by Lewis Miley (Newcastle United).
-
Substitution, Arsenal. Reiss Nelson will be appointed in place of Bukayo Saka.
-
Substitution, Arsenal. Eddie Nketiah replaces Kai Havertz.
-
Substitution, Arsenal. Emile Smith Rowe replaces Martin Odegaard.
-
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) wins a free kick in defence.