Arsenal’s Premier League away day blues continued as Newcastle condemned them to a fifth consecutive defeat on the road with a 2-1 win at St James’ Park on Sunday afternoon.
Ayoze Perez and Matt Ritchie made it four wins in a row for Rafa Benitez’s men, after Alexandre Lacazette, linking up with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from the start for the first time, gave the Gunners an early lead.
Here are four talking points from a huge win for the Magpies.
Matt Ritchie proved decisive again
It took Ritchie, one of Newcastle’s star men in the promotion campaign, scoring 16 goals, a while to get going this season, but he certainly picked his moment perfectly. His winner against Manchester United was the catalyst for this run of form that has seen Newcastle’s focus switch from a relegation battle to an unlikely challenge for a top half finish, but it was also his first goal of the season.
He, like his team, has found a new level since then, and he made a telling contribution on an enjoyable afternoon, grabbing the headlines with another big goal just over 20 minutes from time.
The second half introduction of Islam Slimani gave the home side much needed impetus, and his brilliant cushioned header found Perez, who flicked the ball onto the Scottish international. There was nothing the onrushing Petr Cech could do to stop him; his work rate throughout the game, his closing down, and his energy are vital reasons as to why Newcastle will be a Premier League side next season.
Aubameyang and Lacazette started together and caused all sorts of problems
Arsenal fans had been asking for it for a long time and, finally, Arsene Wenger relented. Aubameyang and Lacazette were the two big signings made by the Gunners this season, but after Alexis Sanchez’s departure for Manchester United in January, it wasn’t clear how they would line up. On the few occasions they have been on the pitch together, Wenger has opted to play Lacazette through the middle and Aubameyang out on the left, and that is how he started.
Because they are both known for their ability as ‘penalty box strikers’, there was always going to be intrigue when they finally had a prolonged period together; but it worked as well as their quality would suggest and lead to the first goal of the afternoon.
Aubameyang, in particular, thrived in his role, toying with Newcastle fullback DeAndre Yedlin at times. The Gabonese striker, who has scored six goals for Arsenal already, latched onto a pinpoint lofted pass from Shkodran Mustafi before crossing for Lacazette, who volleyed expertly past Martin Dubravka.
The pair continued to link up as their side grew in confidence before the break. Perhaps overtime they will both want to play through the middle, but they have certainly answered some doubts over their compatibility.
Ayoze Perez’s superb form continues
Perez has always been something of an enigma on Tyneside. Now in his fourth season at Newcastle since his £2million arrival from Tenerife, his talent is undoubted, but a lack of physical strength and consistency has always stopped him kicking on and truly fulfilling his potential. But as he has done with a number of others in the squad, Rafa Benitez has cracked his code; he equalised to relieve the Arsenal pressure that was increasing after Lacazette opened the scoring. It was his seventh goal of the season and his sixth in his last 13 games.
Benitez’s Newcastle are far from unpredictable; they defend from the front, stay compact and, more often than not, attack by virtue of Jonjo Shelvey’s remarkable passing range. Arsenal defended well for the majority of the game; Kenedy, the Magpies’ brightest spark since January, was feeding off scraps for much of the first half, but they couldn’t find an answer to something they knew was coming.
Shelvey had played the same pass over the top to Dwight Gayle moments before he proved the architect of the Perez goal, who converted Yedlin’s cross with a brilliant improvised finish. Benitez has reignited the Spaniard’s Newcastle career, but when will Gareth Southgate take note of Shelvey’s brilliant form?
Arsenal lacked a midfield spark as the game went on
Some fans would have perhaps been disappointed with Wenger’s team selection, with no Europa League or Premier League commitments for quite some time. Mesut Özil, Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey were all left out completely after a long trip to Russia on Thursday, from which there will have been minimal to recover, so there was perhaps logic in the decision. But the result was a rather flat performance from the Gunners, with no creativity coming from central areas.
Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny provided protection but little else, and while Alex Iwobi and teenage debutant Joe Willock worked hard to create a link between midfield and attack, the fact Aubameyang dropped deeper as the minutes ticked by suggested Wenger should have had one of his flamboyant trio on the bench at the very least. Arsenal had plenty of possession, as they would have expected, but nothing to break the lines on a regular enough basis; they just played into Newcastle’s hands.
