Newcastle United inflicted Arsenal’s first Premier League defeat of the season as the home side emerged victorious in a heated clash at St James’ Park.
Midway through the second half, Antony Gordon scored the winner from the six-yard box – but only after a lengthy VAR review finally confirmed there was no reason to disallow the goal.
This was a disappointing result for Arsenal following their midweek Carabao Cup exit against West Ham United. But for Newcastle it was another good result, adding to their dismantling of Manchester United four days earlier, and will give them a boost as they prepare for their Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund next week.
Chris Waugh, James McNicholas and Jacob Whitehead analyze the key talking points.
A winning goal – after three VAR checks
That’s the problem with VAR – fans in the stadium simply have no idea what’s going on, especially when three separate controls are announced in a row for one incident. It almost felt like the referees were looking for a reason not to award the goal.
Joelinton burst through the Arsenal defense, appeared to be fouled by Takehiro Tomiyasu, but passed the ball on to Jacob Murphy, whose low cross fizzed towards the far corner flag. Joe Willock sprinted to hold the ball, crossed to the back post, Joelinton nodded the ball back and Gordon slotted the ball into the empty net.
First, the VAR checked whether the ball remained in play before it was controlled by Willock. The evidence seemed inconclusive. Then they looked to see if Joelinton, who hit Gabriel in the back before the header, had fouled the Arsenal defender. Finally, a possible offside attack against Gordon as David Raya was in front of the ball and Gabriel was the only defender in the six-yard box.
After a delay of around four minutes, the goal was finally scored. The correct conclusion was reached, but the process was both confusing and frustrating, especially for those in the ground.
Chris Waugh
Havertz tackle ignites an already heated affair
Battle Hill proper lies four miles east of St James’ Park, in the suburb of Wallsend, but on Saturday evening his spirit wandered over to the cathedral on the hill above the Tyne.
There has been some resentment between these teams, particularly due to the waning of Arsenal’s Champions League hopes in the 2021/22 season and the Londoners’ revenge with a narrow, bitchy return to St James’ Park last season.
This edition was a game played in midfield. Both teams initially pressed hard and instead used bad passes and awkward ball contact. Bruno Guimaraes surrounded by four red shirts, Joelinton rolled over twice as he drove forward, Declan Rice pulled back roughly at a corner. At no point was there a foul and the tone was set.
On the touchline, Mikel Arteta and Newcastle assistant Jason Tindall insulted each other as if they were involved in a late-night altercation in a kebab shop. The fourth official intervened and referee Stuart Attwell followed shortly afterwards on the pitch.
Dan Burn avoided a card for two fouls on Bukayo Saka after already injuring his back by using the Arsenal winger like a pole vault and landing awkwardly.
After 35 minutes, Kai Havertz pounced late and recklessly on Sean Longstaff and was almost thrown into the stands by the fury of the Newcastle players.
Kai Havertz was at the center of one of the game’s most controversial moments (Photo: James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
Havertz has a history against Newcastle – when playing for Chelsea in April 2022 he left one against Burn, which led to another brawl. Once again there was no red card, just a yellow card – and in their own outrage, Eddie Howe’s team received three bookings of their own. The names of Longstaff, Anthony Gordon and Fabian Schar were all noted – the first time a team has booked three players for dissent in a half since 2016.
The hair on the back of your neck rises, and at Guimaraes the blood rises too. If catching Havertz with his elbow might have been a coincidence, it certainly wasn’t a coincidence that the Brazilian hurled a ball at his opponent too quickly.
Jacob Whitehead
Arsenal cope well with Newcastle’s physicality
Newcastle are known for their physical intensity and there was a time when an Arsenal team – particularly when key players such as Thomas Partey and Gabriel Jesus were missing – might have struggled to cope.
But this arsenal is better equipped for this challenge, and the physicality wasn’t their downfall here. Two players were crucial to this part of their game at St James’ Park: William Saliba and Declan Rice. They showed some impressive athleticism – Rice’s attacking run midway through the first half; Saliba’s leap to head the ball away from the waiting Callum Wilson.
William Saliba was an imposing presence in Arsenal’s defense (Photo: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
It’s not just about power – Arsenal also used their technical quality to cope with Newcastle’s physicality. Howe’s men tried to press high up the pitch and regain possession of the ball in the final third, but Saliba never looked unsettled. His ability to escape pressure gave Arsenal a way out and helped them gain a foothold in the game, even if it wasn’t enough in the end.
James McNicholas
Does Arsenal’s solid structure affect their creativity?
While Arsenal’s defensive performance in the Carabao Cup defeat to West Ham in midweek certainly left something to be desired, Arteta seemed equally frustrated with the team’s inability to create chances. This theme continued at St James’ Park. Arsenal tested Nick Pope for the first time in stoppage time at the end of the first half.
Arsenal were without Martin Odegaard and Jesus, two of their most important attacking players. The absence of Jesus is particularly damaging. Arsenal are a very structured and disciplined side this season – the Brazilian brings an element of chaos and unpredictability that Eddie Nketiah simply cannot match.
Arteta and the Arsenal fans will complain to the officials about the goal conceded. However, they will also have concerns about their own attacking issues. Arsenal appear to be a more solid side this season – but at what cost?
James McNicholas
Gordon shows versatility and the ability to make a difference
Gordon needed three chances but got his moment.
In the first half, a cross flew towards him at the back post after he kicked into space away from Tomiyasu. He instinctively walked with his right foot instead of letting it run across his body to his left. The ball dribbled away harmlessly.
At the start of the second period he was slipped on the left edge of the penalty area. This time he took too long – he narrowed the angle instead of sending it over the goal the first time.
At times he drifted from his left wing into central areas, pulling the Arsenal defenders with him as if they were puppets. Despite all that promise, the first hour followed the trajectory of his career before this season – potential and danger, no doubt, but little end product.
But with Wilson’s minutes managed amid a brutal run of games and Alexander Isak sidelined, Gordon saw his role changed. Howe promoted him to striker – where he started at Old Trafford on Wednesday and where he was named player of the tournament for the England U21 team at the European Championships in the summer.
He brings a lot to the role – his long runs create space in the background for Sean Longstaff and his replacement Willock – and although he’s not a specialist striker, he can deliver a pretty convincing impersonation.
After 64 minutes, Gordon floated in a gap after Willock kept the ball in and beat Joelinton’s balls, beat Raya and fired the ball into the goal. After three VAR checks and three chances, he had his moment.
Jacob Whitehead
(Top photo: Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)