First Half :
Arsenal got a firing start in the match as they earned a corner at the third minute of the match. Ozil took it and it’s flicked on by Lacazette. Monreal nearly got a volley away before the visitors hacked it clear.
After some time Arsenal were tearing through Newcastle with ease and very nearly got a second. A Sanchez flick fed Lacazette on the left corner of the box. He curled for the far post but his shot was blocked. Arsenal kept on knocking, and at the moment they had 75 per cent possession. But Newcastle were just about clinging on, but couldn’t hang on for very long. Sanchez’s deflected shot got the foot of Mesut Ozil and his left footed volley struck towards Goal. Arsenal got the very important lead in the match from this.
Arsenal were looking brilliant in the counter attacks and they were looking like doubling the lead every time but they weren’t able to that in the first half. They had got several chances in the first half but weren’t able to convert those into Goal. The first half ended with Arsenal leading by 1 Goal.
Second Half :
No side made any change after the first half and the second half started with another chance for the Gunners as Sanchez picked the ball up on the left corner of the box, cut inside but sees his shot deflected away.
After some moments Newcastle took the charge of the match as pressure from Newcastle came through Ritchie, on for Atsu. After Wilshere somehow got away with a foul on Merino down the Arsenal right channel the ball came out to the Scot, whose curling effort was just over Cech’s bar.
More chances came towards Newcastle in the next few minutes but they could not find the breakthrough. Benitez was losing his cool on the touchline as another move went to waste. He knew that his side had rode their luck to still be in the game this far in but they weren’t exploiting their chances. Dwight Gayle was on for Murphy to provide more attacking threats and double change for the Gunners also as Giroud and Welbeck replace Iwobi and Lacazette.
But that didn’t prove to be enough influential in the fortune of the match. Gunners really were on the back foot as Yedlin got away down the right and crosses. Arsenal survived the scare somehow. Arsenal got a counter going after Sanchez sprinted back to win possession. It came from left to right and Giroud, but his shot was deflected into Elliot’s arms. Xhaka got a deserved yellow for a cynical foul on Perez, who he had just passed the ball straight to at the dying moments of the match but again Arsenal survived the scare. The match had ended with Arsenal becoming victorious with 1 goal margin. A very important 3 Points for the Gunners and somehow Arsene Wenger was able to keep his head up in front of the home supporters at Emirates by winning this match.
PLAYER RATINGS
Arsenal
Cech – 8/10
Bellerin – 7.5/10
Koscielny – 8/10
Monreal – 7/10
Maitland-Niles – 7.5/10
Xhaka – 6/10
Wilshere – 7.5/10
Iwobi – 8/10
Ozil – 9/10
Alexis – 7/10
Lacazette – 7/10
Subs Ratings:
Welbeck – 6/10
Giroud – 7/10
Coquelin – N.A
Newcastle United
Elliot – 6/10
Yedlin – 6.5/10
Lejeune – 7/10
Lascelles – 7/10
Manquillo – 6.5/10
Murphy – 5/10
Hayden – 6/10
Merino – 7/10
Atsu – 6/10
Perez – 6.5/10
Joselu – 7/10
Subs Ratings:
Ritche: 6.5/10
Gayle: 6/10
Diame: N.A
Reactions:
Newcastle midfielder Isaac Hayden: “We were unfortunate not to get anything. In the last few games we have been there and thereabouts. In the last 10 minutes we could have nicked something. If we play like that again then we will get out of the spot we’re in. We can’t deny the passion and commitment from the lads. We came here with great belief that we can win the game – it shows the group is spirited.”
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: “The necessity to win was playing on the mind of the players towards the end. We had three games in six days. In the last one you could suffer because Newcastle produced a high-physical performance. We had two away games and two draws. Against Manchester United we had a quality performance but couldn’t get the win.”
