06 November 2023 , 02:00
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There is only one conclusion to draw from the nark and outrage on display from Arsenal.
We had Mikel Arteta raging.” Embarrassment”, “disgrace,” he cried. Ninety eight minutes of hard-fought, tense, ferociously fast football. Two potential red cards, one for each side.
There was petty bickering and bitching between the two benches. The Arsenal skipper refused a handshake, and no one could agree on anything on and off the pitch.
What’s going on? Intense, fresh rivalries are emerging because Newcastle United are establishing themselves as long term top six rivals. When the traditional elite come up against the feisty, hard running Geordies, they know they have a problem.
Arsenal were beaten on Saturday night. Manchester United dismantled in the Carabao Cup last Wednesday at Old Trafford, and Manchester City turned over in the cup late in September. Even PSG have been dismantled.
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For a decade it wasn’t like this at St James’ Park. Newcastle were not serious contenders. Rival bosses and players would not get wound up. They’d expect to get the points.
Now they get rattled. Post match platitudes have turned to poison. Eddie Howe and his players carry themselves like gladiators, and don’t give an inch. And the likes of Arteta get wound up as the new, hungry challengers provoke the elite.
Mikel Arteta was incensed at the final whistle at St James' Park (MI News/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock)Toon skipper Jamaal Lascelles is loving it. Recalled and rejuvenated because of Sven Botman’s injury, he turned in another immense defensive display.
“I love games like that, I absolutely love them!” he said: “We really rose to the challenge and the battle. Joelinton was getting stuck in, Callum Wilson was loving it up front. We’ve got players in our team who like that battle and we fancied ourselves if it was that sort of game.
And Bruno Guimaraes charging around: “A madman!” Lascelles said. “It’s good to have these rivalries with other top clubs, definitely. We made it that way today. We were a little bit nasty at times but we won and we’re over the moon.
“ They always found it difficult to play here because of the fans but now we’ve got the quality, with the fans. It’s a really tough place to come, and teams know that.”
On Tuesday Newcastle face Dortmund in Germany. The big games keep coming. “When you’ve got momentum, beating Man United and Arsenal….you’re just get ready and go again! We’ve got a good squad with good quality.
“In Germany we’ve got to play the game, not the occasion. It’s going to be a slightly different test to what we are all used to. Not many are used to playing away in Europe but we’re all looking forward to it. We want to go there and win.”
The big controversy came over the goal. Anthony Gordon bundled home from close range. VAR checked for the ball going out of play. Inconclusive. Then a potential foul by Joelinton, but Gabriel was stooping before the Brazilian laid hands on. Then an offside. Inconclusive. It took four minutes and 8 seconds to check.
Maybe Arteta’s rage was to deflect from keeper David Raya’s flappy error in failing to deal with Joe Willock’s cross.
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Kai Havertz could have seen red, or broken Sean Longstaff’s ankle, with his flying tackle that sparked a shoving match. Guimaraes’ bop with his elbow on Jorginho’s head could also have been a red. Stuart Attwell dished out five yellow cards to Newcastle players.
It was the first time in 17 games Arsenal have failed to score. And that was because of Newcastle’s work rate, spiky competitiveness and shutting down Arsenal in the wide areas.
Newcastle’s absentee list continues to grow. Jacob Murphy’s dislocated his shoulder again. “It was painful,” he said. Dan Burn is out with a back injury and Guimaraes banned next weekend against Bournemouth after his fifth yellow card.