Mikel Arteta left believing it's Arsenal's year as Gunners lay ghosts to rest
Mikel Arteta would have enjoyed every single morsel of the ‘dish best served cold’.
Facing Newcastle has tended to leave the Arsenal boss with an empty feeling in the pit of his stomach. From the St James’ Park surrender two years ago, to last season’s goalless arm wrestle at the Emirates, and Anthony Gordon’s controversial winner on Tyneside in November, the Toon have had a tendency to give Arteta a bad case of belly-aching.
He would have taken huge satisfaction from seeing his team carve up Eddie Howe, Jason Tindall and Co in front of an Emirates crowd. Of course, the Spaniard will come out with all the usual platitudes about it only being three points and looking at the bigger picture.
But this really was one for him to savour. And when Arteta gets around to casting a glance at the Premier League title race, he could be forgiven for thinking that this might even be Arsenal’s year.
It wasn’t just the scoreline that suggested the Gunners could go on to become champions for the first time since they moved house almost two decades ago. This was a performance of real class. Arsenal were two-up inside 24 minutes, thanks to Sven Botman’s own goal and Kai Havertz’s strike.
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But for some outstanding saves from Newcastle’s stand-in keeper Loris Karius, they would have easily trebled their tally by the break. This was Arsenal’s seventh successive Premier League victory – and they have been here before. It matched the winning sequence they were embarking on this time last year, only to hit a wall when the pressure took its toll.
There was no hint here of the nerves that paralysed Arteta’s team last season. Martin Odegaard’s programme notes were illustrated by a picture of the captain holding a long-lens camera after the recent defeat of Liverpool led to widespread criticism about the Londoners getting carried away.
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Arsenal put Newcastle to the sword in some style (Getty Images)Rather than turn his nose up when club officials asked Arteta what he thought about cranking up the hype for a Saturday night out at the Emirates, he got behind the idea. Arsenal went straight for Geordie throats.
Gabriel Martinelli forced a corner after 15 seconds and another followed soon afterwards. Havertz dumped Fabian Schar on his backside and Odegaard was booked for sending Miguel Almiron cartwheeling. The fans loved it. The visitors hardly put a foot inside the Arsenal half.
The opening goal saw Gabriel leaping powerfully to meet Declan Rice's corner only to be denied by Karius’ brilliant save. But the keeper’s luck wasn’t in. Botman and Tino Livramento got themselves into a tangle trying to clear the loose ball and it bounced off the Dutch defender’s knee and over the line. Arsenal didn’t need any more good fortune.
Summer signing Kai Havertz was among Arsenal's key men on Saturday (PA)Havertz scored when Jorginho’s lofted pass found Martinelli in space down the right and his low cross was steered home as the German arrived inside the six-yard box. The Toon Army’s disbelieving silence spoke volumes - although their team finally found a forward gear after Havertz missed a glorious chance at the start of the second half.
But Bruno Guimaraes’ pass and Alexander Isak’s dipping shot just over was as good as it got. When Bukayo Saka gave Livramento a severe case of twisted blood before ramming home a third Arsenal goal on 65 minutes, the away fans could have been forgiven for making an early dart for King’s Cross.
Those that did would have missed Jakub Kiwior’s near-post flick strike young Newcastle midfielder Lewis Miley in the face and drop beyond Karius’ desperate lunge four minutes later – before former Gunner Joe Willock scored a late 84th-minute consolation for the Magpies.
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