Arsenal asserted their dominance with a convincing 4-1 victory over Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday, February 24.
The Gunners entered the match riding a wave of good form in the league, having secured victories in their last five outings, scoring an impressive 21 goals while conceding only two.
Despite a recent setback with a 1-0 loss to FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League, Mikel Arteta’s side aimed to bounce back emphatically against the Magpies.
Arteta made two changes to the lineup, introducing Jorginho into midfield and Kai Havertz up top. Arsenal immediately took control of the game, dominating possession and pinning Newcastle back in their half. The visitors struggled to create opportunities, failing to register a single shot on target in the first 45 minutes.
The Gunners broke the deadlock in the 18th minute when Gabriel Magalhaes’ header from a Bukayo Saka corner was deflected into the net off Newcastle defender Sven Botman.
Havertz doubled Arsenal’s lead six minutes later, capitalizing on a superb move orchestrated by Gabriel Martinelli.
After a relatively subdued start to the second half, Arsenal regained momentum and extended their lead. Havertz turned provider, setting up Saka for a spectacular goal from an acute angle in the 65th minute. Jakub Kiwior then notched his maiden goal for the club, heading in a corner from Declan Rice just four minutes later.
Despite Arsenal’s dominance, Newcastle managed to pull one back late in the game, as former Gunner Joe Willock found the net following a slick move down the left flank. However, it was a little too late for the visitors as Arsenal secured a comfortable victory.
With this win, Arsenal maintained their pursuit of league leaders Liverpool and Manchester City, keeping the title race alive and kicking.