The proud Arsenal continues in the race to win the Premier, break a 19-year abstinence and dethrone Manchester City, which now focuses on the challenge of the Champions League while its domestic rival watches weapons. A win in Newcastle against a rival that had only lost 4 games in 33 days places them one point behind City, which also has the advantage of having to make up a postponed match against Brighton, just the team that will visit next weekend the emirates. Three games ahead for Arsenal (Brighton and Wolves at home; Nottingham away) and four for Pep Guardiola’s team (who will visit Everton, Brighton and Brentford and host Chelsea). The championship enters the field of the unpredictable.
0
Nick Pope, Sven Botman, Trippier, Dan Burn (Matt Targett, min. 81), Schar, Joelinton (Elliot Anderson, min. 81), Joseph Willock (Saint-Maximin, min. 77), Bruno Guimarães, Murphy (Miguel Ángel Almirón, min. 64), Isak and Callum Wilson (Anthony Gordon, min. 78)
2
Aaron Ramsdale, Gabriel, Jakub Kiwior, Ben White, Zinchenko (Tierney, min. 61), Xhaka, Jorginho, Odegaard (Thomas, min. 80), Bukayo Saka (Reiss Nelson, min. 86), Martinelli (Trossard, min. 79) and Gabriel Jesus (Eddie Nketiah, min. 86)
goals 0-1 min. 13: Odegard. 0-2 min. 71: Schar (pp).
Referee Chris Kavanagh
Yellow cards Dan Burn (min. 73) and Eddie Nketiah (min. 95)
The Premier is great not only because of the money it manages, nor is it only great because of the unique liturgy that is experienced in its stadiums. The fascination has to do with more than just the checkbook and the scenery. It is on the pitch and everything that happens there has a lot of truth when it comes to deciphering football. This time of high pressure, of steals and transitions, of balls played from behind to attract opponents and find space adapts like a glove to the scene and setting. The result is a succession of memorable matches, one of those that are fans. Impossible not to get emotional watching duels like the one between Newcastle and Arsenal in the majestic and feverish St. James’s Park.
In the count of those big events, Arsenal is usually in the middle, but on this occasion the most agitated team in the Premier found itself inside a centrifuge. Newcastle started a short, but intense program, and Arsenal seemed like a shambles. In the first minute, Murphy sent a shot to the post, in the seventh Bruno Guimaraes completed a corner drawn on the blackboard and sent the referee to the penalty spot for an alleged handball from Kiwior. The viewing on the screen contradicted everything and Arsenal found not only relief, but the break they needed to get rid of the stupor that caused them so much drive. Three minutes after that VAR knock, he approached the rival area and before entering it Odegaard placed a precise left-footed shot between Nick Pope’s hand and the post. This is how a large team shakes off the dominance of a rival.
The circle of celebration of the Arsenal players had more of a cabal than a celebration. There were many things to correct. They did it for a good stretch of the first half because the team adjusted to make Newcastle’s circulation of the ball uncomfortable and they stopped acularizing. He also found the paths to Martinelli and Saka, who were able to increase the advantage. That’s when the goalies showed up, first Nick Pope for the home side, then Aaron Ramsdale for the gunners. Accused for many years for their improvable level, the best English goals have made a leap in quality in recent times. It does not seem difficult to deduce that the economic muscle has also served to bring the best goalkeeper coaches to the island’s training centers. And there are several talents imported from LaLiga there.
It happened that for almost an hour only that early goal by Odegaard ruled the score. It seemed incredible because there were several heads-ups that were well resolved by both squads, but which were deactivated by the goalkeepers, the most resounding one by Odegaard in the last action before the break. And the shots to the sticks followed one another: Isak for Newcastle and Martinelli for Arsenal at the dawn of the second half.
Newcastle was once again a torrent of immense offensive flow. Ramsdale became great to take out with the right wrist, firm, a header from the former sportsman Schär. Arsenal gritted their teeth in a test of maturity for the youngest team in the Premier. He rallied and bided his time, which came twenty minutes from time when Martinelli scouted the end line and found treasure in Schär’s right boot, who tapped the ball into his goal. Nothing stopped until the end. Newcastle had faith, but Arsenal have a creed. His fans recite it from the stands with a crushing chant: We’ve got Super Mik Arteta, he knows exactly what we need; Kieran [Tierney] at the back, Gabi [Martinelli] in attack, Arsenal on the way to the Champions League. (We have Super Mikel Arteta, he knows exactly what we need; Kieran in back, Gabi in attack, Arsenal on their way to the Champions League).
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