Arsenal wallop Newcastle to close gap against EPL leaders
Arsenal move to within two points of English Premier League leaders Liverpool after routing Newcastle at the Emirates.
They scored two in each half and were scintillating before the break. Sven Botman’s own goal was followed by goals from Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Jakub Kiwior.
That makes it 25 goals in six league games since the turn of the year. Arsenal are top of the form table and playing their best football in at least a year. Newcastle couldn’t live with them.
From afar it looked like it might be one of the big examinations of Mikel Arteta’s team’s capacity to stay in this Premier League title race but close up there was never any doubt against a Newcastle United team that were broken very easily.
The sixth straight Premier League win for Arsenal, now within two points of leaders Liverpool, and overflowing with confidence.
They pressed Eddie Howe’s team into mistakes and the wholesale concession of territory in the first half – and then came back for some more after the break.
This was a bad evening for the Newcastle manager and many may wonder if even conceding four goals represented something of an escape for his side.
Since first choice goalkeeper Nick Pope’s injury in mid-December, Newcastle have conceded 31 goals in 12 Premier League games and this time they were down to their third choice Loris Karius. His promotion is unlikely to come any time soon.
Yet this was a dismal occasion for many others, including the centre-half Sven Botman who scored an own goal for the first and was rarely where he should be for many of the others.
Arteta’s players scented the uncertainty and went for it. Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and the substitute Jakub Kiwior scored and there might have been a few more with a midfield that was dominant.
Newcastle had been unbeaten in five in all competitions before this night but, adrift in eighth place in the Premier League, this was a sharp reminder of the standard in the top three.
Kai Havertz said it was very important for the team to win after a tough game on Wednesday.
“It’s always nice to play here – the fans give us so much energy. They are so important for us and they showed it again today. It’s crucial to win, especially when the other teams [City and Liverpool] have won before us. We have to put pressure on them and that’s what we did.
Also, Bukayo Saka said he was happy to add another goal and for Arsenal to beat Newcastle.
“We’ve been working really hard on the training ground. We have a lot of quality going forward and it’s starting to click now. We’re playing with a lot of confidence and the chemistry is building as well.”
Arsenal played some sheer delightful football and the win is encouraging for the team, showing they are capable of winning the league, even against the twin towers of English football.
