Arsenal have defeated Newcastle 4-0 during their Sunday encounter.
This was half a performance by Arsenal and in the end it was comfortably enough. Poor in the first half, Mikel Arteta’s team probably would have been behind had Newcastle managed to solve their goal-scoring problem during the January transfer window. But they didn’t so they weren’t.
Beyond that, Arsenal were much improved. Newcastle, for all their promise with the ball at times, gave Arsenal’s creative players too much space in which to play and eventually were made to pay for that basic and rather unforgivable sin.
This was afternoon when some of Arsenal’s developing talent was showcased. Young Eddie Nketiah – aged 20 and from Lewisham – started up front and struck the crossbar.
Bukayo Saka – 18 and from Ealing – was at left-back and he set up a lovely second goal with nutmeg on Newcastle’s Valentino Lazaro that was straight from the school playground.
Then, deep into added time, substitute Alexandre Lacazette scored to make it a rather lop-sided looking 4-0. For his part, Arteta will no doubt be pleased.
His team had won only one in seven Premier League games since he took the job in December and so this was needed.
Whatever he said at half-time certainly improved his team he should take credit for that. That, in part, is where coaches earn their money.
As for Newcastle and manager Steve Bruce, this was a bit of a ‘what if’ afternoon. They didn’t deserve to lose by four and could have been ahead early on. In the second half – at two down – the dangerous Allan Saint-Maximin struck a post.
A goal then and the game would have been alive once more as a contest. Newcastle do lack punch, though. It has been clear all season was clear once again here in north London.
Source: Daily Mail
