Alexander Isak’s powerful header secured the victory, marking the return of the Eddie Howe style that fans cherished.
The team had previously strayed from their aggressive approach, but this week at St James’ Park, Newcastle outplayed and outsmarted Arsenal, just as they had Chelsea.
Mikel Arteta’s side aimed to unsettle the Magpies by forcing them to play towards the Gallowgate End in the first half. However, their strategy backfired.
As Arsenal sought to regain their momentum, Newcastle players often went down for treatment, while the Magpies cleverly won free-kicks at crucial moments.
Arsenal started the match with a notable shot in the second minute when Leandro Trossard found space but missed the target. Bakayo Saka also had a chance ten minutes in but rolled the ball wide of Nick Pope’s goal.
Newcastle set the tone just two minutes later with a well-crafted play. Isak initiated the attack by passing to Sean Longstaff, who then found Anthony Gordon. Gordon delivered a perfect cross, allowing Isak to rise above the defenders and powerfully head the ball past David Raya, igniting the crowd at St James’ Park.
Bruno Guimarães showcased his skill mid-way through the first half, tricking Trossard, but his follow-up shot was nearly intercepted by Isak. Arsenal continued to press, with former Newcastle player Mikel Merino almost scoring from a corner, only for Hall to make a vital block.
Newcastle went into halftime with a deserved lead and maintained their momentum in the second half. Gordon’s precise pass found Joe Willock, whose shot was directed straight at David Raya.
On 57 minutes, Willock and Joelinton combined well, but Willock’s shot went narrowly over the bar. Arteta responded by bringing on Oleksandr Zinchenko and young talent Ethan Nwaneri, substituting Merino and Martinelli.
Willock received a yellow card for a hard challenge on Nwaneri, and Isak fired a powerful shot that Raya managed to deflect. After an impressive performance, Willock received applause when he was replaced by Sandro Tonali.
A corner from Rice fell to Trossard, but his shot was blocked on the line. Further substitutions saw Julien Timber replaced by Ben White and Gabriel Jesus coming on for Trossard. Tonali was booked for a foul on Kai Havertz as Newcastle withstood late pressure from Arsenal. To freshen up their attack, Howe brought on Harvey Barnes for Gordon.
