🏟️🔥I have never seen a player of such quality before,He was everywhere last night, it’s so unfortunate that Arteta doesn’t have what it takes to manage such a player like Him”, Newcastle coach Eddie Howe praises One Arsenal player for His wonderful performance yesterday – Not Martinelli and Not Havertz

Arsenal’s title hopes took a hit with a disappointing 1-0 loss to Newcastle United at St. James’ Park. The match started poorly for Arsenal, who fell behind within the first 15 minutes as Alexander Isak scored with a header from Anthony Gordon’s cross.

Throughout the first half, Arsenal struggled but nearly equalized when Lewis Hall blocked Mikel Merino’s close-range shot on the line.

After halftime, manager Mikel Arteta made substitutions, bringing on Ethan Nwaneri, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Gabriel Jesus. However, the team failed to generate significant chances, apart from a late opportunity for Declan Rice. Here’s how football.london assessed the players’ performances:

**David Raya:** Made several strong claims on crosses but had little chance with the goal. Rating: 6.

**Thomas Partey:** Faced difficulties at right-back after a solid game against Liverpool. His poor header contributed to the goal, but he improved in midfield, albeit too late. Rating: 5.

**William Saliba:** Had a tough time against Isak, with Joelinton and Willock also causing issues. Showed some skill but struggled in one-on-one situations. Rating: 5.

**Gabriel:** His return was beneficial for Arsenal. Defensively solid, he could do little to prevent the goal. Rating: 5.

**Jurrien Timber:** Was somewhat affected by Gordon’s excellent delivery but defended well overall and was active throughout the match. Rating: 6.

**Declan Rice:** His set-piece deliveries were off, but he made an impact in a more forward role and missed a crucial late chance. Rating: 6.

**Mikel Merino:** Did not have the homecoming he desired, nearly scoring with a shot cleared off the line but was largely inactive outside of set pieces and received a booking. Rating: 5.

**Bukayo Saka:** Had a quiet performance with few impactful moments, struggling to affect the game in key areas. Rating: 6.

**Gabriel Martinelli:** Disappointing outing for him as he found it hard to beat defenders and was not much of a threat. Rating: 5.

**Leandro Trossard:** Had a poor game, unable to get his dribbling going and misfiring on passes.

**Kai Havertz:** Contributed little to the match, struggled against Burn and Schar, and failed to control the game, managing only one decent cross to Saka.

**Substitutions:**

**Oleksandr Zinchenko:** Did not provide the expected possession security and was wasteful.

**Ethan Nwaneri:** Brought energy and increased attacking intent after the formation change but struggled to create clear chances, managing only one notable opportunity.