While waiting for the rest of the season to help us better know whether Guardiola will triumph for the 7th time in 8 Premier League seasons, or whether Arne Slot will achieve the feat of being champion in his first year at Liverpool, Arsenal, his side, navigates by sight. After a defeat against Bournemouth (2-0) two weeks ago, their first of the season, then a draw against Liverpool having led twice last weekend (2-2), the Gunners have were beaten this Saturday by Newcastle (1-0). Not really reassuring in the face of a team looking for a first success in 2 months at home in the championship…
However, the first minutes of the match were hopeful, but not a harbinger of success: there was rhythm, life… but no goal, except for Newcastle. From the 12th minute of play, Alexander Isak reminded Mikel Arteta that he was perhaps the missing link in his team, namely this number 9 capable of deciding the outcome of a match. On a cross from Gordon, the Swede was forgotten by Gabriel and delivered a devastating header leaving Raya helpless (1-0).
1 point over the last three days
Forced to react, Arsenal intensified the moments of heat on Pope’s goal, first with this off-target header from Saka (18th), this free kick wasted by Rice at the edge of the area (24th) , but above all this strike without warning from Merino, miraculously saved by Schär on his line (27th). The Gunners were constantly victims of their clumsiness in the last gesture, and sometimes even in the first, as on this dangerous and completely failed restart from Gabriel (37th). From the start of the second half, it was their vigilance that was put to the test. Gordon tumbled and penetrated the defense like butter, but fortunately, Raya kept an eye on things in front of Willock (46th). The ball was for Arsenal, but the best ideas for the Magpies. Faced with the inability of his attackers to take responsibility, Declan Rice then tried to play vigilante, but his shot grazed Pope’s post.
Isak seemed like an insoluble problem, and Gabriel, like Saliba, no longer really knew what to do to put him out of harm’s way. The former Dortmund man was even close to scoring a double, but Raya pulled out all the stops (63rd). Despite a succession of highlights for Arsenal, it would be an exaggeration to say that the Gunners subsequently dominated the match. They mainly occupied the opposing half of the field, without ever managing to get around the challenge imposed by Newcastle. The only shot on target after 80 minutes of play reflected this lack of ammunition and inventiveness quite well. And Rice’s last big opportunity, on a rare flash from Saka (89th), was not on target either. With this result, Arsenal (18 points) risks seeing Manchester City (23 points) and Liverpool (22 points) soar in the standings, especially as their pursuers could also defraud them this weekend. Four days before a tricky trip to Inter Milan in C1, this stumble does not inspire optimism. Newcastle, for their part, increased their capital points and climbed to 8th place.
