Back to the Emirates and Newcastle are away again against Arsenal. Bruce promised that the gloves are off the line up suggested so, abandoning the five at the back system for a more traditional 4-4-2 formation keeping Darlow between the sticks. Krafth comes back into the side in the right-back position, Lewis also returns at left-back. Clark and the usual Captain Jamal Lascelles occupy the centre back positions. The midfield was Almiron on the right, Joelinton on the left, Shelvey and Matty Longtaff in the centre. Completing the Striker roles of the 4-4-2 are Wilson and Andy Carroll who impressed in the FA Cup fixture nine days ago.
The first half kicked off, and the Toon looked energetic, holding their own in defence and getting up the field with Miggy Almiron who has started well today. Nine minutes in and Arsenal attacked from the lefts side getting Aubameyang on the ball in the box but Lascelles cleverly shows Aubameyang onto his left foot at an angle and his shot was comfortably collected by Darlow. Straight back up the pitch and we heard a loud cry from Almiron as Holding came in with a crunching but fair tackle resulting in a throw which leads to nothing from Newcastle. And it was Emile Krafth who felt the wind knocked out of him when Tierney sent a powerful cross in from the left flank. Well blocked by Krafth.
Not exactly a chance or anything that would impact the game but I have to mention the impressive footwork from Wilson getting through two defenders to win the free-kick. 14th minute Arsenal had a corner which was met with a very good header from Luiz but the chance went wide. But a minute later Emile Smith-Rowe played the ball into Saka who took the cross, Darlow got a foot to it but not enough to stop it from getting to Aubameyang who had to adjust his body to make the shot. Luckily it hit the post of an empty goal.
24th minute Almiron used his pace to get towards the Arsenal goal he initially couldn't find the shot so he played it for a one-two with Carroll. Miggy's shot went high. The first half ended with a corner Arsenal again headed wide by Luiz.
Two minutes into the second half and Arsenal had a great opportunity to get the opener when Lacazette got the ball onto his right foot and Smashed the ball through United's defence but Darlow got down to make a fantastic stop to keep the scores nil. But three minutes later that stop was all for nothing as Aubameyang found his way into the box, with Krafth tracking back Aubameyang turned the ball onto his left foot and smacked the ball past Darlow. 1-0.
56th minute and Carroll bullied his way toward the box and managed to his a decent strike but unfortunately, it had the power but Big Andy just couldn't wrap his boot around it. Down the other end of the pitch four minutes later and Saka turned away from the defence from a pass by Lacazette. Saka got the shot away and would have scored if it wasn't for a brilliant block by Krafth. But yet again in the 61st minute, the good defensive display from Krafth has undone again when Smith-Rowe got down the pitch beating Lascelles for pace he crossed the ball in for a simple tap in from Saka. Newcastle haunted by the future of Arsenal. 2-0.
The players appear to have given up as Saka on the wing gets the ball to the far post for Lacazette who gets a clean header of the ball which was brilliantly saved by the starfish that was Karl Darlow. But in the 77th minute, Aubameyang got his second of the night and Arsenal's third as Cedric cross into the ball found Aubameyang for a simple tap in VAR did have a look at the goal as the ball appeared to go out of play but it was ruled that all of the balls didn't go out of play. 3-0.
Arsenal had the game won from there on out. Keeping possession but still going forward. The game ended how the first half ended with David Luiz heading wide from a corner. Full-time Arsenal 3-0 Newcastle.
Yet again us fans have to endure another goalless defeat. In the first half, we looked fairly decent as we pressed and showed a lot of energy. We kept Arsenal at bay and it seemed like we could do what we did in ninety minutes against the Gunners in the FA Cup. But all that was ruined by the second half. It was like we fielded 10 different outfielders who didn't want to play. The truth is they were spent. All their energy went into the first half. Maybe fitness has a lot to do with our form. But one player stood out to me throughout the whole game and it was for the wrong reasons. Matty Longtaff didn't show up today. We played with one centre midfielder all game as it seemed as though Shelvey was on his own until Hendrick came on in the 78th minute, by then Shelvey was so tired it seemed as though Hendrick was the on CM on the pitch. Surely Bruce is on borrowed time now. But how many times have I said that?
By Sam West.
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