Let’s take a look at the Player Ratings from the Premier League match between Arsenal and Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium.
Second-half goals from Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli ensured Arsenal a quick return to winning ways on Saturday afternoon.
After seeing their 10-match unbeaten run end at the hands of Liverpool last weekend, Arsenal got off to a slow start in their latest Premier League fixture against Newcastle at home.
It was instead the visitors, led by manager Eddie Howe for the first time in the dugout, who threatened first. Jonjo Shelvey latched onto a loose ball and sent it gliding towards the top-right corner. However, as in many cases this season, Aaron Ramsdale spared Arsenal. The goalkeeper tipped the ball over for yet another impressive save.
All in all, it was a decent start for Newcastle. Howe’s men were solid in defense and lively on the counter, while their opponents were wasteful and lacked any sort of intensity.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, for one, produced arguably a worst miss of the season contender. The Gunners captain had a golden chance when the ball fell to his feet shortly before half-time. His shot from close-range, though, bounced off the outside of the post to keep the scoreline level.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang somehow misses from a yard out, hitting the outside of the post. 😭 #afc pic.twitter.com/3ZkrIGMDeK
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) November 27, 2021
Saka and Martinelli fire Gunners to victory
Despite not making any half-time changes, whatever Mikel Arteta told his men did the trick. The Gunners boss saw his players up the ante in the second-half and reap the rewards.
Bukayo Saka broke the deadlock before the hour-mark. Nuno Tavares exchanged passes with Emile Smith-Rowe before releasing the England international, who held his composure to drill the ball past Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka. It was Saka’s second Premier League goal of the season.
Then, only 10 minutes later, Martinelli, who replaced an injured Saka as a substitute, doubled Arsenal’s advantage with his second touch of the game.
93 – Gabriel Martinelli scored just 93 seconds after coming off the bench with just his second touch of the ball, netting his first @PremierLeague goal at the Emirates since January 2020 (against Sheff Utd). Sharp. pic.twitter.com/2YXQVdIPCt
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 27, 2021
Takehiro Tomiyasu sent a brilliant clipped pass over to the Brazilian, who stayed composed to volley the ball into the left corner for his first goal of the campaign.
Both Arsenal and Newcastle had chances to add to the scoresheet, but the game ultimately ended in a 2-0 win for the home side.
Therefore, regardless of the rest of this weekend’s results, Arsenal will stay in fifth-place in the Premier League table. Arteta’s men next visit Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Thursday.
Howe, meanwhile, will try to lift a winless Newcastle out of 20th-place at home to fellow strugglers Norwich City on Tuesday.
13 – Newcastle United have become the sixth different team to fail to win any of their opening 13 games to a @PremierLeague season, with four of the previous five sides suffering relegation (Derby in 2000-01 survived). Ominous. pic.twitter.com/jBs9QYtSiV
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 27, 2021
Player ratings
Arsenal: Ramsdale (8); Tomiyasu (9), White (8), Gabriel (8), Tavares (8); Saka (8), Partey (7), Sambi Lokonga (7), Smith-Rowe (7); Odegaard (7); Aubameyang (5).
Bench: Martinelli (8), Lacazette (6), Elneny (6).
Newcastle: Dubravka (7); Krafth (6), Lascelles (5), Schar (6), Ritchie (4); Fraser (6), Shelvey (7), Willock (7), Saint-Maximin (6); Wilson (5), Joelinton (6).
Bench: Almiron (6), Murphy (6), Hayden (6).
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