Arsenal hammer Newcastle to keep title pressure on Liverpool, Man City

Mikel Arteta's men stumbled to a 1-0 Champions League defeat at Porto in midweek, but were quickly back on the horse domestically to take their tally to 25 goals in six consecutive Premier League wins.

Arsenal's prowess from set-pieces forced an own goal from Sven Botman before Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Jakub Kiwior from another corner killed off Newcastle.

The Gunners are aiming to win a first league title in 20 years and keen to make amends for faltering down the final straight last season as Manchester City stormed clear on their way to win the treble.

Arsenal are the side in red hot form but remain in third, one point behind second-placed City, with the title race fascinatingly poised 12 games from the end of the season.

Defeat is another blow to Newcastle's aspiration of European football next season. Eddie Howe's men were outclassed to remain down in eighth, 15 points adrift of the top four, and have now conceded 23 goals in their last eight league games.

Howe was forced into handing goalkeeper Loris Karius just his second appearance since joining Newcastle in 2022. Karius was unfortunate for the opening goal as he parried Gabriel Magalhaes' powerful header, but the ball ricocheted back off Botman and crept over the line.

Arsenal have now scored 19 times from set-pieces in the Premier League this season. If there was a hint of fortune about the opener, the hosts' second was a thing of beauty. Jorginho's ball over the top picked out the run of Gabriel Martinelli, who turned the ball perfectly into the path of Havertz for his eighth goal of the season.

Saka has now scored seven times in the last five Premier League games and only a fine save from Karius at his near post delayed the England international continuing his