Arsenal outclass Newcastle United to close the gap on league leaders

Arsenal 4 Newcastle United 1

REVENGE is a dish best served on a cold Saturday night in north London so far as Mikel Arteta and his title-chasing Arsenal side are concerned.

The Arsenal manager successfully used the ‘injustice’ of their controversial November defeat at St James’ Park to motivate his players to play at their maximum.

Arsenal had failed to score in three of their last four matches against Eddie Howe’s negative Newcastle and this time he was not going to let his men cower to the dark arts.

Two quick half first goals – an under pressure own goal by Sven Botman and a brilliant Kai Havertz strike – were enough to keep Arsenal within a win of Manchester City and Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table.

Bukayo Saka scored a thrilling third midway through the second half, quickly followed by Jakub Kiwior’s first for the club.

Arsenal have the best goal difference of the top three and they could and should have won by so many more.

As it was they became the first team in Premier League history to score two or more goals in seven consecutive halves of football. Their midweek Champions League drought away to Porto clearly was a blip.

Arteta sent them out flying and had two corners and a couple of half chances inside the opening minute.

Newcastle were being jeered and whistled for time wasting with only two minutes gone. ‘Saturday nights are alright for fighting’ went the old song and this had all the ingredients of a classic under the lights.

That said, Newcastle would have needed to try and lay a glove on Arsenal for it to be called a proper fight.

Their only semblance of a feel for the ball came when stalling over a throw-in, goal kick or feigning injury. Could their negative tactics really frustrate an