Anthony Gordon secured a 1-0 victory for Newcastle over Arsenal at St James’ Park, marking Arsenal’s first Premier League loss of the season.
The first half saw Arsenal in control with limited chances. Tempers flared when Kai Havertz’s reckless tackle on Sean Longstaff resulted in bookings for both players, and three Newcastle players were cautioned for dissent.
Referee Stuart Attwell struggled to maintain control as the first half ended with controversial incidents, including Bruno Guimaraes avoiding a booking despite elbowing Jorginho and shoving Declan Rice. The chaos continued with the decisive goal.
Gordon scored from close range after David Raya’s mishap under Joe Willock’s cross, and Joelinton outmuscled Gabriel in the air. VAR reviewed potential out-of-play, a foul by Joelinton on Gabriel, and offside by Gordon but could not reach conclusive decisions, leading to the goal standing.
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal may feel hard done by the loss, setting the stage for another scrutiny of Premier League refereeing. Arsenal dominated possession, took 11 fruitless corners, and managed only one shot on target.
While Arteta’s team displayed solid structure, they sorely missed Martin Odegaard’s midfield creativity and Gabriel Jesus’s attacking prowess.