Arsenal suffered another tough loss in the English Premier League, falling 1-0 to Newcastle in an away game on Saturday. This defeat leaves Arsenal six points behind Manchester City, who now have a chance to extend their lead at the top of the table.
Newcastle’s Alexander Isak scored the game’s only goal in the 12th minute, heading in a well-placed cross from Anthony Gordon. Arsenal held most of the possession but struggled to break through, managing just one shot on target throughout the match.
Mikel Arteta’s team has gained only one point from their last three games, putting a dent in their title hopes. If Manchester City wins against Bournemouth later today, they will lead Arsenal by eight points, while Liverpool, trailing City by just one point, prepares to host Brighton at Anfield.
Arsenal looked ready to challenge City for the title this season but now face a worrying gap. Starting the match with promise, Leandro Trossard missed an early chance, sending his shot wide. Newcastle, who had not won in five previous games, quickly gained momentum. Isak capitalized on Gordon’s cross, slipping between Gabriel and William Saliba to score.
Bukayo Saka struggled to make an impact, though he came close with a header that missed in the 18th minute. Newcastle’s Lewis Hall blocked a shot from Mikel Merino after a chaotic corner from Declan Rice, while Arsenal couldn’t match Newcastle’s intensity.
Arteta made no changes at halftime, and Newcastle nearly doubled their lead when Joe Willock’s shot was saved by David Raya. Later, Arteta brought on 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri and Oleksandr Zinchenko for Gabriel Martinelli and Merino. Isak had another shot saved by Raya soon after.
Without their captain Martin Odegaard, Arsenal has had a challenging run, including a surprise loss to Bournemouth last month and a 2-2 draw with Liverpool. They now face a tough schedule with upcoming matches against Inter Milan in the Champions League and Chelsea next week.
This win lifted Newcastle to eighth place in the standings, adding some much-needed confidence to Eddie Howe’s side.