Arsenal edged past Newcastle United to reclaim top spot in the Premier League, but they lost two stars to injury in the title race against Manchester City
Arsenal edged past Newcastle United to regain their position at the top of the Premier League table but it didn’t come without a cost.
The Gunners opened the scoring early through Eberechi Eze, who struck magnificently following a clever short corner routine in the ninth minute. However, there was concerning news before half-time as Kai Havertz was forced off the pitch with an injury.
Even more troubling, Eze subsequently required substitution as well, appearing to suffer an ankle problem. The Gunners persisted in their search for a second goal, with controversy arising when Nick Pope felled Viktor Gyokeres well beyond his penalty area, though VAR ruled the incident wasn’t a denial of a clear goalscoring chance. Here’s how Football London assessed the displays of the Arsenal players who featured.
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First XI
David Raya – Faced a test from a curling Sandro Tonali effort from distance, which the Spaniard responded to superbly to deny. A solid showing throughout. 7.
Ben White – Jurrien Timber’s absence continues to be felt, as White and Noni Madueke’s understanding simply wasn’t clicking on the afternoon. 6
William Saliba – Slightly overzealous in his tackles, which conceded some free-kicks in threatening areas. 7
Gabriel – Far more composed than his showing in Manchester, and he handled mounting defensive pressure well. 8
Piero Hincapié – Such a battler, and claimed numerous crucial duels, including several where he managed to deflect the ball off a Newcastle player for Arsenal possession. An excellent last-ditch tackle on Elanga at the death too. 8
Martin Zubimendi – Another solid display from the midfielder, whose dominance in the air continues to catch the eye. Saw a promising opportunity to net the Gunners’ second thwarted inside the penalty area. 7
Declan Rice – Controlled the engine room and appeared to operate in a deeper role than Zubimendi, suggesting a tactical adjustment to the midfield structure. 7
Martin Odegaard – Expected greater intensity from the skipper, who on several occasions had swift forward passes available but failed to execute them. One particular moment where Gyokeres was unmarked for a delivery into the left channel went unnoticed. 5
Noni Madueke – Showed promise in the build-up to the opener but his influence waned significantly as proceedings unfolded. Carved out a decent opening for Zubimendi that was denied. 5
Kai Havertz – Demonstrated the awareness to pick out Eze for the goal, though couldn’t see out the opening period after succumbing to an undisclosed knock. 6
Eberechi Eze – A performer who thrives on the grand stage and rises to the occasion once more, delivering a superb effort from the penalty area’s edge that bent beautifully from right to left into the far post. Unfortunately, he also required substitution following an ankle concern. 8
Substitutes:
Viktor Gyokeres – Entered the fray in the first period to cover for the stricken Havertz. Showed commitment throughout, though if Havertz faces a lengthy absence, it presents major concerns. Spurned an excellent opportunity to locate Saka or Martinelli in the closing stages when a straightforward delivery was intercepted. 4
Gabriel Martinelli – Following a sluggish opening, the winger found his rhythm and teed up Saka for a promising opportunity, also attempted an acrobatic overhead effort that nestled safely in Pope’s gloves. 5
Bukayo Saka – A delightful comeback for the Arsenal talisman, with his opening contribution being a strike that narrowly skimmed past the post after taking a slight touch. 6
Myles Lewis-Skelly – Entered the fray to take Martin Zubimendi’s place and slot into a central midfield position. Provides the Gunners with flexibility as Rice drops back into the holding role. 5