Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle United: Eberechi Eze scored the only goal of the game as Mikel Arteta’s side went back to the top of the Premier League.
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Newcastle United made it five defeats in a row in all competitions as Arsenal claimed a 1-0 win at the Emirates Stadium.
Late wins for Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United closed the gap between Newcastle and the relegation zone to just eight points before a ball was kicked at the Emirates Stadium.
But within minutes of kick-off in North London, Newcastle found themselves behind as Eberichi Eze put the hosts ahead from the edge of the box. A fine finish from the England international as the Magpies simply spectated Arsenal’s short corner routine after a let-off moments earlier.
The goal was the only real moment of quality in the opening first half as Newcastle, to their credit, were steady otherwise without posing a major threat in the final third.
The second half saw Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade get a rare outing together on the pitch as Newcastle searched for a way back into the game. The pair almost combined to draw the visitors level with Woltemade’s lobbed ball blazed over by Wissa on the volley from close range.
A few minutes later Dan Burn headed a good chance straight at David Raya in the Arsenal goal as the hosts looked set to hold out for three points. While Newcastle’s performance was a marked improvement on recent displays, there was also the feeling they could have been playing until Sunday and still not have scored, and in that is a glaring issue for a side lacking confidence and cutting edge.
Relegation fears for NUFC?
When any concerns of relegation were put to Eddie Howe after the defeat to Bournemouth last week, the Newcastle boss shrugged off the suggestion, stating: “I don't know necessarily about that [relegation battle], but eight defeats out of 11 isn't good enough.”
But it’s now nine defeats out of 12 and Newcastle are sleepwalking into a relegation battle with four games left to play, two of which are against Nottingham Forest and West Ham just below them.
Realistically, Newcastle need just one more win from their final four matches to ensure survival in the Premier League. They’ve already surpassed the 40-point mark often regarded as the benchmark needed to ensure Premier League survival.
But this isn’t a normal season and it’s not a mathematical guarantee. Next up for the Magpies is sixth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion, who could realistically qualify for the Champions League without having to move up any more places.
Yet the Seagulls are just eight points above Newcastle. In theory, Howe’s side are as far from the Champions League places as they are from the relegation zone. The chances of either are unlikely, but there’s only one that looks possible at the moment.
If Newcastle stay up, and it’s still an if, it will be down to results elsewhere because right now it’s hard to see where the next point is coming from.