When Manchester City beat Burnley 1-0 in midweek to go top of the Premier League on goals scored, it was the first time in 200 days that Arsenal had not occupied first place in the table. The change in position was somewhat of a formality after City’s 2-1 win over their title rivals last Sunday, although it was a nervous enough performance from City to be a reminder they are not without their frailties.
The results meant that we were about to get what anyone who is not an Arsenal fan has hoped for over the past couple of months – a five match shootout between two gunslingers for the title.
The match against City had looked like it had sparked some kind of life into Arsenal. Despite the result, they had played far better in Manchester than they had in their previous games. The worry yesterday was that this was back to the old Arsenal. In the late afternoon sun, Arsenal looked like a group of men who had spent too much of the day sitting in it, dozy and lethargic.
With Manchester City in FA Cup action at Wembley, this was an opportunity for Arsenal to put the pressure back on them by getting actual Premier League points on the board. No wonder then that Mikel Arteta had said prior to the match that Arsenal needed to have a fast start, but it was Newcastle who should have taken the lead within 30 seconds. William Osula was played through on goal but he tripped over his feet as he tried to get his shot off.
Arsenal’s exhaustion is not a moral failing. It is easy to chalk their performances up to mental frailty or “bottle” but this has been a physically demanding season on top of the undeniable psychological aspect. That was highlighted by Kai Havertz limping off after half an hour, seemingly victim of a muscle injury. Eberechi Eze followed him five minutes into the second half.
It was Eze who had the bright moment to give Arsenal the lead, although it came once again with a helping hand from set-piece coach Nicolas Jover.
This was no thundering Gabriel header, however, but something totally new. How Arsenal it is to devise a new twist on their corner routine to help get them over the line in these final matches.
There were three in the opening 10 minutes against Newcastle, and it was a case of third time lucky with Eze hitting a sweet strike from the edge of the area to give Arsenal the lead. The short corners had sucked Newcastle players towards the ball, leaving Eze unmarked and under no pressure. The warning that had come when he fired wide a couple of moments before was not heeded.
The moment was a synthesis of what this Arsenal team should be able to do. Beneath all the hand-wringing about their physicality and grappling, their use of set pieces has been an example of how marginal gains can push a team on. Meanwhile, Eze’s technical quality made the goal a joy to watch, a piece of pure skill.
Eze has been Arteta’s creative spark. Arsenal had not been particularly creative prior to his injury, but they looked even less likely to make something happen without him. The possibility that he won’t be available in midweek when they head to Madrid to play an Atlético team who are famously hard to break down does little to settle the nerves for a Champions League semi-final.
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Inside the Emirates the mood was strange. Three Premier League games ago, anxiety turned to ecstasy as Viktor Gyökeres and Max Dowman scored late on against Everton. Two matches ago, it was pure infuriation as a passive Arsenal side were beaten by Bournemouth. Now it was one almost of contemplation, but as the fourth official put up the board for seven minutes additional time, the heart rates went up. Gyökeres ran through in an attempt to put the game to bed but when he looked to cut the ball across to an Arsenal team-mate, he could only find the legs of Jacob Ramsey. The moment, and inability to take it, summed up the match.
There is a very real possibility after all that this title will be settled on goal difference but as of right now that feels like too much for Arsenal to think about. As it is, they just need to find a way to get results. Against Newcastle, it was not pretty. But it was three more points and a return to the top of the table.
On this London marathon weekend, “it’s a marathon, not a sprint”, will feel true for Arsenal fans.
Photograph by Alex Burstow/Arsenal FC via Getty Images