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Season 2018-19
Arsenal (a) Premier League

 

 
Date:
Monday 1st April 2019, 8.00pm
Live on Sky Sports

Venue:
 Emirates Stadium

Conditions: Nothingy

Programme: £3.50
 





 Arsenal

Newcastle United

2 - 0

 

Teams

Goals

30 mins Some rapid passing saw the hosts play the ball into our box, the ball falling kindly to Aaron Ramsey after DeAndre Yedlin's interception passed through the legs of Jamaal Lascelles. The Welshman tucked a low left-footed in off the far post in front of the travelling support. 0-1

Half time: Gunners 1 Magpies 0

83 mins Arsenal substitute Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang headed the ball forward to Alexandre Lacazette and Lascelles seemed to misjudge the bounce, allowing the forward to lob the ball over the advancing Martin Dubravka from a central position. 0-2

Full time: Gunners 2 Magpies 0

We Said

Rafa:

"These kind of games are very similar - they are close as you miss your chances in terms of passes in the final third, then you have to defend against a team that has pace and quality.

"Then you have to do the right things in defence, which we did for a while but the threat we had in the first half we didn't have the in the second half.

"It’s just the final pass, the determination when we were regaining the ball and going against them. We had two on two with Rondon and Almiron where we didn’t do well. This final pass is the most difficult, and it’s why you pay money for these players.

"We have been speaking all season, the final third is where you can spend £40-£50m, or £75m on players.

"We played against a good team and were fine for a while in the first half. We could avoid their goal, it was a little bit lucky.

"We had situations on the counter attack where we could be more dangerous but we didn't do it. The last 10 minutes they had chances to score but until the second goal we were pushing. 

"It is a shame because you could feel the atmosphere was getting nervous.

"When you play top sides away it can be a mistake which makes the difference. In the end it was a mistake and we must learn from this and be ready for the next one.

"Every game for us, I have said so many times, is a final, so we have to try to get three points against Crystal Palace, see what happens with the other teams and carry on.

"It's not that the next couple of games will be important - the next one is the most important.

"This week, the teams at the bottom - apart from Cardiff - have won, so it's not that it will be easier now.

"If Cardiff lose points or the other teams, then you can say 38, but just in case, we will try to do more than 40 and that's it."

They Said

Arsenal boss Unai Emery said:

"A big challenge today was to win again and to win a lot of matches consecutively is not easy. But we are feeling a good atmosphere here with our supporters and also we are playing consistently. 

"Each match is giving us a lot of information for the system and for the players, but we can change the system and the players. Today we showed we can also take a good performance. We are going to need, for the next matches, every player. 

"An example for me today is when we needed Mkhitaryan to play 10 minutes - his impact was good. Mo Elneny and Aubameyang, their impact after starting in the bench. This is like we want to create the team, with good feeling, good team spirit and after, confidence with the victory. 

"Our target is very clear. It's going to be very difficult but step by step we’ve started to rise up the table after the first two matches in the Premier League when we lost against Manchester City and Chelsea. 

"We are improving and now we are third. But we know it is going to be difficult for us because our opposition is big opposition and it is going to be very tough for us.

"We played very consistent over 90 minutes. We didn't concede any chances. We created and dominated the match. We are happy.

"Each match is very difficult - we got three points and did it our way. It's a nice challenge to win consecutive matches - it's a new history - and we're creating our own way. We're in a good moment but each match is a new test.

"I hope Ramsey's injury is not serious. The doctor is thinking it's a small injury.

"We are improving. Today we are third, but the next match against Everton is difficult and our rivals are going to win a lot of matches."

Stats

 
Magpies @ Gunners - PL years:

2018/19: Lost 0-2
2017/18: Lost 0-1
2015/16: Lost 0-1
2014/15: Lost 1-4 Perez
2013/14: Lost 0-3
2012/13: Lost 3-7 Ba 2, Marveaux
2011/12: Lost 1-2 Ben Arfa
2010/11: Won 1-0 Carroll
2008/09: Lost 0-3
2007/08: Lost 0-3
2007/08: Lost 0-3 (FAC)
2007/08: Lost 0-2 (LC)
2006/07: Drew 1-1 Dyer
2005/06: Lost 0-2
2004/05: Lost 0-1
2003/04: Lost 2-3 Robert, Bernard
2002/03: Lost 0-1
2001/02: Lost 0-3 (FAC)
2001/02: Won 3-1 O'Brien, Shearer, Robert
2000/01: Lost 0-5
1999/00: Drew 0-0
1998/99: Lost 0-3
1997/98: Lost 1-3 Barton
1996/97: Won 1-0 Elliott
1995/96: Lost 0-2 (LC)
1995/96: Lost 0-2
1994/95: Won 3-2 og(Keown), Beardsley, Fox
1993/94: Lost 1-2 Beardsley

(At Highbury until 2005/06, Emirates thereafter)

Another Monday night trek at the behest of live TV follows those made to Turf Moor and Molineux this season and means Newcastle have endured no less than 13* successive Monday TV switches in the Premier League since a home game on that night:

Dec 2012 Wigan (h) won 3-0
Dec 2012
Fulham (a) lost 1-2
Aug 2013 Manchester City (a) lost 0-4
Sep 2013 Everton (a) lost 2-3
Apr 2014 Arsenal (a) lost 0-3
Sep 2014 Stoke City (a) lost 0-1
Apr 2015 Liverpool (a) lost 0-2
Sep 2015 West Ham (a) lost 0-2
Mar 2016 Leicester City (a) lost 0-1
Oct 2017 Burnley (a) lost 0-1
Apr 2018 Everton (a) lost 0-1
Nov 2018 Burnley (a) won 2-1
Feb 2019 Wolves (a) drew 1-1
Apr 2019 Arsenal (a) lost 0-2

* a figure of 15 has been bandied about, but that includes the following two festive PL games that were both 3pm non-televised kick-offs:

Dec 2015 West Bromwich Albion (a) lost 0-1
Jan 2018 Stoke City (a) won 1-0

In addition, no less than five of our 2016/17 Championship "gap year" fixtures were played on Mondays, four of them live on Sky.

Dec 2016 Sheffield Wednesday (h) lost 0-1
Jan 2017 Blackburn Rovers (a) lost 0-1
Feb 2017 Aston Villa (h) won 2-0
Apr 2017 Ipswich (a) lost 1-3
Apr 2017 Preston (h) won 4-1

NUFC after 32 games - selected PL seasons:

2008/09: 30 points, 18th (scored 37, conceded 52) (finished 18th)
2012/13: 36 points, 13th (scored 33, conceded 47) (finished 16th)
2014/15: 35 points, 13th (scored 33, conceded 51) (finished 15th)
2015/16: 25 points, 19th (scored 32, conceded 61) (finished 18th)
2017/18: 38 points, 10th (scored 33, conceded 41) (finished 10th)

2018/19: 35 points, 14th (scored 31, conceded 42 (finished ??)

  

Waffle

Take one side - and manager - with poor records here, pit them against hosts enjoying imperious home form, play it on a Monday night and the outcome was....completely and utterly predictable.

It's not just in N7 though that Newcastle have been found wanting; our adventures within the M25 this season have lacked excitement and entertainment. With only the season-closing visit to Fulham remaining, seven and a half hours of viewing displeasure at Selhurst Park, Stamford Bridge, Wembley, The London Stadium and The Emirates yielded precisely one goal - Ciaran Clark at Chelsea.

Slim pickings indeed, with little comfort coming from knowing that we're paying less than we did 20 years ago to endure this plus the fact we've performed better for tangible reward in other games. 

There were few surprises as a goal in each half undid United and gave the Gunners a tenth successive Premier League home victory - their best run of form since leaving Highbury.

Aside from one Salomon Rondon effort that warmed the gloves of Bernd Leno though, the home side never looked in trouble; only a remarkable goal line clearance by Matt Ritchie at the other end rescuing his side from further punishment. 

And had referee Anthony Taylor not spotted a tug on Florian Lejeune and a foul on Martin Dubravka and ruled out "goals" that followed, this could have matched our heaviest reverse of the season - 0-4 at Anfield. With memories of our gung-ho 3-7 loss here still fresh, it could have been worse.

That's not to say that the Gunners swept Rafa's team aside though; those Arsenal fans present moaning and mocking them as often as they glorified in their exploits - Juventus -bound Aaron Ramsey more popular than ever and Mesut Ozil approaching pantomime villain status.

Sadly the summit of our ambitions looked to be avoiding a drubbing and it was difficult to retain any optimism that trailing by a single goal after an hour and theoretically therefore "staying in the game" would lead to taking something tangible from the game as per Manchester City at home.

There was a slight glimmer as Arsenal failed to press home their advantage as the clock ticked on and home fans began trailing away, but our inability to reach the vital final third and gain anything in the way of set piece opportunities made hopes of a point remote before the second home goal.

Starved of both space and time on the ball, only occasional forays forward by Miguel Almiron gave visiting supporters anything tangible to cheer, with Arsenal dominating the midfield areas and Mo Diame enduring a difficult night made no easier when former Gunner Isaac Hayden limped off. 

It ended 0-2 though, just about the least worst scenario on a night when our safety-first tactics weren't accompanied by a stroke of luck or inspiration - that caution extending to Jonjo Shelvey moving another game nearer to leaving without kicking a ball. Kenedy was in the same position - except he actually came off the bench.....

United remained fourteenth as Huddersfield Town and Fulham lost their fight to avoid demotion. That leaves seven sides battling to avoid the third relegation place, with further positive results aiding our cause on Wednesday as Cardiff, Brighton and Palace were all beaten.

The demise of the Cottagers is a blow for those who equate the size of the transfer budget purely with the consequent level of success - and who believed that a certain Serbian was a bona-fide top-flight striker. Having three different managers in one season also summons up memories of our stumbling and similarly futile campaign of a decade ago. 

Hopefully the visit of Roy Hodgson's Eagles to Tyneside on Saturday will see Newcastle extend their own run of positive home results and erase memories of this untimely reminder of our mundanity and lack of genuine game changers. In the absence of those, the risk assessments and tactics of the manager are crucial in keeping one step ahead of the pack - even though they lead to nights like this.

Biffa


Page last updated 30 August, 2020