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Arsenal fell to a 1-0 defeat against Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday, November 5.
The Gunners entered this contest on the back of three wins, one draw and one defeat in their last five fixtures. Their last outing was a disappointing 3-1 loss against West Ham United as they crashed out of the Carabao Cup round of 16.
Mikel Arteta was without Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard as he fielded a strong lineup without his two star men.
The first half was a dull affair in which neither Arsenal or Newcastle were able to stamp their authority on the match as they struggled in the final third. It took nearly 44 minutes of play before a shot on target was attempted by either side.
Arsenal were often forced to attempt shots from distance and from unrealistic angles as Newcastle defended in numbers. The hosts also played a rugged and combative style off the ball and were often lucky to get away without bookings.
However, there was no real goalscoring chance on either end as the two teams were deadlocked 0-0 at the half-time interval.
The second half was a similar story to the first half for Arsenal as they struggled to muster shots on target despite dominating possession for lengthy spells. This allowed Newcastle United some much-needed breathing space as they looked to make the most of their home advantage.
Anthony Gordon opened the scoring in the 64th minute under controversial circumstances and the goal stood despite VAR checking three instances of impedance. Arsenal toiled until late in the contest but were unable to find an equalizer.
The game ended in a 1-0 win for Newcastle United, who climbed up to sixth following the result.
On that note, let's take a look at the Gunners' player ratings from the game.
Arsenal Player Ratings
David Raya - 6.5/10
Raya had a subpar game and often struggled to deal with whipped crosses, conceding a goal in a similar situation.
Benjamin White - 6.5/10
White had a rather poor performance and was partly at fault for Newcastle's goal as he was caught ball-watching. He played one key pass and made two interceptions.
William Saliba - 6.5/10
Saliba made a good start to the game and played well. He won three duels, making two clearances and one interception. He also played two long balls.
Gabriel Magalhaes - 7/10
Gabriel was a solid presence in defense and had a good game apart from the chaos leading to Newcastle's goal. He won five duels, making three clearances and two blocks.
Takehiro Tomiyasu - 6.5/10
Tomiyasu was favored for the start owing to his defensive prowess. He won three duels, making one interception and one clearance.
Jorginho - 7/10
Jorginho often looked out of place in midfield with long shots and misplaced passes. He played one key pass and attempted two shots off-target.
Declan Rice - 7.5/10
Declan Rice was a shining light in a rather dull Arsenal XI as he had a great game in midfield. He passed the ball with 89% accuracy, including one key pass and four long balls. He also won four duels.
Kai Havertz - 6.5/10
Havertz had a decent game but was booked for a wild lunge in the first half. He won nine duels and made four tackles.
Bukayo Saka - 7/10
Saka had a decent game on the flanks but was unable to make an impact in front of the goal. He won seven duels and attempted one shot that was blocked.
Edward Nketiah - 6.5/10
Nketiah struggled to get a foothold in the game as Newcastle's center-backs kept him on his toes throughout with their high defensive line. He played one key pass and attempted just one shot that was off-target.
Gabriel Martinelli - 7.5/10
Martinelli was active on the left flank and was eager to make things happen as he took matters into his own hands at times. He won five duels, played five key passes and completed two dribbles.
Substitutes
Oleksandr Zinchenko - 6.5/10
Zinchenko replaced White in the second half and put in a decent performance.
Leandro Trossard - 6/10
Trossard replaced Nketiah in the second period but was unable to make the desired impact on the proceedings.
Fabio Vieira - 6/10
Vieira replaced Jorginho late in the game and put in a decent cameo.
