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Arsenal continued their climb in the Premier League table with a comfortable win over Newcastle United on Saturday. The Gunners had control of the game from the start. Goals from Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli helped them get the three points in the end.
Mikel Arteta was looking for a response from his players after the Liverpool defeat and a near-perfect game from them. Speaking to the media after the win, the Arsenal manager said:
"It was really important to win and bounce back as you mentioned. It was a game that had different phases in the first half and we were able to change the game when we wanted, but without really threatening or hurting them enough."
He added:
"We lacked some urgency and some composure in the final third to deliver better balls. We didn't hit the target enough with the attempts that we had and in the second half we had to maintain and not be impatient to lose any structure in our play because we were controlling them quite well, but we needed to threaten much more certain spaces and I think we did. We scored the two goals and after that the game was in our control."
The win helped Arsenal go level on points with West Ham United in the table. The Gunners cemented their place in the 5th spot for the time being. Here are Arsenal's 5 best players from the Newcastle United win:
#5 - Takehiro Tomiyasu
After being linked with Tottenham Hotspur all summer, Takehiro Tomiyasu ended up joining Arsenal to replace Hector Bellerin. So far, the Japanese has been miles ahead of the Spaniard in terms of performance. He has shown the Gunners what they have missed for so long.
Tomiyasu was excellent in attack, making pinpoint crosses for Arsenal. He was not called into action a lot in defense. But when he had to be there, the right-back was in the right place and blocked all attempts by the Magpies.
The assist to Martinelli for Arsenal's second goal was just the icing on top of the cake.
#4 - Sambi Lokonga
Sambi Lokonga was a signing that caught a lot of people off guard. He was seen as a long-term replacement for Granit Xhaka and not an immediate improvement to the starting XI. The Belgian, however, has been on top of his game and seems to have cemented his place in the starting XI.
The young midfielder created six chances for Arsenal, more than the entire Newcastle United side could manage.
#3 - Gabriel Martinelli
Gabriel Martinelli's time on the pitch this season has been limited. But things might change for good after his performance against Newcastle United. The Brazilian showed his class and proved to be the best-attacking player on the pitch.
The run into the Newcastle United box, followed by the delicate touch to score the goal, was easily the highlight of the game. The goal came just 93 seconds after he came on, and it was enough to help Arsenal win the game with ease.
Speaking after the game, Martinelli said:
"Yeah I need to be patient as I always say, if I play 10 or 20 minutes, I have to play well and be ready to play. I love the fans, I'm so happy to be here, playing for this club and I'm so happy for the victory. We knew that the game was going to be hard, but we came prepared to the game and I'm so happy."
#2 - Nuno Tavares
Nuno Tavares might not be good at taking shots at goals, but he is not afraid of trying from the start to the end. The left-back was shooting at all chances on Saturday. However, none of them really troubled Martin Dubravka in the Newcastle United goal.
Nonetheless, Tavares was exceptional in the game and did not give the Magpies any chance to get past him. While attacking, he was beating the opponents for pace. He was making sure enough passes were going to the attackers upfront instead of pointlessly passing the ball backward to play safe.
His random shots on goal reduced in the second half. It might not be a surprise if Mikel Arteta spoke to him about the same during the break.
#1 - Bukayo Saka
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Emile Smith Rowe were not at their best against Newcastle United. Arsenal needed someone else to step up and deliver. Bukayo Saka was ready to grab the moment. The youngster scored the opening goal 11 minutes after the break.
The goal proved vital as Newcastle United lost confidence and their desperate attempt to grab a win this season failed. Saka ended the game with 50 touches, six duels won, three shots, two chances created, two shots on target and one goal.
Unfortunately, he also got injured soon after his goal and was subbed off. Speaking about the injury, Arteta said:
"Yeah, it was an action where he said he felt something and wasn't comfortable to continue and we'll have to assess him tomorrow and probably scan him and see if there's any injury there."
Arsenal are now up to 5th in the league table and face Manchester United this week.
