Time was quickly operating out for Arsenal.
With 83 minutes on the clock, Newcastle United have been nonetheless in entrance at St James’ Park courtesy of a robust header from Nick Woltemade.
And it appeared like being a kind of days for the guests.
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A penalty award had earlier been overturned following an intervention from the video assistant referee (VAR) after Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope appeared to convey down Viktor Gyokeres.
Leandro Trossard noticed an effort crash off the publish.
Pope made excellent saves to maintain out a pair of volleys from Eberechi Eze and a header from Jurrien Timber.
However not solely did Arsenal equalise by way of substitute Mikel Merino – they gained because of Gabriel’s dramatic stoppage-time purpose.
No marvel supervisor Mikel Arteta celebrated wildly on the touchline as his facet moved inside a few factors of league leaders Liverpool.
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“To win within the method that we have now completed it, wow, what a sense,” he informed Match of the Day. “Soccer is about emotion and going by way of issues and right now we had a stupendous one on the finish of the match.
“That’s the way you get to a unique degree. By going by way of these moments and take these classes from it.
“It was a large alternative to make an announcement and to show to all people and ourselves the workforce that we’re.”
Arteta performs trump playing cards
Arteta has felt very totally different feelings on current visits to St James’.
Newcastle had gained every of their earlier three house video games towards Arsenal in all competitions.
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There was an edge to those matches lately – one which has tended to convey out the most effective out of Newcastle.
And Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe has lengthy informed his gamers they play higher once they hit that “candy spot of aggression and competitiveness”.
“We’re rivals,” midfielder Joelinton roared earlier than the sport. “We need to compete. We need to win.”
If Joelinton’s phrases didn’t fireplace up his team-mates sufficient, Jamaal Lascelles wrote in his pre-match programme notes about how taking part in at a febrile St James’ “makes you’re feeling like you possibly can run by way of a brick wall”.
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That was the problem Arsenal confronted – not least after going behind within the first half – as the house assist roared at tackles and blocks.
There have been even taunts of “Mikel Arteta – it should be the ball” in reference to the Arsenal supervisor’s clarification for his facet lacking the goal when these groups met within the Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg final season.
But Arteta had a few acquainted trump playing cards to fall again on: his bench and set-plays – and never for the primary time.
Substitutes Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Martinelli beforehand linked up for the equaliser towards Manchester Metropolis. Martinelli and Trossard each scored after coming off the bench versus Athletic Membership within the Champions League. Trossard helped seal the midweek EFL Cup win at Port Vale after being thrown on as a alternative.
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This time, it was Merino’s flip to make an influence.
‘Preserve doing what we do’
What’s it about this facet and set-plays?
For context, for the reason that begin of the 2023-24 season, Arsenal have scored 36 targets from corners within the Premier League – 15 greater than every other facet on this interval.
Arsenal’s prowess from set-pieces finally turned this recreation on its head.
From the primary, within the 84th minute, Arsenal took a brief nook earlier than Declan Rice swung the ball into the field.
Merino acquired there in entrance of Sven Botman to look the ball in off the publish.
And the choice to go quick definitely didn’t go unnoticed by Match of the Day pundit Joe Hart.
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“Rice was keen to do one thing off the cuff [for the goal],” the previous Manchester Metropolis goalkeeper informed BBC Sport. “That’s somebody who will not be bothered concerning the issues Arsenal had confronted, that was somebody searching for an answer and, at that second in time, that was the answer.
“When he must make the last-ditch tackles, that is what he does and when he must do one thing particular, like that type of blind not far away ball on to Merino’s head, that was a particular little bit of play that his workforce wanted.”
Merino beforehand spent a season at Newcastle, however there was no probability of the Spaniard reining in his celebration as he punched the air.
But it surely was instructive that every Arsenal participant raced again to their very own half so the sport may get again below means.
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They sensed there was one other twist to return – and it arrived within the 96th minute.
After going quick for his or her equaliser, Arsenal went direct and one other substitute, Martin Odegaard, arrange Gabriel, who headed house on the close to publish.
The away find yourself within the gods may scarcely consider it – despite the fact that this facet are making a behavior of scoring late targets.
“That reveals quite a bit and never solely set-pieces technique but in addition mentality,” Merino informed Match of the Day. “Different groups, in the event that they get six or seven corners and so they do not rating, they begin to lose perception within the qualities.
“However, for us, it is a matter of maintain doing what we do, doing it on the highest degree and, in the long run, the final one, the final second, we scored and I am actually glad.”
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It is rather early days, after all, however this felt like a well timed check of Arsenal’s credentials as title challengers that the Gunners discovered a method to cross.
After watching champions Liverpool slip up towards Crystal Palace on Saturday, Arteta’s workforce finally took benefit.
Slightly than remaining 5 factors behind, Arsenal have as an alternative closed the hole.
“The character they confirmed right now was as spectacular because the consequence,” England ladies’s file scorer Ellen White informed BBC Sport. “St James’ Park has been such a tough place for them to go, and so they have had some tough video games there just lately with possibly some issues not fairly going their means.
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“We noticed that once more at the start of this recreation as nicely, so to indicate that grit, dedication and togetherness and have the character to return by way of such a bodily recreation – there have been some massive hits stepping into, with a variety of massive tackles and relentless operating as nicely – was so spectacular.”