Early Newcastle goal dents title race hope for Gunners

Arsenal’s longest journey of the Premier League season once again turned out be their most dispiriting.

- RICHARD JOLLY

Two-and-a-half years ago, their challenge for a Champions League place ground to a halt against Newcastle at St James’ Park. Now a title challenge may have reached a premature end on Tyneside. Certainly, Arsenal have seven months to assess just how damaging a third defeat in four visits will prove.

With one point from a possible nine, with a second successive away loss, they have stumbled when they needed to surge. This time, the loss of points was not due to a loss of players. Arsenal finished with the full 11 but with a solitary shot on target. Nor could this be attributed to the officiating, unlike last autumn’s loss to Newcastle. Instead, they were unsuccessful and uninspired, shorn of ideas and incision. “We deserved to lose,” admitted Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta. “It is not about winning the title, it is about being our best version every week.” They weren’t, leaving him speechless: “We will struggle to find the words today.”

They needed a footballing eloquence, too. It seems as though Arteta’s gameplan has been pared back to keeping a clean sheet and scoring with a moment of quality. Instead, Newcastle did that, Alexander Isak’s early goal stemming from Anthony Gordon’s pinpoint cross. Just as they had done at Bournemouth, Arsenal failed to score.