Arsenal 4 : 0 Newcastle

Arsenal’s unbeaten 2020 continues after a convincing 4-0 win over Newcastle. Goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (54′) and Nicolas Pepe (57′) transformed a goalless match into a cake walk. Mesut Ozil added a goal on the whistle through Dubravka’s jelly hands, before Alexandre Lacazette completed the rout.

The Gunners’ unbeaten run now stretches to nine games. They have also now won 14 of the last 15 home league games against Newcastle. Both sides began the day with 31 points from 25 games, but that was as level as it ever was.

Newcastle shone for the first 15 minutes and then switched off with the Gunners completely dominant thereafter.

Valentino Lazaro had the game’s first chance on five, but was denied by a late interjection. Bernd Leno saved his side after a humdrum long range effort was deflected into the other corner eight minutes later. There the Newcastle challenge ended when the Gunners moved up half a gear.

Aubameyang fired straight at Dubravka after Ozil’s excellent pass on 32 and five minutes later Eddie Nketiah fired straight at the same guardian from further out but with a far better angle.

Finally the Geordies’ keeper was made to work with  a great save from Dubravka from a Pepe free kick keeping the scores level. The corner produced a further scramble.

Nketiah was the culprit again five minutes after half time, scooping over when surely it was easier to hit the target after good work by Ozil and Pepe. It was only a matter of time.

And after the interval came the deluge.

A Pepe cross from the right was well headed home by Aubemeyang who leapt like a salmon and hung in the air as if possessing butterflies wings before Bukayo Saka created a marvelous chance for Pepe to double the lead two minutes later as he left two defenders flat footed. Pepe this time made no mistake.

From 0-0, it had become 2-0 in three minutes.

Ciaran Clark’s effort at the other end was toe poked wide by David Luiz and that was the last indication Newcastle could take anything from the game, although Alan Saint-Maximin hit the post with a later chance.

Late goals by Ozul and substitute Lacazette added a gloss to the scoreline which few can say flattered the Gunners who were simply too good on the day for their Tyneside visitors.

Arsenal can now look upward towards the chase for a Europa league place, perhaps buoyed also by the ban on Manchester City which creates an extra opportunity. Newcastle should have enough to avoid the drop although they will not want to many more performances like this one.

Teams:

Arsenal: Leno; Bellerin, Ceballos (Torreira 83′), Ozil (Willock 92′), Aubameyang (c), Pepe, Mustafi, Luiz, Nketiah (Lacazette 85′), Xhaka, Saka

Subs: Martinez (GK), Sokratis, Kolasinac, Martinelli

Newcastle: Dubravka; Clark (Schar 85′), Lascelles (c), Joelinton, Saint-Maximin, Fernandez (Ritchie 74′), Lazaro (Hayden 74′) , Almiron, Rose, Sean Longstaff, Bentaleb

Subs: Darlow (GK), Lejeune, Atsu, Matty Longstaff

Referee: Lee Mason.
Assistants: Ian Hussin, Harry Lennard.
Fourth official: Andy Madley.
VAR: Kevin Friend. Assistant VAR: Stephen Child.