Newcastle vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction as Isak hurts Gunners’ title bid

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

It seems as though Mikel 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.

It was at the start of the October international window, around the time Manchester United’s hierarchy held a now infamous seven-hour meeting deliberating on the future of Erik ten Hag, that the club first approached Ruben Amorim. The initial response wasn’t effusive, which is one reason Ten Hag remained in a job that bit longer than he might have. Although many in football expected the situation to continue interminably, this time there was a difference. United, in the words of one senior football figure, were going to “start acting like a big club”.

Amorim, who was confirmed as the successor to Ten Hag on Friday, had been open to the move but was reluctant to leave Sporting mid-season. In the way that often happens in such situations, however, the sense of opportunity was persistently playing on his mind. United similarly felt there was a chance for a statement. Liverpool got close to Amorim last season. Manchester City were thought to be considering the 39-year-old as a potential successor to Pep Guardiola, although it was conspicuous how keen figures within the champions were to point out there was no active interest. Major clubs like Bayern Munich and Barcelona have been monitoring him. United saw this was a rare chance to get “the next big thing”. They went back in strong, and Amorim was open to it. He realised how much he wanted the job.

Unai Emery insists Tottenham are bigger contenders to finish in the Premier League’s top four than his Aston Villa side this season.

Villa visit north London on Sunday having made a bright start to the campaign and sit five points better off.

They have also topped Spurs in the table in the last two seasons, but the Spaniard says the budget of Tottenham means they are favourites for the match and to finish above them in the league.

Newcastle’s next match is away to high-flying Nottingham Forest – that kicks-off at 2pm on Sunday, 10 November.

Arsenal travel to Milan to face Inter Milan in the Champions League in midweek, before they play Chelsea away in the 4.30pm kick-off on Sunday.

Eddie Howe calls today “a massive win against a really good team”.

“I need to see it again to understand the details of our performance. [It was] maybe a slightly different game to the one we expected it to be.

“Arsenal played well, and we were content to defend well, [I’m] really pleased with our defensive performance. 

“I thought Anthony [Gordon] did a brilliant shift defensively, [he] was a threat going the other way as well. Joelinton’s defensive performance to help Lewis [Hall], who defended well himself, was key.

“Those details were big for us today. You need the right attitude, you need to be selfless for the team.

 “There was balance. they’re a very good side. To beat them shows our qualities.

“There’s a lot of positives, but we’ve been inconsistent. The league is so different, it’s probably the closest Premier League that I’ve known. 

“You have to defend well against these teams, and you have to  have threats the other way. It was a brilliant, un-Alex goal.

On his time in charge, he adds: “It’s gone by in a flash, but I’m still proud to represent this club. I’m really enjoying the club and the challenge.”

Arteta looks understandably disappointed as he speaks to TNT.

“We started really well, were dominant, but we didnt defend the goal well enough.

“From there the game changes. The moment they go ahead, you are going to play a different game. We didn’t find enough answers to the questions. 

“Certain situations, we didn’t cope with them well enough, we got dragged into things.

“We can say whatever we want, we’re not going to find the right words today, but we have to show it on the pitch on Wednesday night. 

“It’s always the case [with fine margins]. The opposition that you play, you have to be at your best.”

That result has put Newcastle up into eighth, with 15 points after 10 games.

Arsenal stay third for now, on 18 points, though they call fall as far as seventh if Villa, Brighton, Forest and Chelsea win this weekend.

We’re around 10 minutes from the 3pm kick-offs getting started today, so here’s a reminder of those games:

Bournemouth vs Manchester City

Liverpool vs Brighton

Ipswich vs Leicester City

Southampton vs Everton

Nottingham Forest vs West Ham

Lewis Hall was awarded man of the match, so he’s been speaking to TNT too. He calls today “a really good performance from us”.

“We know what they can bring, how competitive they are.

 “Bukayo is an amazing player, so going into the game I was thinking, ‘if i can keep him a quiet as possible, then I’ve done my job’.

“We know the quality that their wingers have got, we know how good their movements are, so it’s just about stopping balls into the box, and those slipped passes through.

“I’ve absolutely loved my time at Newcastle. I think I’ve improved massively, the defensive part of my game. I’m just focusing on playing well for Newcastle.

On Howe: “He’s got a side in him where, if we need a bit more, he can give us that”.

“We didnt have the greatest start performance-wise, but we picked up a few results. Now we’re getting the results and playing good football, that’s something we can build on for sure.”

Goalscorer Isak is speaking to TNT pitchside, and he says that the result is “a bit of a statement”.

“That was massive. Big game against a big team, I think it means a lot and it’s a bit of a statement. 

“[Heading is] not my strongest quality, but it feels good to score. 

On the atmosphere today, he adds: “It’s special, of course our fans are amazing every game, win or lose, so of course it gives you an extra boost.

“Arsenal have a strong defence, so it’s a difficult task, but I’m happy that we could score and keep a clean sheet. 

“We’ve had a bad spell, but hopefully this win can be an icebreaker for us,” he says as he finishes.