Newcastle United secured their seventh consecutive Premier League victory with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Arsenal, marking the Gunners’ first league defeat of the season. However, VAR official Andy Madley found himself in the spotlight with a lengthy review process before the decisive goal was awarded.
In a clash between two of the Premier League’s in-form teams, the match took some time to find its rhythm, with Arsenal controlling much of the play in the early stages. Both teams struggled to create goal-scoring opportunities, with William Saliba and Eddie Nketiah narrowly missing their chances. Newcastle’s Callum Wilson had his attempt over the bar, but it would have been ruled out for offside anyway, leaving the St James’ Park crowd frustrated.
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Tensions began to rise, and Kai Havertz was fortunate to escape a red card after a challenge on Sean Longstaff, which sparked protests from Newcastle’s players, resulting in yellow cards for Fabian Schär, Anthony Gordon, and Longstaff. On the other hand, Bruno Guimarães avoided punishment for an off-the-ball incident involving Jorginho.
The second half continued to be intense, with Havertz treading a fine line after another challenge on Wilson. Referee Stuart Attwell remained unmoved on this occasion. The match was in danger of being remembered more for its heated exchanges than for goal-scoring opportunities.
However, it was Newcastle who finally broke the deadlock in a scrappy manner, with Anthony Gordon scoring from close range after David Raya mishandled Joe Willock’s cross. The goal, though, went through a lengthy VAR review, examining whether Willock’s cross went out of play, whether Joelinton had fouled Gabriel in the build-up, and whether there was an offside infringement. Ultimately, no conclusive evidence was found, and the goal was allowed to stand.
The victory proved crucial for a resurgent Newcastle side, emphasizing that their impressive form in the 2022/23 season was no fluke. Under Eddie Howe’s management, the Magpies currently sit in sixth place, just three points behind the top four. For Arsenal, this loss leaves them three points adrift of league leaders Manchester City, and they will be keen to bounce back from their first league defeat of the season.
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