Chijioke Gabriel
At St. James’ Park, Arsenal pulled off a dramatic comeback on Sunday evening, snatching all three points from Newcastle United in a Premier League thriller decided by a 96th-minute Gabriel header.
For much of the contest, it looked as though the Magpies, buoyed by their recent home dominance, would frustrate Mikel Arteta’s side again. Nick Woltemade’s towering first-half header had given Newcastle the advantage, and with goalkeeper Nick Pope in inspired form, the home fans sensed another scalp.
Arsenal, however, refused to yield. Their intensity was evident from the onset—Bukayo Saka pressed relentlessly, Viktor Gyokeres probed with purpose, and Eberechi Eze forced Pope into early saves. Even when a penalty was awarded and then overturned by VAR after Pope’s challenge on Gyokeres, the Gunners kept pressing.
Newcastle struck first in the 33rd minute, punishing a defensive lapse. From a clever short corner routine, Sandro Tonali’s delivery found Woltemade, who shrugged off Gabriel’s challenge and headed powerfully home. The 6’6” German forward’s goal underlined Newcastle’s set-piece threat and sent the home crowd into raptures.
Arsenal’s frustration grew as Pope made stop after stop—denying Eze, Trossard, and even Jurrien Timber with reflex saves. By the hour mark, the Magpies’ fifth clean sheet of the season seemed inevitable.
But Mikel Arteta’s changes paid off late on. Former Newcastle man Mikel Merino, introduced as a substitute, ghosted into the box to meet Declan Rice’s delivery from a short corner in the 83rd minute. His header, brushing off the post, silenced the Geordie faithful and gave Arsenal a deserved equaliser.
Just when it seemed the points would be shared, Arsenal delivered the ultimate sucker punch deep into stoppage time. Another Odegaard corner, another leap of faith—this time from Gabriel Magalhães, who powered a header beyond Pope to send the away end into ecstasy.
The 2-1 win ended Arsenal’s four-game losing run at St. James’ Park and narrowed the gap at the top of the table to just two points behind leaders Liverpool.
For Arteta, it was not just about the victory but the manner of it—a team that refused to buckle under pressure, and one that showed its set-piece evolution.
Arsenal now turn their attention to a Champions League clash with Olympiacos on Wednesday before hosting West Ham United next Saturday. Newcastle, left to rue missed chances, will look to regroup quickly ahead of their next fixture.