Arsenal 1 Newcastle 0 – We lost when we should have won | OneFootball

Arsenal 1 Newcastle 0 – Sunday 18 May 4.30pm

We lost when we should have won.

Raya was the player of the match, cold comfort on an afternoon that ended with our Champions League hopes still in the balance.

Lacking a lethal striker because of Isak’s tight groin, we paid a heavy price. The defeat will count for little if we beat Everton next Sunday but this is the squeakiest of squeaky backside times.

After 15 minutes we should have scored four but could have conceded two. Both teams were going for it as if their Champions League future was at stake.

Our 3-4-2-1 was well on top against a sloppy Arsenal. Sadly, we couldn’t make our strong start count.

In the first 35 minutes the one-time football purists relied almost entirely on corner kicks and long throws. Pope made one outstanding close-range save from a flicked header while Raya was fully tested at least four times.

His distribution gave us several openings, with Tonali anticipating where the dodgy keeper would try to find a teammate.

Wilson was understandably looking less than razor sharp, one of the main reasons the first half was goalless.

Havertz was cheered by most in the less-than-full stadium when he warmed up, vigorously swinging his arms as he prepared to rejoin battle with our three centre-backs.

One point would have been a miserly return after we had outplayed the Woolwich for 45 minutes (no time added for stoppages).

The fear was, of course, that we would fall to a sucker punch, which obviously would have been a disgrace. Calafiori replaced Saliba for the second half, a morale boost for United.

Arsenal pressed us back but failed to break through. Their corner count reached double figures after 50 minutes as we stood firm without finding our earlier fluidity.

On 55 minutes Gordon lost the ball badly about 30 yards out on the left, Arsenal pounced and Rice swept the ball into the far corner, giving Pope no chance.

We had shot ourselves in the foot. Botman blocked a full-blooded Saka drive with his forehead as our subs were prepared. Osula, Miley and Krafth replaced Murphy, Botman and Wilson on 64 minutes, soon after we wasted a corner.

Krafth was immediately booked for hauling down Martinelli as his teammates screamed for a red card.

Osula was only a split-second short of reaching a Guimaraes through ball as we tried to respond but Arsenal were in charge.

They were timewasting with more than 20 minutes to go, a dangerous approach that allowed us to get back on the front foot.

We won a rare corner that again came to nothing. On 75 minutes Havertz replaced Saka and Willock replaced Barnes, just after the winger fired high over the bar from the edge of the box.

Havertz clattered into the back of Tonali 28 yards out but Schar smashed the free-kick straight into the defensive wall.

We were running out of time and options. Havertz went unpunished after crashing into Burn, who found himself penalised seconds later.

Arteta was cautioned for deliberately delaying a United throw but there was no sign of a desperately needed equaliser.

Willock blazed wide from a tight angle 10 yards out as we pushed teammates into the Arsenal box.

The balance of play was swinging our way, though we lacked the precision to open a massed defence.

Into the last five minutes of official time and Tierney replaced Trossard.

Play was being broken up to stop us building momentum, which was clearly Arsenal’s aim. Two quick fouls by Odegaard summed up their ambitions.

Raya threw himself to the ground in the five minutes of stoppage time but the referee allowed him to waste vital seconds.

Inevitably, Havertz smashed an arm into the face of Schar and was booked. He is a truly revolting footballer. We mounted a late cavalry charge but, with Pope up for the corner, Raya clutched Osula’s header.

Kiwior was booked for prompting a melee at the corner. The game ended in confusion after nine minutes of stoppage time caused by Arsenal’s antics.

The first half was ours, the second half was Arsenal’s. They scored the only goal, which in the end was all that mattered.

Arsenal 1 Newcastle 0 – Sunday 18 May 4.30pm

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Arsenal:

Rice 55

Possession was Newcastle 48% Arsenal 52%

Total shots were Newcastle 14 Arsenal 12

Shots on target were Newcastle 5 Arsenal 4

Corners were Newcastle 7 Arsenal 10

Touches in the box Newcastle 33 Arsenal 33

Newcastle team v Arsenal:

Pope, Botman (Krafth 64), Schar, Burn, Livramento, Gordon, Tonali, Bruno, Barnes (Willock 76), Wilson (Osula 64), Murphy (Miley 63)

Unused Subs: