Arsenal ended their slump in form with Eberechi Eze’s superb early goal to secure an ugly 1-0 home win against Newcastle United and regain top spot in the Premier League on Saturday.
After successive league defeats to Bournemouth and Manchester City, Arsenal were knocked off the top by City on Wednesday for the first time since October, but responded by securing three crucial points. It was far from convincing, and the quality of Eze’s sublime goal in the ninth minute was at odds with the rest of a struggling performance from Mikel Arteta’s side, but all that mattered for the hosts was getting back to winning ways.
The nervousness around the stadium was evident during a tense match and there was relief when Newcastle substitute Yoane Wissa fired a glorious late chance over the bar. With Manchester City otherwise involved in the FA Cup semi-final, Arsenal seized the opportunity to move to 73 points from 34 games, while City were on 70 from 33.
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“It will never be a smooth road,” Arteta said. «We knew at half-time that we wanted to score the second goal, but we weren’t efficient enough. But we did it.»
Newcastle’s fourth consecutive league defeat and thirteenth in the last fourteen league visits to Arsenal left the side in fourteenth place and increased pressure on Eddie Howe, although he said he was pleased with his side’s improved play.
“I can’t be too critical of the players today, it was a much better performance,” Howe said.
Arsenal’s stuttering run over the past month started with a tame defeat in the League Cup final against Manchester City, followed by a surprise defeat to second division Southampton in the FA Cup.
But it was back-to-back league defeats and the evaporation of a nine-point lead in the title race that really gave Arsenal a scare as they seek a first Premier League crown since 2004.
Reset pieces to save
While Saturday’s performance will hardly have left Manchester City shaking in their boots, Arsenal’s ability to capitalize on set routines is not in question.
Eze’s goal was the 17th time Arsenal have scored from a corner this season – a Premier League record – but this was a variation on the usual routine.
Twice in the opening minutes the Gunners used a short corner instead of the usual high throw into the area. The first two had little effect, although Eze did shoot a shot wide from the second.
When another corner came shortly afterwards, the ball was played low in the box to Kai Havertz, who passed it back to Eze just outside the box and in one fluid movement he curled a right-footed shot away from the helpless Nick Pope.
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It should have calmed Arsenal’s nerves and provided a comfortable spring evening against struggling Newcastle, whose season has reached the buffers.
In reality, it was never comfortable. Arsenal were strangely passive for the remainder of the first half and Newcastle occasionally threatened, with Sandro Tonali’s dipping low drive almost catching up with David Raya.
Havertz limped off in the first half and was replaced by Viktor Gyokeres, and Eze left early in the second half.
“Muscular complaints, we don’t think they are too much,” said Arteta, whose side will face Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday.
With Arsenal seemingly unable or unwilling to close out the match, anxiety levels increased in the latter stages and had Wissa shown more composure with the goal open, Arsenal would have handed City another gift.
On the plus side, the team showed commendable durability, Bukayo Saka returned from the bench after a month’s absence and Arsenal will have the chance to widen the gap to six points when they host Fulham next weekend, before City’s turn in the competition.
Published on April 26, 2026
