Alan Pardew says last-gasp defeat 'tough' on Newcastle

Alan Pardew says Thomas Vermaelen's last-minute winner for Arsenal was "tough to take" for his "tired" Newcastle side, whom he felt deserved some reward from their 2-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

Pardew praises winger Hatem Ben Arfa's "work rate and quality" after the Frenchman opened the scoring, but says the Magpies "switched off" for Arsenal's equaliser just a minute later, with the Gunners going on to become the first team ever to come from behind to win four games in a row in the Premier League.