Arsenal score two late goals to come from behind and beat Newcastle
Merino and Gabriel net in 84th and 96th minutes as Gunners up to second
Woltemade had given Newcastle first-half lead
Mikel Arteta's side awarded first-half penalty for Pope foul on Gykores - decision overturned by VAR
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Newcastle v Arsenal (16:30 BST)
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe says there is always an edge to this fixture.
"It's always been competitive against Arsenal in the games that I've been here, and there has been an edge to those games because both teams are desperate to win," he said.
"We encourage that. The more competitive we are, the better we play - so we need to bring that side of our game."
Newcastle v Arsenal (16:30 BST)
Julien Laurens
European football expert on BBC Radio 5 Live
Image source, Getty ImagesTo have a midfield three that is probably one that complements each other the most in the Premier League, Joelinton with Bruno and Tonali they just have everything.
Yes, Tonali cost money and Bruno too. You invest money. You don't really spend. That investment is key and it is an investment that at some point the players have to pay back.
Even after they have had some circumstances that mean they could not spend and spend and spend. But it is a team that is so well built.
Newcastle v Arsenal (16:30 BST)
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says there is always a great atmosphere at St James' Park.
"Incredibly beautiful," he said.
"One of the best atmospheres in this country. They play every single ball with you. It's electric. It's one team in one city. It's a great atmosphere to play in."
Newcastle v Arsenal (16:30 BST)
Conor Coady
Wrexham defender on BBC Radio 5 Live
Image source, Getty ImagesEddie Howe has bought into the football club, in terms of it being a religion for people.
What Howe has done is buy into that religion and create a team that doesn't stop. When you go play against them it is like you're being suffocated.
Howe has done an incredible job.
Newcastle v Arsenal (16:30 BST)
Ciaran Kelly
BBC Sport reporter at St James' Park
Record signing Nick Woltemade starts for Newcastle United as the hosts make six changes against Arsenal.
Nick Pope, Jacob Murphy, Dan Burn, Tino Livramento and Sandro Tonali also come back into the starting line-up after head coach Eddie Howe rotated his side in the midweek win against Bradford City in the Carabao Cup.
It looks like Newcastle could line up with a back five.
Newcastle XI: Pope, Murphy, Thiaw, Botman, Burn, Livramento, Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Gordon, Woltemade
Subs: Ramsdale, Trippier, Lascelles, Barnes, Krafth, Osula, Elanga, Willock, Miley
Bukayo Saka is fit to make his first league start in a month as Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta also freshens up his side.
David Raya, Jurrien Timber, Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice and Viktor Gyokeres come in following the midweek win against Port Vale.
Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Eze, Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard
Subs: Kepa, Saliba, Lewis-Skelly, White, Odegaard, Norgaard, Merino, Martinelli, Dowman
Newcastle v Arsenal (16:30 BST)
Julien Laurens
European football expert on BBC Radio 5 Live
At kick-off nobody expected City to park the bus at the Emirates, whereas today we all know how Newcastle are going to play today.
The atmosphere, the physicality, the intensity - you know that's how they're going to start.
Mikel Arteta's approach to the game is that he knows what they will face today. Newcastle are not going to be a curveball unlike Guardiola last week.
Newcastle v Arsenal (16:30 BST)
Arsenal's Bukayo Saka makes his first Premier League start in over a month following injury.
Anthony Gordon is back in the Newcastle XI following a three-game domestic ban.
Full team news to follow.
Newcastle v Arsenal (16:30 BST)
Ashley Williams
Former Wales defender on Football Focus
When you’re playing in the Premier League for a number of years there is a certain stadium and team which you’re not comfortable playing against every year.
This becomes the case for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal. The Newcastle game is a must-win because you want to win the league.
Image source, Getty ImagesNewcastle v Arsenal (16:30 BST)
Julien Laurens
European football expert on BBC Radio 5 Live
I think going into the weekend probably a few Arsenal fans and players think, ‘OK this could be a draw between Palace and Liverpool.
Now Liverpool have lost their first game of the season it is even more important that Arsenal capitalise.
Newcastle v Arsenal (16:30 BST)
Tim Krul
Former Newcastle goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live
For Arsenal, it has been a difficult place for them. Newcastle are looking to get a result.
If Arsenal get a win here, that will give them the confidence to kick on and really be a title challenger.
Image source, Getty ImagesNewcastle v Arsenal (16:30 BST)
Ciaran Kelly
BBC Sport reporter at St James' Park
What is it about this fixture?
There is not a historic rivalry between Newcastle United and Arsenal, but there has been a real edge to recent meetings, particularly at St James’ Park.
And that needle has brought the best out of Newcastle, who are bidding to win four home games in a row against the visitors for the first time since 1969.
The challenge Newcastle face today, of course, is to find a way past the meanest defence in the Premier League at a time when Eddie Howe’s side have struggled to find their goalscoring touch in the top-flight.
While this trip to Tyneside feels like a timely test of Arsenal’s credentials - even at this early stage of the season.
Arsenal, after all, could move within just a couple of points of league leaders Liverpool with a victory today.
But they are going to have to match Newcastle’s ferocious intensity from the very off to come away with a win.
Newcastle v Arsenal (16:30 BST)
Hello and welcome to live text commentary of Newcastle v Arsenal in the Premier League.
Image source, Getty ImagesLate Gabriel winner snatches victory for Arsenal against Newcastle
At a glance
Gabriel scores 96th-minute winner for Arsenal
Mikel Merino's header cancels out Nick Woltemade opener
Newcastle defender Tino Livramento carried off on stretcher
Gabriel scored a 96th-minute winner as Arsenal came from behind to beat Newcastle United in the Premier League at St James' Park.
The defender got his head on the end of Martin Odegaard's corner to send manager Mikel Arteta and his staff wild on the touchline.
Mikel Merino's late glancing header off the post cancelled out Nick Woltemade's Newcastle opener in a tempestuous game.
The Gunners took all three points to close the gap on league leaders Liverpool to two points and leave Newcastle floored.
Newcastle were on course for victory after the towering Woltemade easily rose above Gabriel to connect with Sandro Tonali's inswinging cross and power a header past Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.
Gabriel theatrically went down inside his own box after feeling contact - leading to Arsenal players surrounding referee Jarred Gillett - but the goal stood.
The irked visitors were also far from happy after having a penalty award overturned following an intervention from the video assistant referee (VAR) when an incident-filled game was still goalless.
Striker Viktor Gyokeres appeared to be taken down by Newcastle keeper Nick Pope on the quarter-hour mark.
Gillett pointed to the spot but changed his mind after consulting his pitchside monitor.
In an announcement to the stadium, Gillett ruled that Pope "played the ball and there was no foul".
Woltemade went on to put Newcastle in front, but Arsenal showed their powers of recovery to turn the game on its head.
How Arsenal kept their 'focus' to seal late win at Newcastle
Away days do not come much tougher.
Arsenal had lost their previous three fixtures at a raucous St James' Park in all competitions and looked to be heading for a fourth.
They found Pope in inspired form as he twice kept out volleys from Eberechi Eze, got down to low to claw away a header from Jurrien Timber and palmed a cross-shot from Bukayo Saka behind.
On the one occasion Pope looked beaten, in the first half, Leandro Trossard saw an effort crash off the bar.
But the last couple of weeks have taught us that Arsenal never know when they are beaten.
Late goals from substitutes Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli secured a Champions League win at Athletic Club and a dramatic equaliser from the latter earned a draw against Manchester City last week.
This time it was the turn of another substitute, Merino, to transform the game as he came back to haunt his former side.
But Arsenal were not content with just a point - they went for all three.
They got their reward from a familiar source - a set-piece - as Gabriel headed home at the near post to spark huge celebrations in the away end.
'Wow, what a feeling!' - Arteta beams after late Newcastle win
It was a case of deju vu for Newcastle.
Liverpool snatched a dramatic late victory at St James' Park with a stoppage-time goal last month, and Arsenal followed suit on Sunday.
Leading in the 83rd minute, Newcastle will rue how they did not at least come away with a point after conceding two late goals, particularly after finding a way to take the lead from a set-piece of their own.
Newcastle had been struggling to fire from set-plays in the opening weeks of the season despite the obvious height in the side.
But in a clever short routine Tonali played a one-two with Anthony Gordon before swinging over a cross.
The towering Woltemade barely had to jump to score his second goal in three league games since completing his club record £69m move from Stuttgart last month.
With his side in front, the German was given a standing ovation when he was replaced by William Osula midway through the second half.
But Newcastle looked affected by defender Tino Livramento coming off on a stretcher after landing awkwardly.
Newcastle had not conceded a goal from a set-play in the opening weeks of the campaign, but were ultimately undone by two corners.
The pain is intense - Howe on late defeat
Newcastle travel to Brussels to take on Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League on Wednesday before welcoming Nottingham Forest to St James' Park in the Premier League on 5 October.
Arsenal host Olympiakos in the Champions League on Wednesday and face West Ham at home in the Premier League on Saturday.
After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 15 |
| |
| 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 9 | 13 |
| |
| 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 12 |
| |
| 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 11 |
| |
| 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 11 |
| |
| 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 11 |
| |
| 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| |
| 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 8 |
| |
| 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 8 |
| |
| 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 8 | -1 | 8 |
| |
| 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 9 | -3 | 8 |
| |
| 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 7 |
| |
| 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 11 | -2 | 7 |
| |
| 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 11 | -4 | 7 |
| |
| 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 6 |
| |
| 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 6 |
| |
| 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 | -5 | 5 |
| |
| 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 13 | -7 | 4 |
| |
| 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 13 | -8 | 3 |
| |
| 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 13 | -9 | 1 |
|
Manager: Eddie Howe
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
Manager: Mikel Arteta
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Eddie Howe
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
Manager: Mikel Arteta
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Premier League
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
Newcastle United have won each of their last three home games against Arsenal in all competitions without conceding a single goal, while they last won four in a row at home to the Gunners in August 1969.
Under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal have only lost more away games at Manchester City in all competitions (5) than they have away to Newcastle United (4).
Newcastle have kept four clean sheets in their five Premier League games this season, conceding only in their 3-2 defeat to Liverpool. However, the Magpies have also failed to score in three of their five league games so far.
Newcastle have won just one of their last seven Premier League games (D3 L3), a run that started with a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal. They’ve failed to score in five of these seven games, as many times as they had in their previous 41 league games.
Arsenal have lost just one of their last 16 Premier League away games (W8 D7), though this did come last time out at Liverpool. Only twice since May 2022 have the Gunners lost consecutive league games on the road, with the second defeat both times coming at Newcastle (May 2022 and November 2024).
Newcastle have faced fewer shots (37) and have a lower xG against (2.6) than any other side in the Premier League this season. However, at the other end only Aston Villa (1.9%) have a lower shot conversion rate than the Magpies (5.6%).Â
Only David Brooks (11) has had more shots without scoring than Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon (10) in the Premier League this season, with Gordon also one of five players to record over 1.0 xG without netting (1.1).
No player has applied more pressures in either the final third (202) or in the opposition penalty area (85) so far this season than Arsenal’s Viktor Gyökeres.
Harvey Barnes’ next goal will be his 50th in the Premier League (35 for Leicester, 14 for Newcastle). However, Barnes has faced Arsenal more often without scoring than any other opponent in the top-flight (12).
With 54 goals and 45 assists, Bukayo Saka is one goal involvement away from becoming the eighth player to reach 100 for Arsenal in the Premier League. Aged 24 years and 23 days on the day of this game, he would be the second youngest to reach this milestone for the Gunners after Cesc FÃ bregas in 2010 (23y 237d).
