“Your comment about Arsenal wearing slippers and puffing on a pipe reminds of the MBM comment (can’t remember who was the scribe) about Fulham being completely comfortable seconds before Newcastle equalised,” recalls Richard Hirst. “In fact, thinking back over the season, I think the MBM writers are wholly to blame for Fulham’s impending relegation: who can I sue?”
Sadly MBM scribes have been known to be wrong, occasionally. Meanwhile, Arsenal are back on the pitch and Newcastle appear to be gathering on a staircase.
Meanwhile in Manchester:
45+3 mins: And that’s half-time. Newcastle are 12-24 down across all first halves this season, and for some reason are a much better second-half team. They certainly couldn’t be a lot worse after this interval. Saint-Maximin has provided a bit of fun, but nobody else has provided very much, and Arsenal have dominated.
45+2 mins: The first minute of stoppage time was almost entirely stoppage, after Aubameyang won a free-kick on Arsenal’s left. Then it’s sent into the box, headed out, and Almiron is fouled. We have had about six seconds of stoppage-time play so far.
45+1 mins: There will be two minutes of stoppage time.
45 mins: Newcastle win a corner, and from the corner they win a header, but Wilson’s effort goes over the bar.
43 mins: Odegaard sends the free-kick straight into the wall.
Photograph: Lee Smith/AP
42 mins: Almiron accidentally trips Odegaard, a few yards outside the Newcastle area. The referee blows his whistle, but decides not to show Almiron the yellow card which would have led to one of football’s most unfortunate reds.
39 mins: Arsenal keep the ball for a long while without ever doing anything threatening with it. Eventually Willian, whose overhit cross from the right almost gave it away earlier only for Ceballos to chase it down, underhits a pass.
36 mins: Another free header from the next corner, but this time David Luiz’s effort is team, and Dubravka catches.
35 mins: Another clearance! Arsenal win a corner, which David Luiz flicks towards the far post. It was going wide anyway, but Wilson made sure.
David Luiz with a chance for Arsenal. Photograph: Stu Forster/PA
31 mins: Almiron’s next involvement is less impressive, and he is booked for a foul on Ceballos. In fact he seems to pull out of the challenge, and I’m not sure he made any contact at all, but the Spaniard screams and goes down clutching his leg, which makes the referee’s mind up.
29 mins: Off the line! The corner comes in and Elneny is completely unmarked as he sends in a header, which Almiron heads away!
28 mins: Save! Arsenal work the ball from right to left, where Xhaka takes aim and sends in a vicious 20-yarder that is saved by a diving Dubravka.
26 mins: Saint-Maximin sends in an unthreatening cross from the left. Obviously, though, it was preceded by 30 wildly entertaining seconds of unpredictable dribbling.
23 mins: Another very emphatically wide Aubameyang first-time near-post shot, this time from Willian’s cross from the right, as Arsenal reassert control.
20 mins: Xhaka gets booked for booting Saint-Maximin in the calf, a really puzzling foul without purpose or reason.
Granit Xhaka goes in the book. Photograph: Lindsey Parnaby/Reuters
18 mins: Save! Ritchie gets space on the left and pulls back, way back, to Saint-Maximin, who jinks past a couple of players before hitting a shot that hits Xhaka and almost loops over Ryan, who touches it over the bar.
15 mins: Arsenal are completely comfortable here. They might not actually be wearing slippers and puffing on a pipe, but they might as well be.
12 mins: Arsenal have had 70% of early possession and scored with their only shot. More promisingly, Aubameyang has just actually connected with a shot, from Martinelli’s pull-back, but it goes well wide.
8 mins: Saint-Maximin goes on a lovely Saint-Maximinish run, inside, outside, jinks and stutters, slowing down and speeding up. He doesn’t carry the ball that far down the pitch, so circuitous was his route, but he does provide a few seconds of total entertainment. Then he passes left to Ritchie, whose low cross isn’t bad, but is collected by Ryan.
Allan Saint-Maximin jinks his way downfield. Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters
David Luiz plays a lovely lofted pass to Bellerin down the right. He pulls back to Aubameyang, who tries to ... well ... what was that? Anyway, he completely misses his kick at the near post, and the ball deflects off a defender to Elneny at the edge of the box, who half-volleys it in at the far post!
Goal for Arsenal! Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters
3 mins: Xhaka, Arsenal’s makeshift left-back, sends in a right-footed cross that Aubameyang tries to ... well ... what was that? I had to rewind to watch it again, and still don’t know if he was trying to shoot or to control. Either way, goal kick.
1 min: Peeeeeeep! Newcastle get the game started, with a hoik up the right flank from Shelvey that bounced out of play for a goal kick.
The players are out, and action is just a matter of moments away.
Does Graeme Souness always say the mouth in Bournemouth like the mouth in mouth? As in, Born-mouth? Or was it just that once?
Steve Bruce has spoken! He says of Callum Wilson that “he’s been desperate for weeks. I believe he’s ready, and he certainly looks like it”. Also:
Look, over the last eight games or so we’ve only lost once. It was vitally important that we put some sort of run together. We understand what’s at stake. We’ve come so far, it would be great if we could [get a win] against what is, no matter what people say, a really good Arsenal team.
He’s asked how he can explain his team’s improved form:
There has been a change in formation, but also our big players at the top end of the pitch have been fit. At times this season we’ve been decimated up front and at centre-back, which are crucial positions for you. I always said we’d be OK if we get those big players back, and they have brought a new dimension.
Weatherwatch: looks a nice one. Enjoy it while you can, Newcastle: meteorological types insist it’s going to rain tomorrow, and not a little.
A general view inside the stadium is seen ahead of the English Premier League football match between Newcastle United and Arsenal at St James’ Park. Photograph: Molly Darlington/AFP/Getty Images
Mikel Arteta explains his eight (eight) changes:
It was just to prepare today’s game in the best possible way. We played 40 minutes with 10 men [on Thursday], we’ve had a crazy schedule and some players haven’t recovered. We need fresh players. It’s all about getting momentum, getting confidence, and winning helps. We had some disappointing results in the last week or so and today we need to win, because the better we are with winning, I think the team will benefit in terms of performances.
He says that Aubameyang “has been progressing every day, feeling better every day. Let’s see how long he lasts, but it’s a good way to see how strong he is.”
Team news is in, and here’s all you need to know. Newcastle bring Wilson in for Joelinton in their only change, while Aubameyang comes into the starting XI after a bout of malaria in one of eight changes for Arsenal:
It’s hard to see Newcastle going down, even if they fail to add to their current 36 points. West Brom could still reach 40 and Fulham might get 39, but then again they won’t. What they might do, though, is make it a little bit interesting: Newcastle have a tough run upcoming, with the game against Arsenal today followed by a trip to Leicester on Friday and the visit of Manchester City a week later. No points from those, combined with victory for Fulham both at home to Burnley and at Southampton, would leave those clubs only three points apart with four days and two games remaining - and Fulham hosting Newcastle on the final day (though in their penultimate matches Fulham head to Old Trafford and Newcastle host Sheffield United, and in all likelihood the risk ends there). But if Newcastle could conjure a win here they would suddenly vault to 13th and Fulham’s hope of catching them would be all but over.
And it could happen. Sure, Arsenal thrashed Newcastle 3-0 at the Emirates back in January (“We gave as good as we got,” said Steve Bruce ridiculously, after his side had four shots to Arsenal’s 20 and 34% of possession), but they are in poor form, and the 2-1 defeat at Villarreal on Thursday means they come into this one not only perhaps a little fatigued and underprepared but also in the knowledge that this Thursday’s second leg against the Spaniards is now the absolute and undisputed No1 top priority of their season.
Also, Callum Wilson should be fit to start.
So, in short, months of talk about Newcastle and relegation could end today. Or it won’t. Welcome!
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