Newcastle has experienced tougher losses at the Emirates Stadium in the past. Their frustration stemmed from having prior warning of Eberechi Eze‘s opening goal, which ultimately sealed the match.
Head coach Eddie Howe considered Arsenal’s aerial prowess while selecting his lineup, providing a rare starting opportunity for 6ft 7in Dan Burn at left-back and recalling the towering Nick Pope in goal.
However, Arsenal caught the visitors off guard by opting for short corners with each of their first three attempts.
The second corner should have raised alarms as an unmarked Eze fired wide from outside the box, but Newcastle overlooked it, allowing the midfielder to score from a similar position just moments later.
Newcastle was left regretting their missed opportunity.
Interestingly, Arsenal has only scored twice from short corners in the Premier League this season, and both instances were against Howe’s side.
While the visitors could have been overwhelmed, they managed to hold their own.
Newcastle has struggled with confidence lately, often hesitating to take shots following defeats against Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Sunderland, and Barcelona.
But that was not the case on Saturday.
Newcastle created several chances from distance, yet they struggled to find a cutting edge in the final third. As the Emirates crowd grew uneasy, Howe attempted to bolster his attack by bringing on substitutes Harvey Barnes, Yoane Wissa, Nick Woltemade, and finally Anthony Elanga.
Howe’s frustration was evident on the touchline after a stretching volley from Wissa went over the bar, encapsulating his side’s plight as they suffered a ninth defeat in twelve league matches.