Late drama at St James’ Park
Arsenal looked set to leave Newcastle with nothing as the home side pressed to protect a lead in a tight Premier League clash. The visitors had already attempted to shake things up with a triple substitution—Mikel Merino, Gabriel Martinelli, and Martin Ødegaard returning after injury lay-offs—before finding an equaliser that set the stage for a dramatic finale. Ødegaard, back in the fold, delivered the assist that unlocked the hosts’ defense and gave Arsenal a lifeline at a critical moment of the match.
Sealed with a late strike: Rice to Merino to equalise
In a swift chain of passes, Ødegaard laid the ball to Declan Rice, who threaded a precise ball through to Merino. The Spaniard rose highest and steered the ball into the far corner, leaving Nick Pope with little chance as Arsenal drew level and shifted momentum in stoppage time. The goal intensified the urgency for a winner as the clock ticked down, and the visitors sensed an opportunity to pounce on a shaken Newcastle side.
Gabriel’s stoppage-time winner completes dramatic comeback
Six minutes into stoppage time, central defender Gabriel rose to the occasion, meeting a perfectly placed corner from Ødegaard and guiding the ball into the net. The late header completed a remarkable turnaround and handed Arsenal a 2-1 victory at St James’ Park, a result that will live long in the memory of both sets of players and supporters.
VAR controversy and the turning point of the day
The match will also be remembered for the contentious moment when referee Jarred Gillett initially awarded a penalty to Viktor Gyökeres and Arsenal, only to overturn after reviewing the incident on the VAR monitor. Opinion was split among pundits and supporters. On BBC’s coverage, former England goalkeeper Joe Hart argued that Pope’s contact with the ball should have ruled out a foul, while the on-field decision was ultimately revised to a drop-ball after VAR review. The on-pitch call and the final ruling drew extensive debate about the effectiveness of VAR in high-stakes league games.
Reaction and implications for the title race
Sky Sports’ Gary Neville hailed the win as an “enormous victory for Arsenal, and an enormous win for Arteta,” underscoring the momentum gained ahead of a tight title race. The result narrows the gap with league leaders Liverpool to two points in the Reds’ favour, keeping the championship narrative alive and intensifying expectations around Arsenal’s potential to challenge across the campaign. The dramatic nature of the comeback and the controversial penalty decision will fuel discussion in the days ahead about consistency in refereeing and the role of VAR in shaping crucial results.
Additional moments to note
Earlier in the half, Nick Woltemade—an off-season acquisition from Stuttgart—found the net with a powerful header following a quick corner routine involving Sandro Tonali, giving Newcastle the lead before Arsenal’s late rally. The game also saw tension in the buildup to the first goal, with Arsenal players arguing for a foul on Gabriel amid a collision with Woltemade. As the dust settled, the visitors’ resilience and the late winning moment dominated the headlines from a pulsating evening at a lively stadium.
