Arsenal comeback seals 2-1 win at St James’ Park
Newcastle United looked on course to bag all three points at home, but Arsenal staged a dramatic late comeback to snatch a 2-1 victory at St James’ Park. The drama swung in the final moments, transforming what seemed like a routine win for the hosts into a hard-fought, morale-boosting triumph for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Opening goal sets the tone
Nick Woltemade, the club’s record signing recently arrived from Stuttgart, opened the scoring for Newcastle with a powerful header from a short corner routine crafted by Sandro Tonali. The strike rattled Arsenal and seemed to set the tempo for a tense evening at the northeast venue. The home crowd roared as the ball flashed past the goalkeeper, and the hosts looked poised to control the incident-heavy first half.
Arsenal hit back through Merino after key substitutions
Arsenal’s rhythm shifted after a flurry of changes at the break. Mikel Merino, Gabriel Martinelli, and Martin Ødegaard returned to the fold, strengthening Arsenal’s creativity and bite in attack. Declan Rice delivered a perfectly weighted ball from midfield, picking out Merino with a precise pass. The Spaniard rose highest and steered the ball into the far corner, leaving Nick Pope with little chance as Arsenal equalised just before the hour mark.
Six minutes of stoppage time and a late winner
With the match teetering on a knife-edge, six minutes of stoppage time became a battleground. From a Ødegaard corner, central defender Gabriel rose at the far post to plant a decisive header into the net. The late strike sent the Arsenal faithful into a frenzy and left Newcastle shell-shocked as the game slipped away in the dying moments.
VAR moment polarises opinion
The match’s talking point arrived moments earlier when referee Jarred Gillett initially awarded a penalty to Viktor Gyökeres (and Arsenal), only to overturn the decision after reviewing the incident on the VAR screen. Analysts and fans offered differing interpretations of the contact and ball-surface sequence. Former keeper Joe Hart suggested the keeper involvement could complicate a penalty call, while Sky Sports pundits noted that the final ruling appeared to be a drop ball after the checks. The on-site debate underscored how one moment can redefine a match’s outcome.
Standings, reactions and what it means next
The late turnaround left Arsenal celebrating a massive win, with Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville calling it “an enormous victory for Arsenal, and an enormous victory for Arteta.” The result tightens the Premier League title picture, with Liverpool still holding a slender advantage in the race after this weekend’s fixtures. Arsenal’s resilience was epitomised by Gabriel’s late header, a symbol of the team’s fighting spirit under pressure.
What this victory says about Arsenal
Beyond the points, the comeback showcased Arsenal’s depth and belief. The return of Ødegaard, Martinelli, and Merino added a new dimension to the attack, while Declan Rice’s quality in distribution and control helped stabilize the midfield. For Arteta, the victory will be remembered as proof of tactical flexibility and mental strength in the closing stages of a demanding campaign.
