Arsenal showed ‘ambition’ of title contenders in win at Newcastle United: Mikel Arteta
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Arsenal's Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes heading in their late winner during the 2-1 English Premier League triumph over Newcastle United on Sept 28.
PHOTO: AFP
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LONDON – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said his side showed they are ready to go to “the next level” and win the English Premier League, after scoring two late goals for a vital 2-1 victory at Newcastle United on Sept 28.
The Gunners took full advantage of Liverpool’s first defeat of the season at Crystal Palace
Nick Woltemade had put Newcastle in front against the run of play in the first half.
Arsenal were headed for a damaging defeat until Mikel Merino headed in on 84 minutes, before Gabriel Magalhaes won the game in the sixth minute of added time.
Arteta’s men have finished second in each of the past three seasons and have not won the title since 2004.
He told Sky Sports: “The way we played and performed and competed. The chances we generated. We did it in a dramatic way but we deserved to win.”
Victory at St James’ Park, where they had lost on each of their previous three visits, silenced some questions of Arsenal’s title credentials, after failing to beat title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City in the early weeks of the season.
“We discussed that to go to the next level, first of all, you have to learn from the past and certainly we take some lessons and very sore... moments in this ground,” said Arteta of Arsenal ending their Newcastle hoodoo.
“Today was an opportunity that the game brings you again in a really important week in the Premier League after all the tough places that we’ve already been, very early in the season, to show who we are, who do we want to be, our ambition and the way that we want to play.
“I think the team showed that today in a remarkable way.”
Former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville agreed, saying on his podcast: “That felt big. There’s big questions being asked of Arsenal in the last week – rightly so.
“He’s changed today... his team selection at the start of the game is more positive.
“His substitutions were everything he could have thrown at the game... The reason you get the winner at the end is because of the intent.
“He’s got a brilliant squad. I think he’s got the best squad in the league and maybe the best team in the league.”
For Newcastle, it was a case of deja vu after Liverpool scored a 100th-minute winner in a 3-2 thriller at St James’ Park in August.
Eddie Howe, though, accepted that his side are yet to hit the standards they did last season in winning the League Cup and qualifying for the Champions League.
Newcastle have won only one of their opening six Premier League games and lost their Champions League opener to Barcelona
“Two really late goals here at home hurts. We have to reflect and acknowledge that we weren’t at our best,” said Howe.
“There was not lack of effort but from a footballing side, it wasn’t quite there.” AFP
