Gabriel’s last-gasp header snatches Arsenal victory at Newcastle

Gabriel pounced with a stoppage-time header to end Arsenal’s miserable run at Newcastle with a dramatic 2-1 victory.

The defender, who had earlier appeared to catch Magpies goalscorer Nick Woltemade in the face with a flailing arm, struck in the sixth minute of added time at the end of a pulsating encounter at St James’ Park.

Mikel Arteta’s men were trailing 1-0 to Woltemade’s 34th-minute header with six minutes of regulation time remaining despite dominating for long periods, but after former Magpie Mikel Merino equalised after 84 minutes, Gabriel’s header ended a run of three successive defeats on Tyneside.

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It was little more than they deserved on an afternoon when goalkeeper Nick Pope denied the hugely impressive Eberechi Eze twice and Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber either side of an overturned penalty decision.

But having come so close to winning it, defeat was a bitter pill to swallow for Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, who saw Tino Livramento carried off on a stretcher ahead of Wednesday night’s Champions League trip to Union Saint-Gilloise.

Arsenal were first to press when striker Viktor Gyokeres headed a second-minute Declan Rice free-kick straight at Pope, and the Magpies keeper had to get down well to his left to turn away Eze’s left-footed strike after Timber’s cross had been only half-cleared three minutes later.

The Gunners’ slick interplay kept them on the front foot as Martin Zubimendi and Rice held sway in the middle of the field, although Arsenal keeper David Raya was called upon for the first time when he fielded an 11th-minute Malick Thiaw header from Sandro Tonali’s corner.

The home side enjoyed a major