Newcastle United suffer Champions League wobble as Arteta and Odegaard revive Arsenal title charge

NEWCASTLE: Whoever thought it was going to be easy?

Newcastle United flashed their soft underbelly at St. James’ Park as their Champions League hopes took a dent in a defeat to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.

As good as the Gunners were, the Magpies were well off their usual best on Tyneside, as goals from Arsenal talisman Martin Odegaard and an unfortunate own goal from Fabian Schar kept things interesting in the title race, as well as the top four spots.

The result saw Arsenal move back within a point of leaders Manchester City, with the Magpies remaining in third, with one of their two games in hand on fifth-placed Liverpool, two places and three points back, used up.

Despite disappointment, Eddie Howe’s men play another before Jurgen Klopp & Co. kick a ball again. But pressure is building before the trip to Leeds United, a team refreshed with the presence of wily operator Sam Allardyce. The big question is, can Newcastle deal with it?

With fans across the city calling for it, Howe eventually relented and threw both Aleksander Isak and Callum Wilson into the starting XI at the same time.

Ultimately, it was an experiment he is unlikely to revisit.

That attacking approach did bear early fruit, though, with the Magpies out the blocks like a dash.

Within two minutes of the start, Jacob Murphy, the other component of the Newcastle front three, had flashed a low drive off the foot of Aaron Ramsdale’s post.

Moments later a slick move down the right saw Bruno Guimaraes presented with an opportunity to strike. His shot, however, was blocked by a combination of Jakub Kiwior’s arm and leg. Referee Chris Kavanagh gave it, but the VAR gods were not shining down on the Magpies this time. The decision was reversed on a second