Mikel Arteta was delighted with three points in a stadium where Arsenal crumbled last season

FA Premier League
NEWCASTLE UNITED 0
ARSENAL  2 (Odegaaad, Schar own goal)

THERE’S no point thinking too much about what could have been as Arsenal advanced past the 80 point mark with a well-crafted victory against Newcastle United.

The victory guaranteed the Gunners will finish in the top two places and only Manchester City – vastly better equipped in terms of squad strength and transfer spending power – are ahead of them. This was a fatiguing season which needed that extra manpower that Pep Guardiola’s teams enjoy as a given, especially so as it was broken up by a winter World Cup.

But through all of that Arsenal have proved determined entertainers, ignoring pre-season predictions that they might be short of the top four. And this win against the Magpies summed up much of what has been excellent about Mikel Arteta’s unlikely challengers.

Last year, the Gunners crumbled at St James’ Park when there was Champions League football at stake, but not again. They weathered the early storm that Newcastle call upon  – a storm which recently saw Spurs down by five goals in little more than 20 minutes – and perhaps the home side were unlucky not to go ahead when Jacob Murphy hit the post.

Newcastle also thought they had been awarded a penalty when the ball initially appeared to have hit Jacob Kiwior on the hand, only for the video assistant referee to reveal that it had first hit his leg.

After that 20 minute spell, Arsenal flexed their own muscles and it was captain Martin Odegaard who broke the deadlock with a low shot from range, arrowing into the bottom corner.

Both Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka had chances to increase the lead before Odegaard himself has an opportunity to finish a well-worked move – only to see his shot brilliantly repelled by Nick Pope in the Newcastle goal.

On show were perhaps England’s best two goalkeepers – although not in  the mind of Gareth Southgate – and Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale was ready whenever called on. The pick of his collection of saves was to claw away a close range header from Fabian Schar. Alexander Isak meanwhile headed another close-in chance onto the post.

The woodwork was also grazed by Martinelli at the other end with a deft lob – it would’ve been one of the goals of the month. The Brazilian forward was on song and it was his burst forward that led to a decisive second. His twisting run and cross was pushed into his own net by the hapless Schar, who earlier had done well not to be reprimanded for a rough stuff challenge on Gabriel Jesus.

There were more shirty moments to come and one of two square-offs by the corner flag, but unlike when the teams met at the Emirates and Newcastle indulged in a dictionary definition of time-wasting to pinch a goalless draw, this time the disappearing seconds were counting against them.

This was a match where it had been predicted Arsenal might lose points in their championship challenge. As it happens, they’ve been beat Chelsea and Newcastle in less than a week. It was against West Ham and Southampton that critical ground was lost.

“We have won at very difficult grounds this season,” said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta afterwards.

“We’ve done it really consistently in different ways. This game demanded something different to Stamford Bridge or playing against Spurs. We did what the game demanded and that was really smart from us.”

And on Odegaard’s influence, he added:  “It’s not moments, it’s just every single day and home and away he’s had some huge performances. He’s really helping the team, he’s growing in the right direction and we are all very happy to have him.”