Arya News - Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle: Rice fired in a beauty to ensure a new familiarity of qualification for Europe’s premier competition
They had many a reason to enjoy his goal, a wonderful whipped shot, hit on the move and bending away from Nick Pope . “An unbelievable strike,” said Eddie Howe . Anthony Gordon , the scourge of Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final, had given the ball away. Newcastle, who had defeated Arsenal three times already this season, could not make it four. They reprised the 3-4-3 formation that worked well against Arsenal in February and Chelsea last week and had initial success.
But they encountered an immovable force. If Arsenal have had insufficient returns from their recruitment drive last summer, two 2023 arrivals were the cornerstones of victory. Rice’s second-half goal was a winner because of David Raya ’s acrobatics in the first 20 minutes.
David Raya (centre, wearing yellow) was Arsenal’s immovable force against Newcastle (Action Images via Reuters)
The Spaniard made a quartet of terrific saves, the first a redemptive stop to deny Bruno Guimaraes after Raya had gifted possession to Sandro Tonali . He denied Tino Livramento, the recipient of a deft backheel from Anthony Gordon, clawed away a deflected effort from Harvey Barnes and pawed away Dan Burn ’s header. “Their goalkeeper makes some great saves,” rued Howe. Raya has been awarded Arsenal’s No 1 shirt for next season; this was a performance to suggest he is a worthy successor to David Seaman in it.
It may have helped, though, that Raya was spared a battle with Alexander Isak , who has scored against him twice this season, a player Arsenal covet and the type of forward they miss. But a groin strain sidelined Isak. He has missed four league games this season and, tellingly, Newcastle have a lone goal in that time. It makes it more of a concern he could miss the Everton game. “That is unknown,” said Howe. “A lot will depend on how he reacts.”
Eddie Howe may also be without Alexander Isak for the final day after the Swede missed the trip to Arsenal (PA Wire)
Isak may be fit for Everton but in his absence, an out-of-sorts Callum Wilson made just his second league start of the season and, they may hope, his last for Newcastle. He was anonymous; Newcastle’s considerable attacking threat at the start occurred around him, not because of him.
Arsenal had more solidity when they settled; when William Saliba went off, they survived the second half with a second-choice centre-back partnership of Riccardo Calafiori and Jakub Kiwior. It helped that Newcastle’s resources were too slender: a triple change to bring on Emil Krafth , Lewis Miley and William Osula suggested the squad is too small. “As soon as we get one or two injuries we are stretched,” Howe admitted.
At least his premier players ooze with quality. Nick Pope made a stunning close-range save from Thomas Partey ’s header. It took something special to beat him, but Rice provided it. And so Arsenal’s season ends, not in glory or failure but with the new familiarity of Champions League qualification.