Gabriel’s last-gasp header snatches Arsenal victory at Newcastle
By Damian Spellman, PA
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 let-off with 14 minutes gone when Gyokeres went down under Pope’s challenge as the pair closed on Jacob Murphy’s ill-judged back-pass after Eze’s long ball had allowed Saka to cause major problems.
Referee Jarred Gillett pointed to the spot, but was advised to review his decision and ultimately decided the feint touch the keeper got on the ball before colliding with the striker meant he had played it and therefore changed his decision, much to Arteta’s obvious disbelief.
The post came to Pope’s rescue after Saka and Rice had combined in superb style to set up Leandro Trossard, and Sven Botman had to block an Eze effort, but it took a fine diving stop from the Newcastle keeper to repel a stinging 29th-minute Eze strike after the home defence had failed to deal with Riccardo Calafiori’s long throw.
Saka called upon Pope at his near post after bursting free down the right three minutes later, but it was the hosts who took the lead 11 minutes before the break when, after defender Cristhian Mosquera had conceded a needless corner, Tonali played the ball short to Anthony Gordon and then curled in a cross which Woltemade headed firmly past Raya.
A tempestuous first half drew to a close with the Magpies ahead, but having ridden their luck, they found themselves under the cosh once again on their return with Eze causing major headaches.
Gordon and Joelinton both fired across the face of Raya’s goal, but Pope had to claw away Timber’s deft header from Zubimendi’s clipped 59th-minute pass and Joelinton did just enough to deflect a Gyokeres shot wide with 19 minutes remaining.
Gabriel survived a late VAR check after substitute Anthony Elanga’s shot appeared to hit his arm and after Merino had glanced Rice’s cross past Pope to level, it was the Brazilian defender who snatched victory at the death when he headed substitute Martin Odegaard’s corner past Pope.
