The Arteta Invincibles are no more. Arsenal’s unbeaten start to the Premier League campaign came to an abrupt end in the Newcastle rain. Mikel Arteta will not emulate Arsene Wenger this season – admittedly few thought he ever would – but he can rue a missed opportunity to leapfrog Tottenham and to establish a gaping lead over Newcastle in the quest for a top-four finish.
It has become a wretched week for Arsenal, with a Carabao Cup exit at West Ham followed by a dent in their title challenge, and a wonderful one for Newcastle. After a weakened team won at Old Trafford, they added to the evidence that they are becoming a formidable force on home soil with a display of forceful commitment. Anthony Gordon has come to epitomise them: brimming with verve, no respecter of reputations, he delivered the winner.
