Two years to the day since Eddie Howe agreed to take charge of Newcastle, his team recorded a statement result and exhibited some of the transformative strides they have made since he breathed life back into this club.
A frenetic game centred on an obvious flashpoint – Anthony Gordon’s controversial strike being allowed to stand following an unprecedented triple VAR check – and by the end it was a case of coming up for air after Newcastle abruptly ended Arsenal’s unbeaten start in the Premier League. At full time banners in opposite corners of St James’ Park’s East Stand were hidden by home fans basking in a victory to cap a fine week. “We’re not here to be popular, we’re here to compete,” read one, the other simply: “Eddie Howe’s black and white army.”
