Arsenal v Newcastle: Key Moments

By Dan King - Newcastle United Club Reporter

Arsenal 7 (Walcott 19, 73, 90, Oxlade-Chamberlain 50, Podolski 64, Giroud 85, 86)
Newcastle United 3 (Ba 43, 69, Marveaux 59)

SECOND HALF UPDATES

 90+5mins: It finishes 7-3 to Arsenal and that's an even more remarkable scoreline given that it was level after 69 minutes. Newcastle had roared back into the game three times but were eventually well beaten by the Gunners, who record back-to-back home wins for the first time this season.

90+4mins: Giroud hits the bar with a side-footed finish from Wilshere's left-wing cut-back - it was nearly eight.

 90+2mins - ARSENAL GOAL (7-3): Arsenal are in seventh heaven and Walcott has a hat-trick. He rides a challenge in the box from Tiote to dink past Krul from a narrow angle. United were in this game all the way with less than 20 minutes to go - now they have collapsed.

 90mins: There will be five minutes of stoppage time. Santon is booked for a frustrated lunge on Giroud by the corner flag.

 87mins: James Tavernier replaces Marveaux for only his second Barclays Premier League appearance.

 86mins - ARSENAL GOAL (6-3): Seconds after Francis Coquelin comes on for Santi Cazorla, Arsenal make it 6-3. More good work from Walcott sees the ball break to Giroud, who lashes home his second; he's only been on the pitch for 12 minutes and the scoreline is now ridiculously harsh on the Magpies.

 85mins - ARSENAL GOAL (5-3): Game over. Giroud heads home Arsenal's fifth from Walcott's cross. Newcastle were throwing men forward and have been caught out and as determined as they've been tonight, even they won't get back into this now.

 83mins: Walcott nearly has his hat-trick after a neat Gunners move, but curls an effort from just inside the box inches wide of the far post. Meanwhile Shane Ferguson is on for Danny Simpson as Alan Pardew throws caution to the wind.

 82mins: Alan Pardew makes an attacking substitution with Shola Ameobi on for Gael Bigirimana, while Arsenal bring on Aaron Ramsey in place of Lukas Podolski. 

75mins: Gael Birigimana tests Szczesny from range after a poor clearance falls to him, but the Polish keeper gets down well to hold.

 74mins: Arsenal make their first change - Oxlade-Chamberlain is replaced by Olivier Giroud, whose height will test Coloccini and Perch in the United defence.

 73mins - ARSENAL GOAL (4-3): Just like Boxing Day, United are on the wrong end of a 4-3 scoreline as Walcott gets his second of the night. Arsenal worked the ball well to Gibbs on the left and his low cross caused problems for Newcastle; they tried to scramble it clear but Walcott turned and blasted home from 14 yards.

 69mins - NEWCASTLE GOAL (3-3): The increasingly influential Marveaux, who has scored once and set up the other, gets his second assist and it's simply superb play to set up Ba for his second goal. Ba flicked the ball on to the Frenchman, who burst forwards then headed out to the left before suddenly spinning back inside and floating a glorious cross towards the far post, which Ba just needed to touch past the goalkeeper and did so superbly. What a game - hopefully Newcastle can hang on this time.

67mins: Vermaelen heads just wide as Arsenal try to get a fourth goal which would surely prevent Newcastle from forcing themselves back into the game yet again.

 64mins - ARSENAL GOAL (3-2): Podolski, who had been denied by a smothering stop from Krul moments earlier, puts Arsenal ahead for a third time. Wilshere made a strong run through the middle but was eventually forced wide, yet still got a cross in from the left which Fabricio Coloccini tried to head behind but succeeded only in heading onto the top of the bar. The ball fell perfectly for the German international to nudge home and it's 3-2 to Arsenal - United's hard work is undone again.

61mins: Cazorla makes room for a shot just outside the box and Krul dives to his left to make a fine save.

 59mins - NEWCASTLE GOAL (2-2): Sylvain Marveaux has his second goal for Newcastle and probably one of the easiest of his career - and it owes everything to another great piece of wing play from Gabriel Obertan. The Frenchman skins Sagna on the left before side-footing a low cross with his left foot which takes a nick off Laurent Koscielny and rolls across for Marveaux, who taps home at the far post from four yards.

57mins: Tiote wins the ball in midfield and finds Simpson, who in turn plays in Ba who is just crowded out in the box. Arsenal break quickly and Walcott sprints towards goal but this time gets his shot all wrong as he drags it wide of the near post.

 50mins - ARSENAL GOAL (2-1): From a Newcastle throw-in near the corner flag, Podolski leaps to head the ball back into the danger area, the previously quiet Santi Cazorla played an intelligent pass to Oxlade-Chamberlain and the Arsenal man took a touch before drilling low past Krul from 18 yards. The Gunners had started the second half well and it's paid off.

49mins: Tonight's attendance is 60,087, with millions more watching around the world on television.

47mins: Now Krul makes an even better impact as he denies Kieran Gibbs, who had blasted a powerful effort goalwards from the left-hand side of the box after Lukas Podolski had squared the ball to him from Wilshere's pass. That shot could easily have squeezed in but the Newcastle number one was equal to it and beat it out.

 46mins: The home side take kick-off, with no changes for either side. Tim Krul seems to have shaken off his first half injury scare and straight away he's involved as he punches a dangerous cross from Wilshere away from trouble.

FIRST HALF UPDATES

 45+1mins: After Ba heads off target from Marveaux's corner, referee Chris Foy blows the half-time whistle and it's 1-1 at the break. There hasn't been too much goalmouth action but there has been two goals, the most recent from Demba Ba two minutes before the break and it's the away fans who are happiest as the two teams head down the tunnel. Click here for the half-time report.

45mins: A quick free-kick inside the Newcastle half is played to Marveaux, who carries the ball for 40 yards before getting in a shot which is arrowing towards the net before Szczesny tips the ball behind. United are ending the half on top.

 43mins - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-1): After a strong run from Gabriel Obertan was ended unfairly by a Bacary Sagna foul, United get a free-kick in a great position on the edge of the box. Ba takes it and the ball takes a huge deflection off the back of Wilshere to loop past the Gunners keeper and draw Newcastle level. They've just about deserved it, too, and that's a great boost going into the break.

39mins: Tiote absolutely hammers a shot from nearly 30 yards and it moves in the air, forcing Wojciech Szczesny to push the ball over the bar. Tiote got the equaliser in that famous 4-4 at St. James' Park and he was almost on target again there. Alas, United waste the corner and are lucky to see a promising Arsenal counter attack fizzle out.

37mins: Walcott shows what a threat he can be again as receives the ball from Wilshere and darts into the box, hurdling a desperate challenge from James Perch before shooting from 12 yards but is denied by the sprawling Krul. That was a vital save but it may have came at a cost to the United keeper - Steve Harper has been sent out to warm up on the touchline as Krul jogs around his box to try and run off whatever knock he seems to have picked up.

36mins: Santon does well to get a left-footed low cross in but Thomas Vermaelen slides in to steal the ball away from Ba, who was about to turn and shoot.

30mins: Since the goal there's been little to report - Newcastle look threatening on occasions but their final ball has been poor until now.

 19mins - ARSENAL GOAL (1-0): With Thierry Henry looking on from the stands, Theo Walcott opens the scoring with a finish the Arsenal legend would have been proud of. The England international beats the offside trap - Davide Santon was behind the rest of the defensive line - and spins onto the ball before cutting in from the left to finish coolly past Krul. A great show of pace and poise from Walcott but United, having been solid until then, suddenly find themselves behind with the home side's first shot on goal.

16mins: After Simpson forces a corner on the right, Sylvain Marveaux sends over a great delivery from the flag-kick and Demba Ba rises highest but sends his effort over. It was virtually a free header and he should perhaps have done better after losing his marker.

15mins: Bacary Sagna gets in a cross from the right which looks set to drop perfectly for Theo Walcott, only for Gael Bigirimana to get a vital toe-end in to intercept. Neither goalkeeper has had a proper save to make as yet, although they have both had routine catches to deal with.

8mins: Both teams have kept possession well so far. That's to be expected from the Gunners, who pass the ball so well, but the Magpies have done it just as well as them so far in what has been a fairly even opening.

 1min: Newcastle, in their black and white stripes, get us started at the magnificent Emirates Stadium and go on the attack straight away as Danny Simpson's long throw falls to Cheick Tiote, whose shot is blocked. Arsenal then break through Jack Wilshere, who pokes the ball through to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and his low drive flashes across Tim Krul's far post.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Wojciech Szczesny; Bacary Sagna, Thomas Vermaelen (c), Laurent Koscielny, Kieran Gibbs; Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere; Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Olivier Giroud 74), Santi Cazorla (Francis Coquelin 86), Lukas Podolski (Aaron Ramsey 82); Theo Walcott

Subs not used: Vito Mannone, Johan Djourou, Tomas Rosicky, Gervinho

Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Tim Krul; Danny Simpson (Shane Ferguson 83), James Perch, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Davide Santon; Gael Bigirimana (Shola Ameobi 82), Cheick Tiote; Papiss Cisse, Sylvain Marveaux (James Tavernier 87), Gabriel Obertan; Demba Ba

Subs not used: Steve Harper, Remie Streete, Mehdi Abeid, Sammy Ameobi

Referee: Chris Foy

Attendance: 60,087