No Mikel Merino dance around the corner flag this time as a battling Arsenal side suffer familiar Newcastle heartache

By Alessandro Schiavone at St James' Park, Newcastle

Newcastle United 1-0 Arsenal

Goals: Isak 12' (NU)

There was no Mikel Merino dance around the corner flag this time as Arsenal slipped to a potentially title-crushing 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United.

The net rippled after 12 minutes when Alexander Isak nodded home Anthony Gordon's immaculate cross.

And by doing so the mercurial Swede showed Arsenal exactly what they crave to make the step from runners-up to champions. A deadly centre-forward, which they haven't had since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's acrimonious exit almost three Februaries ago. For all his talent, Kai Havertz isn't a born finisher and may never turn into one at 25.

Declan Rice glanced a header wide from a few yards out deep into stoppage-time which would have given the Gunners a well-deserved point on their travels.

That would have closed the gap on title favourites Man City to four points after Pep Guardiola's boys didn't fare any better at Bournemouth.

But unlike on other occasions in the past, Arsenal were not second-best here. Far from it.

And Tynesiders had sailed close to the wind numerous times before Isak took it out of Arsenal's sails by netting the winner with a poacher's finish.

Arsenal served early notice of their intent while their profligacy was also on show. Trossard dragged a shot wide before Bukayo Saka sent a feeble header wide after outjumping Lewis Hall.

Merino also fluffed a chance which summed up his insipid all-round display.

The hosts may have ridden their luck but didn't have to try hard to find the breakthrough before seeing the lead through. And they were also unfortunate when Joe Willock rammed a strike over after a flurry of stepovers had left William Saliba in no man's land.

Arsenal lost a league title here in last season's controversial 1-0 reversal while in April 2022 they saw their Champions League hopes go up in smoke on these shores.

And however auspicious their performance was, this time there was no Merino around to rescue a point like against Liverpool.