Mikel Arteta is at it again.
Arsenal having been talked about as potential ‘quadruple’ winners and now potentially ending up with nothing.
Mikel Arteta accused of bottling it, with indeed so many Arsenal fans amongst his fiercest critics.
So often a case of Mikel Arteta so timid with his tactics and his overly defensive approach inviting disaster.
This was the case on Saturday as Eze’s brilliant 9th minute long range goal had Arsenal in such an early strong position, yet Mikel Arteta had his team simply trying to protect that 1-0 lead, rather than going after more goals.
Arsenal never seriously threatened Nick Pope’s goal in the rest of the match
Newcastle United had the best chances. It wasn’t a sitter but still a great chance and if Yoane Wissa had kept his volley down when played superbly in by Woltemade with just the keeper to beat, then it would have spelt disaster for the Gunners if only taking a point. Will Osula was also played through early on with just Raya to beat but missed his kick. Whilst Tonali had an excellent long range effort brilliantly saved by the home keeper.
The cowardly Mikel Arteta approach could still mean disaster for Arsenal fans, because they could win all four of the remaining PL games, yet still fail to win the title. Manchester City were above Arsenal only due to having scored three more goals ahead of the game at the Emirates, having been tied on points and goal difference. If Man City win all of their remaining five matches, it is impossible to then see Arsenal outscoring them with this timid Arteta approach.
In any circumstances where Mikel Arteta has the spotlight on his own shortcomings, every single time he tries to shamelessly deflect from them.
Despite still getting the ill-deserved victory over Newcastle United, the Arsenal boss wanted to make the conversation all about one particular incident in the game.
It is quite obvious that Mikel Arteta is already seeing how he will be blamed if Arsenal fail again this season, so he is trying to deflect that end of season potential criticism very early.
With Arsenal desperately trying desperately to see out a 1-0 win as Newcastle pressed for the equaliser, from one NUFC attack the ball was launched forward for a rare chance to break.
Nick Pope was sweeping and in the 74th minute he came way out of his penalty area very wide on the left, only to miss the ball, Viktor Gyokeres had slowed down as he saw Pope slide and there was no contact initially. Pope sliding past him but then as the Newcastle keeper tried to slow his slide and recover, his arm caught Gyokeres. Malick Thiaw was covering anyway and whilst the keeper’s challenge was messy, it was clearly only a yellow card at most.
Sure enough Nick Pope was booked by the on the pitch referee and the video assistant referee quickly confirmed that he agreed.
Mikel Arteta though was desperate after the match to make this incident the big talking point and then expand on that to justify his failure against Manchester City the previous match…“It is a clear red card and I have watched it ten times. If you have ever played football that is a red card. It is the second time in two games because the Manchester City match when Kai Havertz goes through, Khusanov fouls him, 1-1, the title is there…and it is a red card guys. So these are the margins and hopefully that is going to change. I am here to give my opinion and somebody that has been in the game for a long time, you talk to any of the players, because the trajectory of where the ball is there is no keeper there. If that were to happen the other way around, it is a red card.”
The shameless Mikel Arteta even having the nerve to claim he isn’t looking for excuses when/if Arsenal don’t win the title: “I’m saying the reality of the last two games, in crucial moments when everything is at stake, we need everything to go our way and it hasn’t. I’m not making any excuses…It is a red card today. It is a red card in Manchester and the world is different. That’s it.”
Arsenal 1 Newcastle 0 – Saturday 25 April 2026 5.30pm
Match Stats
Goals:
Newcastle United:
Arsenal:
Eze 9
Possession was Newcastle 55% Arsenal 45%
Total shots were Newcastle 13 Arsenal 11
Shots on target were Newcastle 3 Arsenal 4
Corners were Newcastle 2 Arsenal 7
Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 19 Arsenal 27
Newcastle team v Arsenal:
Pope, Miley, Thiaw, Botman, Burn, Bruno (Woltemade 75), Tonali, Ramsey, Willock (Elanga 86), Jacob Murphy (Barnes 66), Osula (Wissa 66)
Unused subs:
Ramsdale, Trippier, Hall, Alex Murphy, Neave