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Odegaard Ramsdale Arsenal 2022-23Getty Images
Charles Watts

Sorry Man City - Arsenal aren't done quite yet! Winners and losers as Martin Odegaard and Aaron Ramsdale star in Newcastle win

The Gunners ensured that the Premier League title race will go right down to the wire with a stirring victory at St James' Park

Arsenal are not giving up this Premier League title race without a fight! Many felt this would be the day that Manchester City would all but seal the title without even kicking a ball, but Mikel Arteta’s team didn’t read the script as they claimed a fabulous 2-0 win at Newcastle.

It was a victory that guaranteed the Gunners at least second place in the table and, more importantly, it saw them move to within one point of City with just three games remaining.

Martin Odegaard was excellent, just as he was against Chelsea in midweek, and it was the Arsenal captain who opened the scoring in the first half with a low drive that flew into the bottom corner from outside the box. Both teams then had chances in what was frenetic encounter, with Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Odegaard all wasting glorious opportunities to extend Arsenal’s lead before the interval.

Newcastle then hit the post through Alexander Isak before Aaron Ramsdale made a sensational stop to keep out a point blank header from Fabian Schar. That was a key moment in the game, as Schar later put through his own net soon after some excellent play from Martinelli to double Arsenal’s lead and seal a win that proved they are not yet ready to wave the white flag amid City’s relentless end of season form.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from St James' Park...

  • Aaron Ramsdale Arsenal 2022-23Getty Images

    WINNER: Aaron Ramsdale

    What an afternoon the Arsenal keeper had. He made some excellent saves, but the one he produced in the second half to keep out Schar’s close-range header was up there with the best saves you will see all season.

    The fact he managed to get his hand to it was one thing, but the fact he was then strong enough to somehow claw it out was another. But it wasn’t just his shot stopping, the way he commanded his area and and dealt with so many high balls was hugely impressive.

    It was a top display from the England international. One of his best of the season.

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  • Thomas Partey Arsenal 2022-23Getty Images

    LOSER: Thomas Partey

    On paper, this was a game made for Thomas Partey. It wasn’t long ago that it would have been inconceivable to think that Arsenal would go to a place like St James’ Park with Partey available and he wouldn’t be in the starting XI.

    But that’s what happened on Sunday, with Arteta sticking with Jorginho after the Italy midfielder's fine showing against Chelsea.

    Jorginho was impressive in that midweek success, but the expectation was Partey would come back into the side against Newcastle just to help Arsenal deal with the home side’s physicality. The fact that he didn’t says a lot about Partey’s form right now, and begs the question as to whether he will return to the starting line up during the final three games of the season, especially given the quality of Jorginho' performance.

  • Martin Odegaard Arsenal Newcastle 2022-23Getty

    WINNER: Martin Odegaard

    There’s not much more you can say about Arsenal’s captain at this point. Odegaard was excellent once again at Newcastle, just as he was against Chelsea in midweek.

    The home side were all over the Gunners early on at St James’. Park, and looked like only a matter of time before their incessant pressure led to the opening goal. Arteta’s side desperately needed someone to stand up and make something happen, and it was their skipper who obliged, turning the game on its head with a wonderful strike from distance to break the deadlock.

    It was Odegaard’s 15th goal of a superb season, equalling a record set by Cesc Fabregas for a number of goals scored by a midfielder for Arsenal in a single Premier League season. A captain leading by example.

  • LOSER: Chris Kavanagh

    This was a staggeringly bad performance from Chris Kavanagh. The referee lost control of the game early on was completely unable to get it back.

    He let so many things go and it gave license to the players to commit some awful challenges. The fact it took 71 minutes for the first yellow card to be shown was incredible.

    Players from both sides got away with challenges that should have seen them punished far earlier. It was very fortunate that no-one was badly injured. Kavanagh just looked completely out of his depth.

  • Granit Xhaka Arsenal 2022-23Getty Images

    WINNER: Granit Xhaka

    The block Arsenal’s midfielder made to deny Joe Willock an equaliser in the second half was a thing of absolutely beauty. It looked certain that Willock was going to score when the ball fell to him completely unmarked in the box, yet somehow Xhaka got back to him and blocked his effort to keep the visitors in front. It was a sensational piece of play from the midfielder.

    He could easily have just given up, such was the amount of space Willock was in, but he kept going and got his reward.It was a match-winning challenge from Xhaka, one that capped a superb performance.

  • Pep Guardiola Manchester City Leeds 2022-23Getty Images

    LOSER: Pep Guardiola

    He might not admit it, but Manchester City’s manager would surely have been looking at this game hoping Arsenal were going to drop points. But now he knows his side are going to have to keep going right to the end to get over the line in the title race.

    City have a tough trip to Everton at the weekend sandwiched right in between the two Champions League semi-final ties against Real Madrid. Guardiola would have loved to have had the opportunity to rest some of his star names at Goodison Park, but Arsenal’s win means he’s now not really in the position to do that.