Player Ratings: Newcastle 1-3 Arsenal

[Karl]

Player Ratings: Newcastle 1-3 Arsenal

After an instant equaliser from Newcastle United, Arsenal went on to dominate affairs. Goal.com rates the players...

21 Mar 2009 20:31:26




EPL: Gunners' Samir Nasri - Newcastle United vs Arsenal (PA)


Harper: 7.0 -Conceded three times. Denied Van Persie late on. Was thankful that Steven Taylor was in front of him.

Steven Taylor: 9.0 -Was an absolute lion-heart stopper in the centre of Newcastle's defence. He'd be knighted in an instant if this was medieval England. It was no coincidence that the black and white's conceded while he temporarily limped off. He also mopped up Coloccini's mistakes. Easily the man of the match.

Coloccini: 5.0 -Slipped and slid all over St James' Park. If he was as strong as Taylor, then Newcastle would not be fighting a relegation battle.

Bassong: n/a-Was withdrawn early on.

Jose Enrique: 7.0 -Good forward play early on, troubled the Arsenal back four with some tormenting runs down the flank.

Ryan Taylor: 6.0 -An average performance from the Englishman.

Butt: 7.5 -Marshalled the midfield areas with ease. Enjoyed a host of thrilling battles with Arsenal while at Manchester United, and added another to his belt. Held well, passed well, performed admirably.

Nolan: 6.5 -Good solid heading, but did not offer as much as Duff, or Lovenkrands.

Duff: 7.0 -Nice forward motions. Played a key role in Newcastle's penalty claims.

Lovenkrands: 7.0 -He was a danger down the right hand side giving Gael Clichy enough problems, but unfortunately the French full-back came out on top more often than not.

Martins: 6.5 -Poor penalty. The attempted conversion was tamely hit and had poor accuracy. If a striker is going to position the ball so far inside the post, then you need to make sure you'll cannon the back of the net. Made amends for this slack play with an instant equalising goal.

Substitutions

Owen: n/a

Beye: n/a

Ameobi: 6.5 -Good on-target shooting, but Almunia was equal to it.


ARSENAL

Almunia: 7.5 - Penalty hero. Added Obafemi Martins' name to the list of players he has shut-out from the spot. Denied key attacks in the second half to keep Arsenal ahead.

Sagna: 6.5 - Almost mirrored Clichy's performance. Was troubled by the running of Enrique, though.

Gallas: 7.0 -Along with Toure, he was solid.

Toure: 7.0 - Linked the defence with the attack, and put in his fair share of key blocks, interceptions, and challenges.

Clichy: 7.5 -Got across well to block out Lovenkrands easily in the first half. Was solid in the first and final third.

Arshavin: 7.5 -Very direct play, picking up where he left off in recent games. Was deemed such a danger that he was duly given an elbow to the face.

Denilson: 6.5 -Did well in the centre of the park in an often unsung position.

Diaby: 7.0 -Started off slowly, but grew into the role of a beast. His goal - Arsenal's second - was exemplary. Could have added another had it not been for that darned woodwork.

Nasri: 7.5 -The attack-minded midfielder scored the killer third goal. He snuck the ball into the right hand corner of the net by controlling it with his knee, before sliding it into the net.

Van Persie: 7.0 -Delivered well from set-play. His corners troubled a compact Newcastle box. Did miss a host of opportunities to extend the scoreline.

Bendtner: 7.5 -Was not confident in the early stages, which showed with his pass to Van Persie that was eventually shut out by Newcastle's defence. A frustating player - like Diaby - who is capable of class play, yet sometimes struggles to show it for the full game.

Substitutions

Alexandre Song: 6.0 -A tactical sub.

Eboue: n/a

[Karl]

Newcastle 1-3 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-3 Arsenal


By Nabil Hassan




Nicklas Bendtner celebrates his second-half header


Nicklas Bendtner, Abou Diaby and Samir Nasri secured victory for Arsenal to leave Newcastle in the relegation zone.

Arsenal took the lead when Bendtner headed home Andrey Arshavin's free-kick while Obafemi Martins volleyed home from 12-yards a minute later.

The Gunners were back in front when Diaby smashed home from 18-yards with Nasri sealing the win soon after.

Earlier, Manuel Almunia had saved Martins first-half penalty after he had brought down Newcastle's Ryan Taylor.

Newcastle had begun the day just out of the relegation places but Stoke's 1-0 victory against Middlesbrough meant the Magpies slipped into the bottom three before kick-off.

And defeat to Arsenal further compounds Newcastle's place in the relegation places with eight games left.



For Arsenal victory sees them consolidate their position in fourth place with the Gunners 10 points behind leaders United having played a game more.

Newcastle left Michael Owen on the bench but could have done with the England striker midway through the first half when they were awarded a penalty.

Martins took it, but his weak strike was easily saved by Almunia low to his left.

The Newcastle striker missed further chances, with Peter Lovenkrands also guilty of wastefulness in front of goal.

Newcastle played well in an open first half, but Arsenal always looked dangerous on the break.

Magpies defender twice Steven Taylor blocked goal bound strikes that looked destined for the back of the net, while keeper Steve Harper also saved well from close range from Robin Van Persie.

Taylor, meanwhile, was lucky to escape punishment for a crude elbow on Andrey Arshavin who later shaved the top of the Newcastle crossbar with a fine 25-yard strike.

But despite the open nature of the game, the first half ended goalless. The second half was a different affair.

Newcastle started brightly forcing a series of corners, and from one of them, Steven Taylor had a header cleared off the line by William Gallas.

But Arsenal responded and took a 56th minute lead when an unmarked Bendtner headed home Arshavin's out swinging free-kick from close range.

A minute later Newcastle were level.

Martins latched onto a hopeful long ball, blocked Gallas' clearance and volleyed home from inside the box for 1-1.

Arsenal were soon back in the lead with Diaby playing a neat one-two with Van Persie and from 18-yards smashed past Harper for 2-1.

Two soon became three with Nasri beating Harper from a tight angle at the Newcastle keeper's near post.

A rampant Arsenal had further chances with Van Persie forcing a fine save from Harper with Diaby hitting a post in injury time as the Magpies were spared further punishment.

Newcastle: Harper, Steven Taylor (Owen 65), Coloccini, Bassong (Beye 38), Jose Enrique, Ryan Taylor, Butt, Nolan, Duff, Lovenkrands (Ameobi 79), Martins.
Subs Not Used: Krul, Smith, Gutierrez, Geremi.

Goals: Martins 58.

Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Toure, Clichy, Arshavin (Song Billong 74), Denilson, Diaby, Nasri, Van Persie, Bendtner (Eboue 89).
Subs Not Used: Fabianski, Eduardo, Vela, Djourou, Gibbs.

Booked: Gallas.

Goals: Bendtner 57, Diaby 64, Nasri 67.

Att: 49,972

Ref: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Arsenal's Andrey Arshavin 7.93 (on 90 minutes).