Arsenal pulled off a sensational late turnaround at St. James’ Park on Sunday night, snatching a 2-1 victory over Newcastle United to reignite their Premier League title push.
Arsenal’s Gabriel dramatically redeemed himself when he rose highest in the 96th minute to head home the winner, sending the travelling fans into wild celebrations and cutting Liverpool’s lead at the top to just two points.
It had looked like another frustrating trip to Tyneside for Mikel Arteta’s men after Nick Woltemade’s first-half strike put Newcastle in control.
The forward capitalised on a lapse from Gabriel, who tumbled under minimal contact while appealing for a foul, allowing Woltemade to finish calmly.
The Brazilian defender’s evening went from bad to worse when he caught the striker in the face with a clumsy shove moments later, escaping with only a warning.
Arsenal thought they had a lifeline midway through the opening half when referee Jarred Gillett pointed to the spot after Viktor Gyokeres was brought down by goalkeeper Nick Pope.
But VAR intervened, and after a lengthy review, the decision was overturned as replays showed Pope had made the faintest of touches on the ball before colliding with the striker.
That controversial call seemed to fuel Arsenal’s determination rather than deflate it. With six minutes left on the clock, substitute Mikel Merino met a teasing delivery to level the contest. Suddenly, the momentum shifted, and Newcastle were pinned back deep into their own half.
The decisive moment came deep into stoppage time when Gabriel, desperate to atone for his earlier error, powered a header past Pope to complete the comeback.
His celebration was one of sheer relief and redemption, while Arteta and his coaching staff erupted on the touchline, knowing the importance of the result after Liverpool’s shock defeat to Crystal Palace the previous day.
The victory also ended Arsenal’s miserable run of three consecutive defeats at St. James’ Park, a venue that had become a difficult hunting ground for them in recent years.
© 2025 Naija News, a division of Polance Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]
