Match of The Day analysis on Newcastle 1 Arsenal 0 – A must read from this MOTD pundit

This is brilliant from Match of The Day on Saturday night.

Newcastle 1 Arsenal 0 was not surprisingly the main game to focus on.

Match of The Day pundit Danny Murphy giving this superb analysis of how exactly Newcastle United managed to get the win AND become the first team to stop Arsenal scoring this season.

Gary Lineker and Danny Murphy talking on Match of The Day about how Newcastle United won against Arsenal – 4 November 2023:

Gary Lineker:

“A big win for Newcastle, the first time in seventeen games this season in all competitions, that Arsenal have failed to score a goal in, and you [Danny Murphy] have been looking at how Newcastle managed to stop them.”

Danny Murphy:

“I have, it was incredible.

“If you want to stop Arsenal, you have to stop Martinelli and Saka.

“The pace, the skill, the creativity.

“If you ever want to see a display of defensive discipline, great work ethic, helping your teammate, especially in wide areas, this was it today.

“It started early in the game, you could see what they [Newcastle United] were going to do.

“You have Trippier and Burn at right-back and left-back, as we know. 

“They had Almiron and Gordon in wide areas. Almiron was the one confronting Martinelli and Trippier dropping off. That stops the space behind for him to run at you one on one. Very hard to play against one v one, that means he [Martinelli] is crossing from deep and wide.

“Watch Gordon’s willingness to run back and try to help Dan Burn. You have also got Bruno helping, Saka can see that and there is no space for him to run into, so he ends up with a nothing ball. Easy to defend.

“These are the areas Arsenal look to get into, this time Longstaff helping Trippier, he knows there [Martinelli out wide] is the danger. He [Longstaff] can risk leaving the man behind him because the wide men are the ones who make the goals for Arsenal, they are the ones that are the creative force. Again, peters our, trying to play an eye of the needle pass.

“A quick throw in here, what do you want to do, get Saka away, counter-attack. Watch the reaction from Longstaff, Joelinton and Schar. They know who the danger players are.

“This is from the manager.

“This has been worked on, day in day out, this week.

“And whoever came on the pitch [for Newcastle] and played these positions, kept doing the same thing.

“The work ethic from Gordon and Almiron to get back, the best you will see from any wide player in the Premier League.

“Anywhere, probably in Europe.

“Joelinton and Gordon again, can’t leave him [Trippier] isolated, he [Saka] is too good a player.

“They [Newcastle] had to make some substitutions but the same discipline applied, same work ethic.

“Two new players on the right, Livramento and Ritchie. Communication, the key to any good defending. Ritchie with Martinelli, asking Livramento to cover him.

“This is hard work.

“This is a team ethos.

“This is a manager [Eddie Howe] making sure his players are doing their job.

“And if they don’t, they don’t play for Eddie Howe, they don’t play for Newcastle.

“They are arguably one of the most hard working teams in the Premier League.

“This [Joelinton block tackle just before final whistle] epitomises the attitude, the application and the desire of this Newcastle side.

“It was really really good.

“It was a superb defensive display, which was the bedrock to the win.”

Stats via BBC Sport:

Newcastle 1 Arsenal 0 – Saturday 4 November 5.30pm

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Gordon 64

 Arsenal:

Possession was Arsenal 60%  Newcastle 40%

Total shots were Arsenal 14 Newcastle 9

Shots on target were Arsenal 1 Newcastle 2

Corners Arsenal 11 Newcastle 0

Referee: Stuart Attwell

Attendance:  52,194 (3,000 Arsenal)

Newcastle team v Arsenal:

Pope, Trippier, Lascelles, Schar, Burn (Livramento 45), Longstaff, Bruno, Joelinton, Almiron (Murphy 63 (Ritchie 79)), Wilson (Willock 62), Gordon

SUBS:

Dubravka, Dummett, Krafth, Hall, Lewis Miley

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