Eze's curling ninth-minute strike sends Arsenal back to the Premier League summit, three points clear of City
Two consecutive defeats, the title race tightening, the Atletico Madrid Champions League semi-final coming up midweek, and Bukayo Saka still not back in the starting eleven. Mikel Arteta needed a result against Newcastle on Saturday at the Emirates and he got one with the help of a stunner from Eberechi Eze.
It was the ninth minute. Short corner routine. Eze played the ball low to Kai Havertz, took the return on the edge of the box, and curled it right-footed into the top corner past Nick Pope. Sky Sports' Gary Neville called it "really special" on the broadcast. The watching Emirates exhaled. Three points, top of the table, three clear of Manchester City with four matches left.
Saka on the bench, Saka off the bench
Saka was named among the substitutes for the first time since the international break, having missed the run since the Carabao Cup final defeat to City with an Achilles problem. He came on late. It was his first Premier League involvement in over a month and a sign of how Arsenal's title push has had to be propped up by everyone else while their best forward worked his way back.
That meant Eze, Havertz and Leandro Trossard carried the attacking load through most of the afternoon. Newcastle, sitting in the bottom half of the table and never quite settling on Saturday, still made Arsenal work for the win.
Two injuries in a match Arsenal could not afford to lose anyone
The afternoon was not entirely a celebration. Havertz went down off the ball in the 33rd minute with what looked like an upper leg issue and was eventually escorted off by the medical staff. Eze, the man of the match, also had to come off in the second half after going down without contact. Arteta will give a full update at the press conference but a club already managing Saka's return now has potential question marks over two more starters.
Arsenal travel to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Wednesday for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid. The return leg is at the Emirates the following Tuesday. Atletico, all but out of the La Liga title race, will see this tie as the season. Arteta cannot afford to lose another body before he lands in Madrid.
Three points clear, four games left
The win takes Arsenal to the top of the table, three points clear of Manchester City. Liverpool, who beat Crystal Palace 3-1 the same afternoon at Anfield, are now into the top four for the first time in a while. Below them the European places stay tight.
For Arsenal it is straightforward from here. Win the four games left, take the title, work out the Atletico tie midweek. Saturday was the kind of nervy, professional 1-0 that title-winning sides do for fun. The injury situation will be the lingering worry. Eze's strike, however, was the kind of moment that defines a season if Arsenal go on and finish the job.
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