Arsenal 4-1 Newcastle United

Arsenal have won six league matches in a row against Newcastle United

• Arsenal score four for second straight game
• Gunners two points behind Man Utd
• Newcastle suffer second defeat in four games
• Magpies stay seventh in table

Arsenal put their recent Premier League troubles behind them to move to within two points of the Premier League's top four after an easy win over Newcastle.

Olivier Giroud headed the Gunners ahead from Alexis Sanchez's cross and Santi Cazorla's cute finish made it 2-0.

Giroud added his second with a clever close-range finish, and Ayoze Perez gave Newcastle hope with a header.

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Wenger says win 'satisfying response'

Cazorla completed an emphatic win with a penalty after Paul Dummett's foul on Danny Welbeck.

Chants of "there's only one Arsene Wenger" rang out at Emirates Stadium towards the end of a dominant Arsenal display.

That must have been music to the Frenchman's ears after the Gunners boss was verbally abused by supporters last weekend.

Newcastle had arrived in north London buoyed by their victory over Chelsea.

Yet Alan Pardew's side struggled to hit the heights that they reached in ending the Premier League leaders' unbeaten start to the campaign.

Arsenal dominated the opening half and should have led by more than Giroud's 16th-minute header.

Per Mertesacker had already been denied by the crossbar, the Germany defender's back header from a Cazorla corner cannoning off the woodwork, before Giroud struck.

Former Newcastle defender John Anderson on BBC Radio Newcastle:
"Arsenal were the better side throughout the game, and Newcastle didn't create a great deal. Once Arsenal went 3-0 up the confidence soared. You felt after Newcastle got one back, if they got another one quickly the game could change, but this has been a tough evening for them. They had a go, but the Arsenal goalkeeper wasn't really tested."

Newcastle's marking was non existent as they failed to pick up the France international's run from Sanchez's excellent delivery, Giroud planting a powerful header beyond Jak Alnwick from 12-yards out.

Arsenal were much improved from the side that lost 3-2 at Stoke City last weekend, Wenger's side showing hunger and desire, ingredients that were badly missing in the Potteries.

Danny Welbeck thought he had doubled the lead with an 18th-minute chipped finish but his effort was ruled out for a foul on Daryl Janmaat, a harsh decision judging by television replays.

Welbeck was unfortunate with an ambitious 32nd minute volley that flashed narrowly wide of Alnwick's post.

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Pardew says side were 'taught a lesson'

Newcastle were fortunate not to have Cheick Tiote red carded for a horrible early challenge after catching Sanchez in the stomach, referee Lee Mason missing the incident.

Chances were few and far between for the visitors, although it required a smart double save from Wojciech Szczesny to deny Mike Williamson and Papiss Cisse after Jack Colback's 35th-minute free kick caused panic.

It was an important moment, Arsenal extending their lead when Cazorla skipped over Fabricio Coloccini before beating Alnwick with a cute 55th-minute finish.

The Gunners went 3-0 up four minutes later as Giroud produced an exquisite piece of skill to beat Alnwick with the outside of his foot.

Perez gave Newcastle hope with a stooping header from Colback's free-kick, but Cazorla cemented an impressive home display from the spot after Welbeck was felled by Dummett.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: "We can score goals and we showed that again.

"Overall it was a dynamic game where defensively - despite the fact that we were depleted at the back - we were quite solid.

"Going forward we always looked dangerous. In the end we won in a convincing way.

"We scored four goals and that was needed. The response was strong after the Stoke City game and let's go well over Christmas."

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew: "I still felt, even at 3-1, that the game was in the balance. If we could have scored the second goal we had half a chance.

"Arsenal came out flying and had a really good purple patch and we were hanging on. We weren't as efficient with the ball as we have been.

"A lot of the credit has to go to Arsenal, they didn't give us a lot of time and they were quick. We grew into the game a little bit and had a chance to equalise that we should have taken."

Olivier Giroud has scored with all four headers on target he has mustered against Newcastle United

Santi Cazorla scored on his 30th birthday

Olivier Giroud has scored six goals in five Premier League appearance against Newcastle - more than against any other opponent

Danny Welbeck has not scored at Emirates since 18 October

Santi Cazorla has three goals in his last two Premier League appearances

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Arsenal

• 1Szczesny
• 39BellerinBooked at 37mins
• 2Debuchy
• 4Mertesacker
• 3Gibbs
• 20Flamini
• 15Oxlade-ChamberlainBooked at 57minsSubstituted forMaitland-Nilesat 90+1'minutes
• 17SánchezSubstituted forCoquelinat 87'minutes
• 19Cazorla
• 23Welbeck
• 12GiroudSubstituted forPodolskiat 73'minutes

Substitutes

• 9Podolski
• 22Sanogo
• 26Martinez
• 28Campbell
• 34Coquelin
• 37Ajayi
• 70Maitland-Niles

Newcastle

• 31Alnwick
• 22JanmaatBooked at 82mins
• 6Williamson
• 2Coloccini
• 36Dummett
• 24TiotéBooked at 59mins
• 14Colback
• 17PérezSubstituted forArmstrongat 82'minutes
• 28AmeobiSubstituted forCabellaat 56'minutes
• 11Gouffran
• 9CisséSubstituted forRiviereat 56'minutes

Substitutes

• 8Anita
• 19Haidara
• 20Cabella
• 23Vuckic
• 29Riviere
• 32Armstrong
• 41Woodman

Referee:

Lee Mason

Attendance:

59,949

Match Stats

Home TeamArsenalAway TeamNewcastle

Possession

Home51%

Away49%

Shots

Home17

Away10

Shots on Target

Home4

Away4

Corners

Home9

Away6

Fouls

Home14

Away15

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Arsenal 4, Newcastle United 1.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+4'

Second Half ends, Arsenal 4, Newcastle United 1.

Posted at 90'+3'

Attempt blocked. Jack Colback (Newcastle United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Rémy Cabella.

Posted at 90'+2'

Attempt saved. Emmanuel Rivière (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Adam Armstrong.

Substitution

Posted at 90'+1'

Substitution, Arsenal. Ainsley Maitland-Niles replaces Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Posted at 90'+1'

Attempt missed. Lukas Podolski (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Santiago Cazorla.

Goal!

Posted at 88'

Goal! Arsenal 4, Newcastle United 1. Santiago Cazorla (Arsenal) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the centre of the goal.

Posted at 88'

Penalty Arsenal. Danny Welbeck draws a foul in the penalty area.

Posted at 88'

Penalty conceded by Paul Dummett (Newcastle United) after a foul in the penalty area.

Posted at 87'

Foul by Lukas Podolski (Arsenal).

Posted at 87'

Daryl Janmaat (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution

Posted at 87'

Substitution, Arsenal. Francis Coquelin replaces Alexis Sánchez.

Posted at 86'

Attempt missed. Cheick Tioté (Newcastle United) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right following a corner.

Posted at 86'

Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Héctor Bellerín.

Posted at 84'

Dangerous play by Danny Welbeck (Arsenal).

Posted at 84'

Jack Colback (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 82'

Danny Welbeck (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 82'

Foul by Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle United).

Substitution

Posted at 82'

Substitution, Newcastle United. Adam Armstrong replaces Ayoze Pérez.

Booking

Posted at 82'

Daryl Janmaat (Newcastle United) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 82'

Santiago Cazorla (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 82'

Foul by Daryl Janmaat (Newcastle United).

Posted at 81'

Attempt blocked. Emmanuel Rivière (Newcastle United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Paul Dummett with a cross.

Posted at 81'

Foul by Mathieu Flamini (Arsenal).

Posted at 81'

Ayoze Pérez (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 79'

Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 79'

Foul by Yoan Gouffran (Newcastle United).

Posted at 79'

Hand ball by Danny Welbeck (Arsenal).

Posted at 74'

Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Héctor Bellerín.

Substitution

Posted at 73'

Substitution, Arsenal. Lukas Podolski replaces Olivier Giroud.

Posted at 71'

Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Héctor Bellerín.

Posted at 69'

Attempt missed. Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Posted at 69'

Attempt missed. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.

Posted at 69'

Attempt blocked. Santiago Cazorla (Arsenal) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

Posted at 69'

Attempt blocked. Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Danny Welbeck.

Posted at 68'

Foul by Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal).

Posted at 68'

Paul Dummett (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 66'

Attempt missed. Mathieu Flamini (Arsenal) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Danny Welbeck.

Posted at 64'

Attempt missed. Santiago Cazorla (Arsenal) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Olivier Giroud with a through ball.

Goal!

Posted at 63'

Goal! Arsenal 3, Newcastle United 1. Ayoze Pérez (Newcastle United) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jack Colback with a cross following a set piece situation.

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