Arsenal eventually broke Newcastle United down to leave Eddie Howe’s side bottom of the Premier League without a win.

Howe, in the Magpies dugout for the first time after missing last weekend’s 3-3 draw with Brentford because of Covid, set up a team to try to contain Arsenal and eke out a point.

It appeared as if the strategy might be working until Bukayo Saka slotted home from Nuno Tavares’ through ball in the second half.

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Saka went off injured and his replacement Gabriel Martinelli scored with his second touch, a wonderful volley from Takehiro Tomiyasu’s clipped pass over the top.

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Both sides had hit the woodwork in an otherwise uninspiring first half.

Jonjo Shelvey’s long-range drive was tipped on to the bar by the diving Aaron Ramsdale – and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hit a sitter off the post from six yards out.

Arsenal remain fifth in the Premier League, while Newcastle are five points adrift of safety with just over a third of the season gone.

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