Gabriel strikes late to power Arsenal past Newcastle

Gabriel Magalhaes scored a 96th-minute winner, as Arsenal came back to secure a dramatic 2-1 win against Newcastle in the Premier League on Sunday, closing the gap on leader Liverpool.

The defender rose to head in a stoppage-time corner that moved Mikel Arteta's team up to second in the standings and two points behind the defending champion.

Arsenal manager Arteta described it as a "statement" win.

"There are opportunities, there are moments in the season, you have to find a way to win," he said.

Victory saw Arsenal take full advantage of Liverpool's first defeat of the season, after it fell to a 2-1 loss at Crystal Palace on Saturday. That game was also decided by a stoppage-time winner by former Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah.

A day later, and it was Arsenal's turn to produce a late flourish after trailing much of the match, following Nick Woltemade's 34th-minute goal. Mikel Merino leveled the game with a header in the 84th and Magalhaes sealed all three points deep into added time.

Another escape act

For a second week running, Arsenal needed a late escape act.

A 93rd-minute goal from Gabriel Martinelli salvaged a 1-1 draw against Manchester City a week ago, and Merino's goal — a glancing header into the bottom corner — looked like to have rescued another point on Sunday.

Even with that, there would still have been the feeling of an opportunity missed for Arsenal after Liverpool's defeat at Palace. Any sense of frustration, however, turned into pure joy when Magalhaes headed in from close range.

"It's unbelievable man, late winners. There's nothing better in football. Speechless," said Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka.

Magalhaes dropped to his knees at the final whistle and, with both fists clenched, roared in celebration. He and his teammates will have known the potential significance of the win, which puts pressure on a Liverpool team that has needed a succession of late goals itself to avoid dropping points this season. One of those came against Newcastle in August, when Rio Ngumoha scored in the 10th minute of added time to secure a 3-2 win.

This was a case of history repeating itself for Newcastle, but Arsenal could point to a number of occasions when it was denied by luck, VAR or the brilliance of goalkeeper Nick Pope.

The visitors were awarded a penalty in the first half when Pope brought down Viktor Gyokeres in the box. But, after a VAR review, referee Jarred Gillett overturned the decision, deeming Pope to have touched the ball first, even if he did take down Gyokeres afterward.

Leandro Trossard hit the post soon after, while Pope also blocked two goalbound efforts from Eberechi Eze and another from Jurrien Timber.

"We fully deserved the win, the way we played, the way we performed, the way we competed, the chances we generated. We did it in a dramatic manner at the end, but I'm so happy and so proud of the team," Arteta said.

Relief for Villa

Two goals in as many minutes in the second half sealed a comeback win for Villa, after Fulham had taken an early lead through Raul Jimenez.

Ollie Watkins leveled the game before halftime and John McGinn and Emiliano Buendia struck shortly after the break to help Villa to a first league win at the sixth time of asking this season.

Victory provided relief for coach Unai Emery, who has endured a difficult start to the campaign. The Spaniard, who led Villa to Champions League qualification in his first full season in charge and into the Europa League last term, has found his team battling at the wrong end of the standings in the opening weeks of this campaign with two losses and three draws.

And, when Jimenez headed Fulham in front in the third minute, it looked like being another frustrating day.

But Watkins scored his first goal of the season by lobbing Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno in the 37th.

McGinn drove a low shot from around 20 yards into the bottom corner four minutes into the second half and Buendia fired in from close range two minutes later.

"He (Watkins) has had a lot of criticism in recent weeks, but what he'll get from us as teammates and staff is love and support," McGinn, who rifled Villa ahead in the 49th, said.

"What he has given us in recent seasons is nothing short of brilliant. He always has a spell in the season when it doesn't quite click for him, but he runs a lot and he works hard and, then, when he gets the ball you expect that he will score."

Agencies