MAKING EMILE OF IT!
It took a VAR reprieve and 109 minutes... but Smith Rowe nails Toon
EMILE SMITH ROWE escaped a red card thanks to VAR – then rescued the holders with the extra-time breakthrough goal.
The 20-year-old Gunners’ star was “sent off ” for a shin-high tackle on Sean Longstaff in second-half injury time.
But referee Chris Kavanagh downgraded it to a yellow after watching it on a pitch-side monitor after VAR intervened.
That allowed the energetic kid to exploit a rare mistake in the resilient Newcastle defence in extra time, when Ciaran Clark got tangled in possession.
Smith Rowe conjured an instinctive finish, rifling home from an angle in the 109th minute after Isaac Hayden headed Bukayo Saka’s pass into his path.
Smith Rowe has now scored five for the club and his call-up has coincided with Arsenal’s upturn in form. He said: “I’m really happy, that’s a big relief.
“The red card incident before was not ideal! The foul was not intentional at all.
“We knew it would be about eventually breaking them down.
“It is great. From a young kid I have always wanted to play for this club. We have shown how together we are. We are starting to show it on the pitch and we want to keep winning.”
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta admitted it was not often you see a player sent off... then go on to score the winner.
Arteta (right) said: “It’s my first time for that! I didn’t think he should be off. The regulations gave us VAR and today it worked the way it should.
“It means we believe in Smith Rowe. He is doing well and becoming important in the team.
“The personality he plays with, we ask him to be more of a threat in the box and he scored an
important goal for us. For young players to step in at difficult moments like this is not easy. They need experience around them. We’ve a great mixture.
“We can’t put too much responsibility on them.
We have the talent and the characters which is healthy and also promising for the future.”
It was a close shave for the FA Cup holders, pushed to the limit by Steve Bruce’s side, who blew two brilliant chances of their own – with Andy Carroll chief culprit.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sealed Arsenal’s fourth win in a row in the 117th minute with a tap-in after Kieran Tierney unpicked Newcastle down the left. Bruce’s side fought well, but are winless in seven, losing five. A Premier League recovery is needed against Sheffield United on Tuesday.
The Geordies have been knocked out in 11 of their last 12 FA Cup games against top-flight sides. No cup fun being a Toon fan.
Bruce’s men have only managed one goal in eight hours of football, and really need to concentrate on avoiding the drop not cup glories. Bruce said: “I can see signs of progress.
“When you are presented with the chances we had you hope you can take them. We didn’t. I am pleased the way they went about their work.
“We had the chance in the last few minutes and didn’t grasp it.
“Andy Carroll did fantastically well. There were pleasing things.
“It’s been a particularly difficult period. We’re trying to get higher up the pitch to create more.
“We have had a tough run of games and we have to dust ourselves down and go again.”
Gabriel Martinelli was injured in pre-match warm-up and pulled out of the starting XI.
Arteta added: “I’m gutted. Gabriel twisted his ankle. He was in tears and pain. It really didn’t look good.”