Aubameyang scores on return as Arsenal ease past Magpies

NEWCASTLE UNITED 0 ARSENAL 2

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored in a routine 2-0 win at Newcastle to stake his claim for a role in Arsenal’s Europa League clash with Villarreal.

The Gabon international struck after 66 minutes – the fifth successive game in which he has scored against the rivals – to cement the Gunners’ 17th win in 18 outings against the Magpies. It was also his first game returning from a bout of malaria.

It was a well-deserved result from a dominant display, which saw them go ahead through Mohamed Elneny’s first top-flight goal and never look like surrendering their lead.

Arsenal’s season now rests on whether they can overturn the 2-1 deficit at home to Villarreal in the Europa League semi-final second leg on Thursday.

Newcastle, who had substitute Fabian Schar sent off late on, looked a shadow of the team which had eased itself away from the relegation zone with a four-game unbeaten run. They have Leicester City and Manchester City among their remaining fixtures.

“This game showed our focus is still there in the Premier League,” manager Mikel Arteta said. “We believe that anything is possible if you’re picking up points, and we wanted to put bad results out of the way. We had a great attitude, some moments of real quality and had total control from the start.”

However, the win was tempered by the loss of defender David Luiz, who limped off with a hamstring problem.

Arteta said: “He felt something in his hamstring, so it’s not good news. He’s put in such a shift to be back with the team for the last few weeks after the knee surgery and it’s a real shame.”

The Gunners were in control from the off and it was no surprise when they opened the scoring.

Elneny was the beneficiary when Aubameyang mistimed his shot, to open his league account on his 66th appearance.

Granit Xhaka also forced Martin Dubravka into a smart save in the first half, before Aubameyang made it 2-0 an acrobatic finish after Martinelli’s pin-point cross.

Newcastle’s afternoon took a further turn for the worse in the final minute of normal time when defender Schar, who had joined the fray as a 72nd-minute substitute, was sent off for a late challenge on Martinelli, harshly in the opinion of manager Steve Bruce.

He said: “I still think it was harsh because it was not a real reckless challenge, as far as I’m concerned.”

On the defeat, Bruce added: “The disappointment for me today is that we could have gone 13th in the table and we’ve missed that opportunity.

“I say ‘missed the opportunity’; we had to play well to beat Arsenal and unfortunately we didn’t play well enough.”