Arsenal vs Newcastle Ratings: Merino & Trossard Struggle, but Gunners Fly High
The North London derby was a rollercoaster of emotions, but one thing was clear: Arsenal were the better team. They flew past a Newcastle side that seemed to be missing something, with their usual swagger replaced by a bit of a stumble in the second half.
Let's dive into the player ratings, shall we?
Arsenal Ratings
Gabriel Jesus (8.5): What a performance! He was a menace all game - he scored a beautiful goal, created chances, and generally made life miserable for Newcastle's defenders.
Martin Ødegaard (8.0): The captain was pulling the strings and driving the team forward. He was in complete control, dictating the pace, and making the Gunners tick.
William Saliba (7.5): A rock at the back. He was solid defensively, and his passing was on point.
Granit Xhaka (7.0): He's been getting a lot of flack lately, but he put in a decent shift. Not spectacular, but he did his job.
Bukayo Saka (6.5): He always brings energy and creativity to the right side, but he wasn't able to find that killer pass today.
Ben White (6.0): Not his best performance, but he's still a valuable asset to this team.
Gabriel Magalhaes (6.0): Made a few crucial tackles and interceptions, but wasn't as impactful as usual.
Thomas Partey (5.5): He's still coming back from injury, and it showed. He struggled to control the midfield.
Leandro Trossard (5.0): Didn't really make an impact on the game. He struggled to find his footing in the final third.
Fabio Vieira (5.0): Had some good moments, but he needs to be more consistent.
Kieran Tierney (N/A): Came on late, not enough time to judge.
Newcastle Ratings
Sven Botman (7.0): Tried his best, but he couldn't contain Jesus.
Bruno Guimarães (6.5): A couple of good passes, but he was a bit off the pace today.
Callum Wilson (6.0): Struggled to get involved in the game. The Arsenal defense was too good.
Miguel Almirón (5.5): He's normally a threat, but he was fairly quiet today.
Sean Longstaff (5.5): Couldn't offer much in the way of midfield dominance.
Kieran Trippier (5.0): He's a real danger going forward, but he struggled to stop Saka.
Fabian Schär (5.0): He wasn't at his best today.
Joelinton (4.5): Tried to work hard, but he was completely outplayed.
Elliot Anderson (4.0): Came on as a sub, but couldn't change the course of the game.
Allan Saint-Maximin (N/A): Came on late, not enough time to judge.
Jonjo Shelvey (N/A): Came on late, not enough time to judge.
**The midfield battle was definitely a key factor in the game. **Arsenal dominated that area, with Ødegaard and Xhaka pulling the strings.
**And then there's the Merino Mystery - where did he disappear? He just didn't seem to be himself.
**Overall, Arsenal were the better team. **They showed their class, while Newcastle struggled to find their rhythm. The Magpies will be looking to bounce back, but it's clear they have a lot of work to do.