Arsenal are back to their comfort zone and challenging for Champions League qualification. Like the days of Arsene Wenger, in the style of Jose Mourinho.

Mikel Arteta has toned down a bit since then He called the referees “an absolute disgrace” in the same match last seasonHe distanced himself from Arsenal conspiracy theorists on social media by brushing aside three red cards that he had previously had a lot to say about.

However, there has been a less positive change in his team since then. They had the same points as Manchester City almost a year ago, but in that case they were (and still are) five points adrift of the champions and playing less dominant and attractive football under Arteta than under Jose Mourinho. The claims, which were considered a compliment by many, were seen by everyone as a situation where the more pragmatic, physical style did not bring results.

Arsenal had lost three of their last four visits to St James’ Park but Newcastle went into this game having taken just two points from their last five matches following a confidence-boosting victory over Chelsea’s runners-up in the Carabao Cup. .

After Manchester United finally put Erik ten Hag out of his misery this week We suggested Eddie Howe could come under increasing pressure Without the sack buffer provided by the Dutchman. But this was the most Newcastle show we’ve seen in Newcastle in a long time.

Everything was done with intensity, whether defensively or offensively, and although Arteta had assembled a team of giants, Arsenal were outmatched and outplayed by their opponents.

Anthony Gordon’s first thought was to run towards the defenders, Alexander Isak gave Kai Havertz a lesson on how to run the line, Joelinton was excited from the first minute, Bruno Guimaraes was similarly excited but in the deeper role, Tino Livramento and showed the necessary balance. Lewis Hall was flawless and Joe Willock had done his best.

It was simply a wonderful, wonderfully simple, nostalgic goal from Newcastle. The right-footed right-winger played a wide pass to Gordon and greeted David Raya with a first-time pinpoint pass directly to the head of Proper Center Forward Isak. Wonderful.

Perhaps one of Arsenal’s reinstated centre-backs could have been closer to Isak, Jurrien Timber could have closed down Gordon quicker, but the final ball and finish was more about attacking excellence than lax defence.

Thomas Partey’s poor header led to the goal but Newcastle advanced the ball through midfield to create further opportunities with greater ease than a typical team against Arsenal, whose greatest strength is often in unified defence.

This was a bold choice by Arteta, who brought in Leandro Trossard behind Havertz and Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli on the wings. Although everyone would be hard-pressed to say what they miss most about Martin Odegaard is his desire to press and block passing lanes, especially after a game in which Newcastle struggled to open up and create chances, Trossard’s defensive weakness was no less so. . evident in his failure to produce key passes and moments of magic in the final third.

Nick Pope didn’t need to make a save, not even one. There was an effort blocked by Mikel Merino after some set-piece tilting, there was a scintillating Saka cross early in the possession across the six-yard box, and Declan Rice created himself a half-chance before scoring a header in stoppage time. But that was about it.

Arsenal never looked like they were going to score until Rice’s last chance and would not have deserved a point if they had missed that chance. They are a team incredibly lacking in belief and have slowly but steadily regressed this season to a point where they are at their lowest level since the collapse of their improbable title challenge at the end of the 2022/2023 season.

With Arsenal likely to be eight points behind Manchester City and seven points behind Liverpool at 5pm, they have withdrawn from the title race much earlier this time around and given their lack of self-confidence, their heads may now start to turn. They looked over their shoulders at Chelsea, Aston Villa, Tottenham and continued their quest for Champions League qualification, which has been deemed sufficient for more than a decade under Arsene Wenger.

A team that has produced results at a slightly lower level than Manchester City over the last few seasons, it now looks more like the unstable, obtainable sides of Wenger’s final days; There is no joy these teams can provide for a neutral team. A style of football in direct contrast to the Mourinho ball coming from Arteta’s Arsenal.