Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang lastly ended his scoring drought within the Premier League with two second-half objectives in a 3-0 win towards Newcastle on Monday because the Gunners attempt to claw their approach out of mid-table.
Aubameyang, who hadn’t scored within the league since Dec. 16, broke the impasse within the fiftieth minute earlier than Bukayo Saka added a second with fashion within the 61st. An unmarked Aubameyang bought his second objective within the 77th.
It was a fifth consecutive clear sheet in all competitions for Arsenal and a fourth win in 5 league matches.
“We’re all coming together as a group,” attacking midfielder Emile Smith Rowe mentioned. “We’ve had some meetings off the pitch. The whole group is so much stronger and it showed on the pitch.”
Arsenal supervisor Mikel Arteta echoed that sentiment.
“The spirit is better,” he mentioned. “We have to maintain that run.”
But the Gunners solely moved up a spot to tenth with 27 factors, as they attempt to flip round their season after a woeful begin.
Newcastle remained in fifteenth place, solely seven factors from the relegation zone.
“There’s no denying that confidence is low,” supervisor Steve Bruce mentioned. “We have to keep plugging away at it.”
Aubameyang, who had simply three league objectives this season coming into the sport, appeared like he would proceed his poor run of type after lacking a string of probabilities within the first half.
But a wonderfully weighted lengthy ball from midfielder Thomas Partey discovered the struggling ahead on the left, leaving him one-on-one with defender Emil Krafth.
The Arsenal captain lower inside and struck the ball previous goalkeeper Karl Darlow, beating him on the close to submit. Aubameyang did his trademark entrance flip in celebration.
Then, it was the time for Arsenal’s kids to shine. The 20-year-old Smith Rowe took the ball down the left earlier than slicing in and organising an unmarked Saka, 19, who drifted in to close the penalty spot earlier than ending with a easy tap-in.
The two gamers have come up by way of the academy collectively and their linkup play is paying dividends for Arsenal as Arteta is beginning to depend on them and different kids within the squad.
“We’ve all played together from a young age,” Smith Rowe mentioned. “It’s a dream for us.”
But he’s additionally studying from a veteran participant: Alexandre Lacazette.
“He gives me so much confidence,” Smith Rowe mentioned. “As we link up and play together, he talks to me.”
Arteta was actually impressed by his younger gamers.
“They put a smile on my face,” he mentioned. “They are developing really well. The performances they are putting in are extraordinary.”
Arteta was additionally glad to have Partey again for his first begin since Dec. 6 towards Tottenham after recovering from a thigh damage, saying he hopes the participant will help Arsenal extra with the transition from protection to assault.
“He has this presence, this aura, which makes him a special player for us,” Arteta mentioned. “Hopefully, we can keep him fit.”
Aubameyang’s second objective got here when Cedric Soares took the ball to the byline earlier than wanting up and discovering his unmarked captain, who side-footed residence. A video evaluate confirmed the ball was saved in play by Soares.
Aubameyang didn’t have an opportunity to attain a hat trick, as he was substituted two minutes later with a abdomen concern.
One of the few Newcastle counterattacks got here within the twenty fourth, when winger Miguel Almiron beat Partey’s sliding sort out to intercept the ball and break unmarked down the suitable. The Paraguayan lower in and exchanged passes with Andy Carroll earlier than firing the ball over the bar.
The guests made eight modifications after a 1-0 loss to Sheffield United, with Bruce fielding a extra attacking lineup as Newcastle tries to avoid the relegation zone. The supervisor is below growing strain, however he pressured that he’s the person to see them by way of this robust patch.
“I’m never going to shy away from it,” Bruce mentioned.
But the Magpies are nonetheless lacking one in all their most important attacking threats, winger Allan Saint-Maximin, who has been sidelined for the previous seven weeks with a extreme case of COVID-19. He solely just lately began coaching once more.
“The one person who could give us a bit of creativity and the sparkle in the team is Allan of course,” Bruce mentioned. “He’s huge to us. He’s back in light training. We have to be careful with him and see how is he.”
