Arsenal savour inspired comeback over Newcastle

It was the same penalty box where Gabriel Magalhaes had ended up sprawling on the Tyneside turf some 90 minutes earlier.

- By RICHARD JOLLY AT ST JAMES' PARK

This time, he was rising highest, heading in Martin Odegaard’s corner, capping a dramatic fightback, securing the kind of flagship win that tends to be the hallmark of champions.

The Brazilian may have been culpable for Newcastle’s opener, when Nick Woltemade headed in as he fell. He might have been sent off for an elbow on the giant German. He survived a VAR review for a penalty for handling Anthony Elanga’s cross. He ended up the match-winner as David Raya ran 100 yards to join in the celebrations. It was that kind of confusing, chaotic afternoon.

"Unbelievable feeling," said Mikel Arteta. "That is what football is about."

For Newcastle, beaten in the 100th minute by Liverpool and the 96th by Arsenal when deserving to lose neither game, it was a horrible action replay. For Arteta, it was the sort of sequel he can savour.

Arsenal’s season is starting to revolve around the substitutes. Arteta’s finishers are giving him a chance to rewrite the story of each match. If Arsenal’s £250m summer spend, spread across each area of the group, gives them arguably the deepest squad in the division, it is also providing Arteta with the options to change every game. He has rescuers in reserve.