The debate surrounding Newcastle United’s win over Arsenal is likely to rage on for a while.
Gunners goalkeeper David Raya was among those who reacted angrily to the decision to award Anthony Gordon’s controversial goal, while Mikel Arteta was furious after the game.
Still, by hook or by crook, Newcastle got over the line in a huge game.
After the gut-wrenching defeat to Liverpool at St James’ Park earlier this season, pundit Gary Neville billed the victory as a huge moment for Eddie Howe and his side.
As you can imagine, however, those within the Gunners camp are unhappy.
Newcastle vs Arsenal: What happened inside Gunners dressing room
Indeed, according to The Chronicle there was an audible anger inside the away dressing room as the Arsenal players watched the goal back.
“Their anger behind the scenes was more than audible as they watched the goal back with Arsenal feeling the ball was out of play to begin with before Joelinton is adjudged to have shoved Gabriel,” read the report.
It added: “Arsenal keeper David Raya emerged to confirm the noise coming from the Arsenal dressing room.”
Newcastle vs Arsenal: Game of tight margins
Arteta might be right to doubt whether the ball stayed in play before Joe Willock played in the cross from which Gordon eventually tapped in but it’s not as if his team were robbed of all three points necessarily.
Despite their possession towards the end of the game, they rarely truly tested Nick Pope in Newcastle’s goal.
According to the Premier League’s official website, the Gunners mustered just one shot on target from their 14 efforts.
It was hardly a case of Pope pulling off all manner of saves before Gordon’s goal robbed the visitors of what would have been a routine victory on Tyneside.
The game is decided on tight margins. Newcastle may have got the rub of the green there but, such is the curvature of the ball, it’s hard to absolutely say it had run out of play.
This was not a robbery. It was one tight decision that edged a battle of a game.
Had Raya not flapped at the cross in the first place, they wouldn’t have been even been in that position…
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