NEWCASTLE UNITED’S relegation worries intensified as Mezut Ozil’s superb first-half strike condemned them to a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal.

Ozil cracked home an excellent first-time volley to break Newcastle’s resistance at the Emirates, and ensure that Rafael Benitez’s side have now picked up just one point from the last available 27.

They have won just one of their last 13 games, and will find themselves in the relegation zone if West Ham United hold on to their lead at Stoke City in this afternoon’s delayed kick-off.

Newcastle were far from embarrassed, and might have claimed a late equaliser had Ayoze Perez found the target when he climbed to meet Matt Ritchie’s cross.

However, Arsenal  were much the better side for most of the game, and the recalled Rob Elliot made decent saves from Alex Iwobi and Jack Wilshere to prevent his side’s defeat being even heavier.

Benitez made five changes from the side that lost to Everton on Wednesday, with the most notable coming in goal as Elliot replaced the dropped Karl Darlow.

Benitez lined his team up in a 4-4-2 formation, but if the intention was to take the game to Arsenal, things didn’t exactly go to plan.

The Magpies barely had a kick in the first half, and the only real surprise was that they only trailed by one goal at the interval. Had Arsenal’s attacking players been more clinical in the final third, the margin could have been much wider.

Arsenal created their first opportunity in the third minute, with Elliot turning Alexandre Lacazette’s low strike around the post, and while Petr Cech had to be alert at the other end to turn Jamaal Lascelles’ header behind for a corner after the centre-half met Mikel Merino’s free-kick, the play was heavily concentrated in Newcastle’s defensive half of the field.

Lacazette and Hector Bellerin both saw eighth-minute shots blocked in the area, Alexis Sanchez swept a shot over the crossbar after a slick passing move that unlocked the Magpies defence and full-back Ainsley Maitland-Niles whistled a shot just past the post after skipping past three weak attempts at a challenge.

It felt like a goal was coming, and it duly arrived courtesy of a moment of magic from Ozil midway through the first half.

Sanchez’s shot was blocked by DeAndre Yedlin, Florian Lejeune headed clear towards the edge of area, and Ozil hooked a superb first-time volley into the roof of the net.

It was a brilliant goal, and heralded a spell of complete Arsenal dominance that lasted to the break. Bellerin fired a first-time shot over the bar after Sanchez floated over an excellent cross from the left, and while Ozil clipped a shot past Elliot after playing a slick one-two with Lacazette, a back-pedalling Lejeune was able to hook the ball clear before it crept over the goalline.

Arsenal started the second half by constructing a series of intricate passing moves, but with Newcastle defending stoutly on the edge of their own area, the closest the hosts came to a second goal was a low effort from Iwobi that Elliot scrambled clear.

Benitez made an early second-half change, replacing the ineffectual Christian Atsu with Matt Ritchie, and Newcastle briefly threatened to rally by creating two chances.

Ritchie wasted the first as he curled over from 25 yards after good work from Ayoze Perez, but Jacob Murphy forced Petr Cech into a smart save with the second as he fired in a sharp low effort.

Lacazette chipped over at the other end as he broke into the area, before Iwobi fired a weak shot straight at Elliot after dancing past two challenges in the box.

Elliot enjoyed a decent afternoon on his return to the side, and he ensured Newcastle did not slip further behind with 15 minutes left. Substitute Olivier Giroud nodded Sanchez’s cross into Wilshere’s path, but Elliot got down well to keep out the midfielder’s side-footed shot.

Newcastle created little in the second half, but there were two chances that went begging in the closing stages. First, Gayle rolled the ball back to Joselu, but the Spaniard’s shot deflected narrowly wide off Laurent Koscielny.

Then, with seven minutes left, Perez climbed well at the back post, but was unable to direct his header from Ritchie’s cross at the target.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Cech; Bellerin, Monreal, Koscielny, Maitland-Niles; Xhaka, Wilshere; Iwobi (Welbeck 72), Ozil, Sanchez (Coquelin 88); Lacazette (Giroud 72).

Subs (not used): Ospina (gk), Chambers, Kolasinac, Elneny.

Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Elliot; Yedlin, Lejeune, Lascelles, Manquillo; Murphy (Gayle 67), Hayden, Merino (Diame 82), Atsu (Ritchie 54); Perez, Joselu.

Subs (not used): Darlow (gk), Dummett, Clark, Aarons.