IF not quite delivering a performance of title winners, Newcastle United have nevertheless confirmed their arrival as a force to be reckoned with in the upper echelons of the Premier League. Arsenal have moved eight points clear at the top of the table, but the Magpies last night provided them with their most uncomfortable night of the season at the Emirates by some distance.

It was the first time Arsenal have failed to score in a league game so far this term, with Newcastle’s sixth successive clean sheet earning them a deserved point. Remarkably, Eddie Howe’s side have conceded just two goals in their last 11 matches in all competitions – and both of those came in matches they won anyway.

Aside from an opening ten minutes in which Arsenal’s slick, incisive early attacking play threatened to blow them away, the Magpies’ rearguard rarely looked like being breached last night, with Sven Botman and Fabian Schar successfully shackling Eddie Nketiah and both Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn performing superbly in the full-back positions to neuter Arsenal’s plethora of attacking wide players.

Nick Pope made a superb late stop to deny Eddie Nketiah, but with referee Andy Madley struggling to keep a lid on a game that simmered menacingly throughout, the visitors performed a hugely-effective job of containing their hosts.

Having caused problems from a couple of first-half set-pieces, with Joelinton flashing a header wide from arguably the best chance of the game shortly before the break, Newcastle didn’t really threaten at all in the second half.

They can still be hugely satisfied with their evening’s work though, with the result meaning they have now remained unbeaten in matches against Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham this season. Thankfully, the days when they were cannon fodder for the members of the established ‘big six’ are long gone.

As if to provide proof of their new-found status, prior to kick-off, Howe rubbished claims that had been voiced in Spanish publication, Marca, earlier in the day suggesting that Cristiano Ronaldo would be joining the Magpies on loan from his new Saudi employers, Al-Nassr, in the summer if they were to finish in the top four this season.

The notion of a 37-year-old Ronaldo moving to Tyneside to lead the line in Howe’s high-pressing Newcastle side was always fanciful, but the fact the Magpies head coach felt compelled to quash it highlights the world in which United are now operating. On and off the pitch, they are back to being one of the big boys.

Not, however, that they are quite at Arsenal’s level just yet. Newcastle might have forced themselves into contention for a Champions League place thanks to their performances in the first half of the season, but Arsenal head into the second half of the campaign with their sights firmly trained on a first Premier League title since 2004. On the evidence of some of last night’s attacking play, Manchester City will have to be at their very best in the next four months to deprive them of the crown.

Mikel Arteta’s side could have scored three goals inside the opening seven minutes, such was the speed and quality of their forward interplay. With Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli bursting forward down the flanks, and Martin Odegaard drifting into pockets of space behind Nketiah, Newcastle rocked in the early stages, but just about remained on an even keel.

Odegaard volleyed over, Saka fired a low shot at Nick Pope after bursting on the outside of Burn and Granit Xhaka shot into the side-netting after more slick approach play between Saka and Martinelli as Arsenal burst out of the traps, but with Bruno Guimaraes desperately trying to plug gaps at the base of midfield, Newcastle quelled their opponents’ early burst and gradually grew into the game.

Their first-half threat was mainly the result of counter-attacks, although as had been the case against Leeds at the weekend, set-pieces were also an opportunity for them to cause problems.

Trippier picked out Schar with a corner midway through the opening period, but the Swiss centre-half had to stretch awkwardly to get a header away and his tame effort whistled wide of the post. The duo combined again just before the interval, with Schar flicking another Trippier corner to the back post, where Joelinton flung himself at the ball could only flash a diving header wide.

Arsenal are no strangers to set-piece goals of their own this season, and with Odegaard proving a match for Trippier in terms of the quality of his deliveries into the box, Gabriel climbed highest to loop a header just wide of the post shortly before the break.

The game had become decidedly fractious by that stage, with referee Madley issuing five first-half yellow cards for a variety of mistimed challenges and cynical tugs to prevent players breaking upfield. Each side was as culpable as the other, with the underlying needle that was always apparent reflecting the importance of the game to both teams.

If anything, however, the raggedness worked in Newcastle’s favour, with Arsenal’s players losing their rhythm the more agitated they became. The sight of their manager, Arteta, becoming increasingly apoplectic on the sidelines hardly helped them return to an even keel, with the Spaniard’s managerial inexperience perhaps getting the better of him.

Howe was more placid, no doubt delighted with his side’s impressive organisation and shape, attributes that have enabled them to defend so effectively all season. Arsenal’s final threat came with three minutes remaining, but Pope kept out Nketiah’s driven effort with his legs.