THEY have made a huge amount of progress this season, but when it comes to taking on the very best teams in the Premier League, Newcastle United are not quite there yet. Their two matches against Manchester City this season have brought just one point, and after yesterday’s barnstorming encounter at St James’ Park, the same is now true of their games against Arsenal.

Eddie Howe’s players gave a more-than-decent account of themselves against an Arsenal side who have closed back to within a point of the top of the table, hitting the woodwork through Jacob Murphy and Alexander Isak and seeing a first-half penalty decision overturned by VAR.

Ultimately, though, they were forced to take a dose of their own medicine as they were undone by an Arsenal side whose midfield intensity and potent counter-attacking threat made them impossible to contain. Martin Odegaard’s precision strike opened the scoring in the first half, with Fabian Schar’s own goal effectively settling things in the second. To underline the sense of the tables being turned, Arsenal’s players even overshadowed their opponents when it came to the ‘dark arts’ that opposition managers have bemoaned Newcastle perfecting this season.

The defeat means the Magpies’ advantage over fifth-placed Liverpool has been cut to just three points, although they continue to have a game in hand over Jurgen Klopp’s side with four more matches to play. With games against Leeds, Brighton, Leicester and Chelsea to come, Newcastle continue to have Champions League qualification in their own hands.

Yesterday’s game suggests they will not look out of place in Europe’s elite competition next season, but for all that Newcastle will bemoan their misfortune as they twice struck the woodwork and feel frustrated at referee Chris Kavanagh’s failure to ever get a proper grip on the game, they will have to grudgingly admire Arsenal’s resolve as they refused to allow their title hopes to die. Just as Howe has transformed Newcastle’s fortunes this season, so Arteta has completely overhauled his Arsenal side.

Twelve months ago, Newcastle’s home victory over Arsenal ended the Gunners’ hopes of Champions League qualification and provided the first real glimpse of the black-and-white transformation that has gathered pace significantly on Tyneside this season. Yesterday, the Gunners withstood both Newcastle’s attacking impetus and the febrile atmosphere that coursed around St James’ Park.

With both clubs seemingly on a steep upward curve, this has the makings of a rivalry that could last. The tension simmered throughout, with a high level of mutual respect the only thing that prevented things from boiling over.

Newcastle gave as good as they got, but could just not prise open an Arsenal defence that has improved out of all recognition this season. Having combined effectively in the second half of matches over the course of the last month, yesterday’s game saw Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak feature in the same starting line-up for the first time. Both players had their moments; neither ever really looked like getting the better of Gabriel or his inexperienced central-defensive partner Jakub Kiwior.

In hindsight, Newcastle needed to score during a whirlwind opening ten minutes that saw them briefly threaten to knock their opponents out of their stride for the second season in a row. With an impassioned St James’ Park bristling with anticipation, Newcastle’s lightning-fast start could easily have seen them two goals to the good; as it was, their failure to make their early pressure count resulted in them falling behind just before the quarter-hour mark.

They struck the woodwork in the second minute, with Murphy receiving Joe Willock’s cross at the back post before shuffling inside to fire a low strike against the base of the left-hand upright.

Six minutes later, and the hosts thought they had a penalty when Kavanagh pointed to the spot after Bruno Guimaraes’ 20-yard shot struck the arm of stand-in Arsenal centre-half Kiwior. On first glance, it looked a nailed-on penalty, but a VAR check showed that the ball had struck Kiwior’s thigh before rebounding onto his arm, and Kavanagh reversed his initial decision after consulting his pitch-side monitor.

It was a crucial moment as six minutes later, Arsenal were opening the scoring from their first attacking effort of the game. Like Newcastle, the Gunners boast goalscoring threats all over the field, so while the Magpies’ backline might have been focusing on keeping tabs on Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, they were inviting trouble when no one closed down Odegaard as the Norwegian found himself in a pocket of space 25 yards out. With time to pick his spot, Odegaard drilled an excellent finish into the bottom right-hand corner.

Suddenly, having been the side in the ascendancy prior to the opener, Newcastle found themselves on the back foot and they were indebted to Nick Pope for three saves in the space of three minutes that prevented a rampant Arsenal from extending their lead.

Having blocked Martinelli’s shot after the forward broke into the area, Pope also turned Odegaard’s follow-up effort around the post when the Scandinavian flashed a strike across the face of goal. The Newcastle goalkeeper didn’t know an awful lot about his save from Saka a few minutes later, but the quality of his positioning was such that the England international’s shot thudded harmlessly into his chest. Lacking the security provided by the injured Sean Longstaff, who would normally have plugged the gap Odegaard was exploiting, Newcastle looked more vulnerable than in just about any other home game this season.

They continued to ask questions at the other end though, with the relentless nature of the action befitting a game between two sides positioned in the top three. Aaron Ramsdale hadn’t really been tested prior to the 27th minute, but he came to Arsenal’s rescue as Newcastle rediscovered their momentum. Wilson teed up Willock in the area, but while the former Gunner’s shot was on target, Ramsdale kept the ball out with his left leg.

The Arsenal goalkeeper made an even better save at the start of the second half, flinging himself to his left to keep out Schar’s header after the Swiss centre-half rose highest to meet Kieran Trippier’s free-kick.

The save came moments after Newcastle had struck the woodwork for the second time in the game, with the onrushing Isak heading Murphy’s cross against the right-hand upright.

It was a day when the woodwork was rattled at regular intervals, with Arsenal coming within inches of scoring again themselves a couple of minutes later. Martinelli dribbled into the left of the 18-yard box, but while his curled shot beat Pope, the ball flicked behind off the top of the crossbar.

Still, the game continued to ebb and flow. Willock was denied by a superb sliding tackle from Granit Xhaka; Sven Botman timed his intervention perfectly to prevent Gabriel Jesus firing an effort on target.

It always felt as though Arsenal’s counter-attacking threat might prove decisive though, and so it proved with 19 minutes left.

Martinelli broke menacingly down the left-hand side, and after surging on the outside of Botman, the Brazilian fired a low cross across the face of the six-yard box. Schar stuck out a leg to try to clear, but could only divert the ball into his own net.