Izuchukwu OkosiArsenal moved a point behind leaders Manchester City with a hard-fought 2-0 win over Newcastle United at Saint James Park on Sunday evening to keep their title hopes alive.
United threatened to score within 90 seconds of the game when Jacob Murphy let fly a powerful low shot that came off the foot of the post.
The Toons had a penalty call overruled by a VAR review after the ball hit the right thigh of Jakub Kiwior before hitting his arm.
Martin Odegaard then put Arsenal ahead with 14 minutes when he drilled a, low shot from 25 yards to the bottom right hand corner for his 15th Premier League goal of the season.
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale who was recently named as the best goalkeeper in the league this season made a number of fantastic saves that put the team in the game.
Arsenal then doubled their lead in the 79th minute when Gabriel Martinelli drove into the United half almost unchallenged before delivering a cross that inadvertently poked into his own net by Fabian Schar.
Despite more Newcastle pressure in an end-to-end match, Arsenal hung on to became only the second side after Liverpool to win at St James’ Park this season.
They have 81 points, a total only the 2003/04 “Invincibles” team beat with 90, and are guaranteed a top-two finish for the first time in seven seasons.
City, who have played a match fewer than Arsenal on 82 and with a superior goals difference can increase the gap to four points again next Sunday when they visit Everton, just before Arsenal host Brighton & Hove Albion.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, speaking to Sky Sports on the priceless win said:
“We showed something special here today. To come here and win is not easy. We had to be very smart and to be ugly at times. It is a big step for a young team like ours to come here and do the things we did. It shows we have come a long way.
“Last year here was one of the toughest days of my career, to be honest. After dropping points against Man City, to win against Chelsea and then come here and win shows the mentality.
“We have to keep going and digging in and fight until the end. It is football, anything can happen and we need to be ready.”
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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