Newcastle's Seismic Win Over Arsenal Deepens Unlikely Rivalry

Newcastle United's 1-0 triumph over Arsenal, celebrated with extended jubilations, was not just another win for boss Eddie Howe. According to him, it held heightened significance given the recent run of poor results. An added weight to its importance was the early match impact delivered by Alexander Isak, whose 12th-minute header not only disrupted Arsenal's Premier League title ambitions but also increased the intensity of a developing rivalry that doesn't stem from geography or history. 

Both Eddie Howe and Mikel Arteta have been striving to make their teams more combative and smartly aggressive, eyeing bigger prizes. This shared strategy results in highly charged encounters every time these teams face off, with the latest clash being no less dramatic. While it lacked the usual sharp flashpoints from the past, Newcastle's win over Arsenal has significant implications, marking a fresh chapter in the growing contention between these teams.

With Newcastle's 2021 takeover by Saudi Arabia, the sleeping giant was awakened, harbouring aspirations to challenge the established elite, a position Arsenal has been occupying for years in spite of a two-decade league title drought. Arteta, however, brushed off such insinuations, instead expressing dissatisfaction with Newcastle's game approach.

Newcastle's dismissal of Arsenal's Champions League hopes following a 2-0 defeat at the end of the 2021-22 season exacerbated the tension. This animosity escalated in January 2023 when the teams battled in a fiercely contested 0-0 match at Emirates Stadium. A flurry of anger fuelled the match's atmosphere as the visiting team's resolute defence and deliberate match tempo incensed Arsenal. The ire intensified when a late penalty appeal for a handball was denied, adding fuel to the fire that is this unlikely rivalry.