Arsenal moved back on top of the Premier League after a 1-0 home victory over Newcastle United, with Eberechi Eze scoring the only goal. The result restored Arsenal’s three-point advantage over Manchester City, who had briefly gone first by beating Burnley and still hold a game in hand because of FA Cup commitments.

The narrow win came against an out-of-form Newcastle side coached by Eddie Howe, yet Arsenal still had to endure tense late moments. Nick Pope denied Martin Odegaard, while a spectacular attempt from Yoane Wissa flew over, but Eze’s early strike at Emirates Stadium proved enough to decide the contest.

Arsenal’s breakthrough arrived from a rehearsed corner routine that underlined their set-piece strength this season. After a short exchange, Eze found space near the edge of the area and curled a precise shot into the top-left corner in the ninth minute, giving Pope no chance and putting Arsenal ahead in front of a buoyant home crowd.

The match had begun with both teams creating promising openings. Bruno Guimaraes almost struck first when a curling effort drifted just over David Raya’s bar. Soon after, Eze pulled a shot wide following an Arsenal dead-ball situation, signalling the hosts’ clear plan to test Newcastle from every restart and wide free-kick.

The winning goal continued a season-long trend, with Arsenal setting a new Premier League record for goals from corners in a single campaign. They have now scored 17 times from such situations in the league. Thirteen of those corner goals have given Arsenal a 1-0 lead, the highest number of opening goals from corners recorded in one Premier League season.

Most of those corners have been delivered directly into the box, yet two of the 17 have come from short routines. Both of those short-corner goals have been scored against Newcastle, home and away, highlighting how Arsenal have repeatedly exposed the same opponent with varied delivery and movement around the penalty area.

Newcastle’s defeat also added further pressure on Eddie Howe as the league campaign unfolds. The team have now lost 16 Premier League matches this season, their worst total since the 2020-21 campaign when they suffered 17 defeats. Nine of those losses have arrived during 2026, matching Tottenham and Burnley for the most league defeats in that calendar year.

Arsenal’s defensive work matched their attacking set-piece quality during a controlled first half. Joe Willock forced Raya into a straightforward stop with a curling strike, but the goalkeeper then excelled on the half-hour mark. Raya adjusted quickly to dive low and turn away a dipping long-range attempt from Sandro Tonali, preserving the slender advantage.

After the interval, the overall tempo dropped, with Arsenal focused on game management rather than constant attacking pressure. Chances were limited for both sides until the closing stages. Substitute Yoane Wissa produced Newcastle’s clearest opportunity when attempting an acrobatic finish, yet the effort sailed over the crossbar, leaving Raya largely untroubled after the break.

Odegaard almost settled the match with a powerful late drive that Pope pushed away, but Arsenal did not need a second goal. The final whistle confirmed a hard-earned win that re-established top spot, maintained control of the title race, and showcased once more how carefully planned set-pieces continue to shape Arsenal’s Premier League season.

{TABLE_1}