LAST TIME ARSENAL PLAYED AT ST JAMES' PARK (March 2008):
NEWCASTLE UTD 1 ARSENAL 3
NEWCASTLE: Harper, Steven Taylor (Owen 65), Coloccini, Bassong (Beye 38), Jose Enrique, Ryan Taylor, Butt, Nolan, Duff, Lovenkrands (Ameobi 79), Martins. Subs Not Used: Krul, Smith, Gutierrez, Geremi.
ARSENAL: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Toure, Clichy, Arshavin (Song Billong 74), Denilson, Diaby, Nasri, Van Persie, Bendtner (Eboue 89). Subs Not Used: Fabianski, Eduardo, Vela, Djourou, Gibbs.
Att: 49,972
Michael Owen could not prevent Newcastle from slipping deep into relegation trouble as Arsenal closed the gap on the Barclays Premier League's top three with a 3-1 win.
The England striker, who started the game on the bench, arrived just in time to see the Gunners establish a lead at St James' Park, and there was little he or anyone else in a black and white shirt could do about it.
It might have been different had Obafemi Martins converted a 23rd-minute penalty - which Owen would have taken had he started - but Manuel Almunia kept out his spot-kick to provide the platform for a clinical second-half display.
Nicklas Bendtner opened the scoring with a 57th-minute header, but Martins levelled within seconds to give his side hope.
However, goals from Abou Diaby and Samir Nasri within a devastating three-minute period wrapped up a win which saw the Gunners close the gap to Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool, and at the same time, dump Newcastle into the mire.
The home side ran out knowing they had slipped into the bottom three as a result of victories for Stoke and Portsmouth earlier in the day, and that did not make an already difficult task any easier.
In the circumstances, they knew there was little margin for error as they attempted to upset the odds to drag themselves out of trouble.
What was required was a spirited 90-minute display, and caretaker manager Chris Hughton will have been delighted with the way his players approached the game before the break.
That they ended the half with a clean sheet was down to two superb blocks by Steven Taylor and a fine save by goalkeeper Steve Harper, who was excellent throughout; that they did so without having taken the lead will trouble Martins for some time.
The Magpies were handed a gilt-edged chance when referee Mark Halsey pointed to the spot after Almunia had bundled Ryan Taylor to the ground after failing to collect a high ball.
Martins stepped up and calmly stroked his penalty low to the Spaniard's left, but the goalkeeper guessed right and made a comfortable save.
The miss might have proved even more costly within three minutes when Andrey Arshavin wormed his way into the box and shot firmly towards goal, and could not believe his luck when Steven Taylor arrived out of nowhere to block.
But it took an equally fine last-minute challenge by Gael Clichy at the other end eight minutes later to deny Peter Lovenkrands.
Arshavin almost capped a superb 35th-minute run from his own half with a goal when he sent a blistering long-range shot just over, but Lovenkrands only just failed to find a finishing touch to convert Kevin Nolan's driven cross four minutes later.
Martins, who had earlier gone close with a header, sent a fizzing snapshot just wide six minutes before the break, but it was the Gunners who finished the half with a flurry.
Harper had to dive at Van Persie's feet to keep him out with a minute to go and Steven Taylor once again performed heroics in injury time after Bendtner had made the most of Fabricio Coloccini's slip to pick out the Dutchman in front of goal.
Arsenal returned in determined mood and retained possession with ease as they tried to open Newcastle up, and it took a good block from substitute Habib Beye, a first-half replacement for the injured Sebastien Bassong, to see off Bendtner with 50 minutes gone.
Newcastle responded by forcing a series of corners, and from one of them, Steven Taylor had a header cleared off the line by William Gallas.
But the fireworks started in earnest two minutes later when Bendtner climbed highest to head home Arshavin's free-kick.
However, the home side were level within seconds when Martins refused to give up on a ball into the box and when it sat up nicely for him, he fired a left-foot shot past Almunia to level.
Arsenal treated the setback as a minor irritation, and the result was put beyond doubt with a quick-fire double.
With Steven Taylor off the pitch receiving treatment, Diaby waltzed through an under-strength defence to blast his side back into the lead with 64 minutes gone, and when Nasri thumped a third past Harper three minutes later, the game was over.
In the meantime, Owen had replaced the injured Taylor, but all the action was taking place at the other end with Harper pulling off a fine double save from Denilson and Bendtner, and then keeping out Van Persie once again with his defence in tatters, and only a post denied Diaby a fourth in injury time.
TOON v GUNNERS - THE HISTORY:
2008/2009 Sat 21 Mar Newcastle Utd. 1 - 3 Arsenal Premier League
Sat 30 Aug Arsenal 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premier League
2007/2008 Tue 29 Jan Arsenal 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premier League
Sat 26 Jan Arsenal 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup
Wed 05 Dec Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Arsenal Premier League
Tue 25 Sep Arsenal 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. League Cup
2006/2007 Mon 09 Apr Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Arsenal Premiership
Sat 18 Nov Arsenal 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
2005/2006 Sat 10 Dec Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Arsenal Premiership
Sun 14 Aug Arsenal 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
2004/2005 Sun 23 Jan Arsenal 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Wed 29 Dec Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Arsenal Premiership
2003/2004 Sun 11 Apr Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Arsenal Premiership
Fri 26 Sep Arsenal 3 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
2002/2003 Sun 09 Feb Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Arsenal Premiership
Sat 09 Nov Arsenal 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
2001/2002 Sat 23 Mar Arsenal 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup
Sat 09 Mar Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Arsenal F.A. Cup
Sat 02 Mar Newcastle Utd. 0 - 2 Arsenal Premiership
Tue 18 Dec Arsenal 1 - 3 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
2000/2001 Tue 15 May Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Arsenal Premiership
Sat 09 Dec Arsenal 5 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1999/2000 Sun 14 May Newcastle Utd. 4 - 2 Arsenal Premiership
Sat 30 Oct Arsenal 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1998/1999 Sun 28 Feb Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Arsenal Premiership
Sun 04 Oct Arsenal 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1997/1998 Sat 16 May Arsenal 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup
played at Wembley
Sat 11 Apr Arsenal 3 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 06 Dec Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Arsenal Premiership
1996/1997 Sat 03 May Arsenal 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 30 Nov Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Arsenal Premiership
1995/1996 Sat 23 Mar Arsenal 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Wed 10 Jan Arsenal 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. League Cup
Tue 02 Jan Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Arsenal Premiership
1994/1995 Sun 19 Mar Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Arsenal Premiership
Sun 18 Sep Arsenal 2 - 3 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1993/1994 Sat 07 May Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Arsenal Premiership
Sat 27 Nov Arsenal 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1988/1989 Sat 15 Apr Arsenal 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 12 Nov Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Arsenal First Division
1987/1988 Sat 19 Mar Arsenal 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 31 Oct Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Arsenal First Division
1986/1987 Tue 14 Apr Arsenal 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 18 Oct Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Arsenal First Division
1985/1986 Sat 01 Mar Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Arsenal First Division
Sat 28 Sep Arsenal 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1984/1985 Sat 29 Dec Newcastle Utd. 1 - 3 Arsenal First Division
Tue 04 Sep Arsenal 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1977/1978 Sat 15 Apr Arsenal 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 19 Nov Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Arsenal First Division
1976/1977 Sat 30 Apr Newcastle Utd. 0 - 2 Arsenal First Division
Sat 04 Dec Arsenal 5 - 3 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1975/1976 Tue 16 Mar Arsenal 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 01 Nov Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Arsenal First Division
1974/1975 Wed 23 Apr Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Arsenal First Division
Tue 18 Mar Arsenal 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1973/1974 Tue 01 Jan Arsenal 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 01 Sep Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Arsenal First Division
1972/1973 Sat 27 Jan Arsenal 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 09 Sep Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Arsenal First Division
1971/1972 Sat 11 Mar Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Arsenal First Division
Sat 09 Oct Arsenal 4 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Wed 06 Oct Arsenal 4 - 0 Newcastle Utd. League Cup
1970/1971 Sat 17 Apr Arsenal 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 10 Oct Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Arsenal First Division
1969/1970 Sat 27 Dec Arsenal 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 30 Aug Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Arsenal First Division
1968/1969 Sat 18 Jan Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Arsenal First Division
Sat 09 Nov Arsenal 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1967/1968 Sat 10 Feb Arsenal 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 30 Sep Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Arsenal First Division
1966/1967 Sat 25 Feb Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Arsenal First Division
Sat 08 Oct Arsenal 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1965/1966 Sat 26 Mar Arsenal 1 - 3 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 02 Oct Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Arsenal First Division
1960/1961 Sat 04 Feb Newcastle Utd. 3 - 3 Arsenal First Division
Sat 17 Sep Arsenal 5 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1959/1960 Sat 27 Feb Arsenal 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 05 Dec Newcastle Utd. 4 - 1 Arsenal First Division
1958/1959 Sat 21 Mar Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Arsenal First Division
Sat 01 Nov Arsenal 3 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1957/1958 Sat 12 Apr Newcastle Utd. 3 - 3 Arsenal First Division
Sat 30 Nov Arsenal 2 - 3 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1956/1957 Sat 19 Jan Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Arsenal First Division
Sat 15 Sep Arsenal 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1955/1956 Sat 25 Feb Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Arsenal First Division
Sat 15 Oct Arsenal 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1954/1955 Sat 18 Dec Newcastle Utd. 5 - 1 Arsenal First Division
Sat 21 Aug Arsenal 1 - 3 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1953/1954 Sat 17 Apr Newcastle Utd. 5 - 2 Arsenal First Division
Sat 28 Nov Arsenal 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1952/1953 Sat 14 Mar Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 Arsenal First Division
Sat 25 Oct Arsenal 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1951/1952 Sat 03 May Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Arsenal F.A. Cup
played at Wembley
Wed 16 Apr Arsenal 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 17 Nov Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Arsenal First Division
1950/1951 Sat 03 Feb Arsenal 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 23 Sep Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Arsenal First Division
1949/1950 Sat 15 Apr Arsenal 4 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 29 Oct Newcastle Utd. 0 - 3 Arsenal First Division
1948/1949 Sat 19 Mar Newcastle Utd. 3 - 2 Arsenal First Division
Sat 20 Nov Arsenal 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1935/1936 Wed 19 Feb Arsenal 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup
Sat 15 Feb Newcastle Utd. 3 - 3 Arsenal F.A. Cup
1933/1934 Sat 24 Feb Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Arsenal First Division
Sat 14 Oct Arsenal 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1932/1933 Sat 25 Mar Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Arsenal First Division
Sat 12 Nov Arsenal 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1931/1932 Sat 23 Apr Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Arsenal F.A. Cup
played at Wembley
Sat 19 Mar Arsenal 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 07 Nov Newcastle Utd. 3 - 2 Arsenal First Division
1930/1931 Sat 25 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 3 Arsenal First Division
Sat 20 Dec Arsenal 1 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1929/1930 Sat 05 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Arsenal First Division
Sat 30 Nov Arsenal 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1928/1929 Tue 02 Apr Arsenal 1 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 20 Oct Newcastle Utd. 0 - 3 Arsenal First Division
1927/1928 Sat 21 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Arsenal First Division
Sat 10 Dec Arsenal 4 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1926/1927 Wed 06 Apr Newcastle Utd. 6 - 1 Arsenal First Division
Sat 02 Oct Arsenal 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1925/1926 Sat 13 Feb Arsenal 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 03 Oct Newcastle Utd. 7 - 0 Arsenal First Division
1924/1925 Sat 17 Jan Arsenal 0 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 13 Sep Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 Arsenal First Division
1923/1924 Sat 01 Sep Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Arsenal First Division
Sat 25 Aug Arsenal 1 - 4 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1922/1923 Sat 28 Oct Arsenal 1 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 21 Oct Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Arsenal First Division
1921/1922 Sat 11 Feb Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Arsenal First Division
Sat 04 Feb Arsenal 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1920/1921 Sat 30 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Arsenal First Division
Sat 23 Apr Arsenal 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1919/1920 Sat 06 Sep Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Arsenal First Division
Sat 30 Aug Arsenal 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1912/1913 Sat 25 Jan Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Woolwich A First Division
Sat 28 Sep Woolwich A 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1911/1912 Sat 20 Jan Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Woolwich A First Division
Sat 16 Sep Woolwich A 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1910/1911 Sat 01 Apr Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Woolwich A First Division
Sat 26 Nov Woolwich A 1 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1909/1910 Fri 25 Mar Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Woolwich A First Division
Sat 25 Dec Woolwich A 0 - 3 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1908/1909 Sat 09 Jan Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Woolwich A First Division
Sat 12 Sep Woolwich A 1 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1907/1908 Fri 17 Apr Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Woolwich A First Division
Wed 25 Dec Woolwich A 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1906/1907 Sat 26 Jan Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Woolwich A First Division
Sat 22 Sep Woolwich A 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1905/1906 Mon 16 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Woolwich A First Division
Sat 31 Mar Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Woolwich A F.A. Cup
played at Stoke
Mon 25 Dec Woolwich A 4 - 3 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1904/1905 Sat 31 Dec Woolwich A 0 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 03 Sep Newcastle Utd. 3 - 0 Woolwich A First Division
1901/1902 Sat 25 Jan Woolwich A 0 - 2 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup
1897/1898 Sat 16 Oct Woolwich A 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
Sat 04 Sep Newcastle Utd. 4 - 1 Woolwich A Second Division
1896/1897 Fri 16 Apr Woolwich A 5 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
Sat 23 Jan Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Woolwich A Second Division
1895/1896 Mon 06 Apr Woolwich A 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
Sat 18 Jan Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Woolwich A Second Division
1894/1895 Sat 12 Jan Woolwich A 3 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
Sat 24 Nov Newcastle Utd. 2 - 4 Woolwich A Second Division
1893/1894 Sat 30 Sep Newcastle Utd. 6 - 0 Woolwich A Second Division
Sat 02 Sep Woolwich A 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Second Division