A decisive early header from Alexander Isak, fed by an excellent Anthony Gordon cross, secured the win for Newcastle just 12 minutes in, snapping their five-match winless streak and lifting them back into the top half of the Premier League standings.
The result marked Newcastle’s third victory over Arsenal at home in four attempts under Howe.
However, Arteta expressed frustration with the way the match unfolded, suggesting his side got “dragged” into a style of play favoured by the hosts.
“We started the game really well, we were on top of it, looked sharp, then one action with an unbelievable cross and finish and the momentum changes,” said the Arsenal boss.
“You know the game they want to play, it’s clear. You can too often get dragged into that type of game, and we weren’t good enough. Credit to them for what they do.”
Arteta noted Arsenal’s struggles after falling behind. “When we went behind, we lacked purpose and a threat. In transition, we allowed them to sustain attacks, and we gave 17 or 18 free-kicks, so that stops the game constantly. It is not a good outcome for us,” he said, adding, “They are really good at what they want to do, and we got dragged into that today.”
Responding in his post-match press conference, Howe dismissed Arteta’s remarks, saying, “It’s irrelevant to me what anyone says really apart from my team, and that’s how we’ve always looked at it. There is always outside noise, so we just try to do what we do to try and win games on a consistent basis.”
Reflecting on Newcastle’s recent form, Howe emphasized his focus on his own squad’s performance rather than opposition views. “It’s difficult to see from another team’s perspective. I’m usually solely focused on ourselves and where we need to be to try and win these types of games,” he stated.
Howe acknowledged that the game was low in clear chances, a result of the high defensive quality on both sides, noting, “One moment of quality wins us the game, and small margins are needed to win any game in the Premier League.”