Arsenal 3 Newcastle 0
Three-nil in the daylight; three-nil in the floodlight; the third three nil in January; which matches the three 3-0s up to January; not to mention the three triangles which lead to the breakthrough goal, or the three shots Flamini had on goal. And, of course, the Frenchman’s third goal of the season.
The law of three claims that whatever energy a person puts out into the world, be it positive or negative, will be returned to that person three times. Flamini, take note.
Sagna, Almunia and Hleb started instead of Hoyte, Lehmann and Rosicky. Only Rozenhal came in for Enrique for Newcastle.
And the game followed a similar pattern, if a little more down to earth, without the glitz of the cup.
Diaby tried a ball through behind the Newcastle defence, the first of many for in form Adebayor to run on to.
Newcastle pumped diagonal balls to the Arsenal left, which either went out or were mopped up by Sagna or Gallas.
And the teams tended to follow this pattern, like a couple of fencers, as if it was something they’d worked on in training.
Until Diaby dropped to the ground writhing in agony to be taken to the sidelines on a stretcher.
Most of Arsenal’s best attacks came down the right. Hleb crossed for Diaby who headed wide.
And Eduardo, Hleb and Flamini linked up leaving the Belorussian in space to cross which was blocked.
Fabregas and Helb set Flamini up again on the right, and an accurate cross saw Adebayor hook it narrowly over.
However soon after, another traingle involving Helb and Fabregas saw Flamini again in space. But this time the cross picked out Adebayor who beat Taylor and directed his header past a nervous Given.
Flamini popped up at the other end with a goal saving tackle.
The crosses had more results than the through-balls – six in all in the first half.
Adebayor tried an overhead from a long ball at the start of the second, which fizzled out. And Diaby, who saw a lot of the ball, did a pirouette but shot wide.
Then Flamini, who was having a blinder, here, there and everywhere tried another shot, which like Saturday went wildly wide, near the flag.
Joey Barton came on to boos and chants of : “You should be in gaol.”
Flamini went on a mazy run. He had another shot saved by Given. And Eduardo had a chance, but was little too slow.
Bendtner came on for Eduardo, and immediately made a difference with a flicked header on – and a neat take.
Fabregas wide on the left sent a ball inside. Barton dropped off, as it was nearly 30 yards out, but Flamini took a touch a sent a shot which was always moving wide of Given, into the top right corner. Third time lucky.
Arsenal needed that goal, even though Newcastle were toothless in attack.
Senderos sent a long ball towards the edge of the area. Bendtner found himslef onside, controlled it perfectly and layed it off for Fabregas who cut across his shot to bend it past Given.
Fabreags had a chance to make it four, following a Hleb cut-back, but he hit it over.
Newcastle seemed to come to life in the last five, with Ameobi through – saved by Almunia; and a Butt free kick which crashed off the crossbar, and cleared by the alert Sagna.
Arsene Wenger said:” It was a hard worked victory. We needed time and patience. Like the first game they started strong. We scored first and in the second half we controlled the game. They defended well but didn’t get too many chances.
“After the first goal we were more comfortable. There were three great goals.”
“Flamini is growing from game to game, getting stronger. He showed great composure on the cross to Adebayor.”
Kevin Keegan said:”3-0 looks like a hammering. But we showed a lot of character. There were some strange decisions, with offsides. They change matches. But you don’t get anything at The Emirates and Old Trafford. We put in a dogged performance.
“But it shows the gulf between top four and the rest of us.”
Arsenal: Manuel Almunia, Philippe Senderos, Gael Clichy, William Gallas, Bacary Sagna, Abou Diaby (Gilberto 77) Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini, Alexander Hleb, Emmanuel Adebayor (Theo Walcott 83) Eduardo (Nicklas Bendtner 72). Subs not used: Jens Lehmann Justin Hoyte
Newcastle United: Shay Given, Claudio Cacapa, Stephen Carr, David Rozehnal (Joey Barton 57) Steven Taylor, Charles N’Zogbia, James Milner (Shola Ameobi 74) Damien Duff, Nicky Butt, Alan Smith, Michael Owen. Subs not used: Steve Harper, David Edgar, Kazenga LuaLua
Referee Mike Riley