Arsenal Win Newcastle 2-1 with Tactical Corner Shift and Key Sub Impacts

Arsenal secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Newcastle United at St James' Park, overcoming a first-half deficit with an impressive comeback led by impactful substitutes Martin Ødegaard and Mikel Merino. Despite Newcastle's strong defensive efforts for most of the match, Ødegaard's introduction in the final minutes shifted momentum, orchestrating key passes and delivering a decisive corner that Gabriel Magalhães headed in during stoppage time. Arsenal's tactical adaptability was evident as they altered their corner strategies at halftime, moving focus to the near post and short corners, which eventually broke down Newcastle's defense. Newcastle boss Eddie Howe acknowledged Ødegaard's influence as the turning point, highlighting the pressure Arsenal applied late in the game. Arsenal's dominance was reflected in the statistics, with 64% possession, a higher expected goals (xG) of 2.05 compared to Newcastle's 0.49, and more shots on target. The victory brought Arsenal within two points of league leaders Liverpool, emphasizing the importance of squad depth and tactical flexibility in their campaign.