Arsenal moved two points clear of Leicester at the top of the Premier League table with a win over Newcastle.
Unconvincing Gunners looked set for a point on a soggy Emirates Stadium pitch until defender Laurent Koscielny came to the rescue with a close-range poked winner in the 72nd minute.
The Magpies should have come away with at least a point having been on the front-foot for much of the second half.
Georginio Wijnaldum went closest but his shot was saved by Petr Cech.
It was not pretty, nor was it particularly effective but it was a win that kept the belief going among Arsenal fans that this might be their season.
The Gunners did not deserve the three points, and few would have begrudged the Magpies victory, but one moment – the goal – encapsulated why Arsenal are top and why the visitors are struggling.
Magpies striker Ayoze Perez covered a lot of ground, helping out his team-mates in midfield to quell the danger posed by the likes of Mesut Ozil, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
However, the young Spaniard switched off in the 72nd minute, allowing his man-to-mark Koscielny to stick out a foot and convert a Giroud header.
Follow Us