BREAKING NEWS: “I’ve never encountered a player of such caliber. He was all over the pitch last night. It’s a shame that Arteta isn’t equipped to manage someone of his talent,” said Newcastle coach Eddie Howe, praising an Arsenal player for his outstanding performance—not Martinelli or Havertz.

Arsenal’s hopes in the title race suffered a setback with a disappointing 1-0 loss to Newcastle United at St. James’ Park. The match began poorly for the Gunners, as Alexander Isak scored within the opening 15 minutes, heading in a well-placed cross from Anthony Gordon.

Arsenal struggled throughout the first half but came close to equalizing when Lewis Hall blocked Mikel Merino’s shot off the line. After halftime, manager Mikel Arteta introduced Ethan Nwaneri, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Gabriel Jesus to add energy and creativity. Despite these changes, Arsenal couldn’t find many clear chances, except for a late effort by Declan Rice. Here are football.london’s individual player ratings for the Gunners:

David Raya: Collected crosses confidently but had little chance to stop the goal. Rating: 6.

Thomas Partey: Had a tough time at right-back, especially after a solid outing there against Liverpool. A poor header contributed to the goal, though he improved when moved to midfield. Rating: 5.

William Saliba: Found it difficult to contain Isak, with Joelinton and Willock also challenging him. Showed skill with the ball but struggled defensively. Rating: 5.

Gabriel: His return provided defensive stability, but he couldn’t prevent the goal. Rating: 5.

Jurrien Timber: Had limited influence on the goal due to Gordon’s precise cross. Played well defensively and was actively involved. Rating: 6.

Declan Rice: Usually strong with set pieces, but delivery was inconsistent. Played effectively in an advanced role, missing a key late opportunity. Rating: 6.

Mikel Merino: Not the return to St. James’ Park he hoped for. Nearly scored, but his shot was cleared off the line. Apart from set-pieces, he was largely uninvolved. Rating: 5.

Bukayo Saka: Had a quiet game, with a few promising first-half moments but minimal impact. Rating: 6.

Gabriel Martinelli: Had a hard time breaking through defenses and posed little threat. Rating: 5.

Leandro Trossard: Struggled with dribbling and passing. Rating: Poor.

Kai Havertz: Provided little influence, struggled against Burn and Schar, with only one cross of note. Rating: Ineffective.

Substitutes:

Oleksandr Zinchenko: Expected to help with possession but made wasteful errors.

Ethan Nwaneri: Injected energy and contributed to Arsenal’s attacking push after the formation shift but couldn’t create clear opportunities, managing just one chance.