Havertz and Saka inspire Arsenal to decisive victory over Newcastle | first division

This time Arsenal and Newcastle achieved a result that was beyond doubt. Mikel Arteta's side continue to crush their domestic opponents and they could hardly have made a more convincing turnaround, particularly after a midweek trip to Portugal.

They broke clear with an own goal from Sven Botman and a close-range shot from Kai Havertz during an excellent first half. Other goals from Bukayo Saka and Jakub Kiwior defeated Newcastle.

Joe Willock's late header never looked like threatening the result and Arsenal show no signs of being the spare wheel in a three-team title race.

No one present needed reminding of the fireworks that followed Newcastle's bizarre goal win at St James' Park in November, when Arteta raged against the VAR checks that decided Anthony Gordon's goal was legal. Nor did they need their memories shaken by the botched job the Magpies successfully completed in last season's fixture here. Arsenal, hit by another aggravating experience in Porto three nights earlier, were always going to start quickly in an attempt to make the elements of doubt unnecessary.

Within a minute they had won two corner kicks and, within the first 10, had called Loris Karius into action twice. It was an occasion for Karius, out of the picture since his cameo in the Carabao Cup final a year ago, to be attacked, but Martin Dubravka's illness gave him a first chance. first division start since representing Liverpool against West Ham in December 2016. Saka's deflected shot gave him early sensation before an effort from Declan Rice, shooting harder from an angle, demanded a firm save.

When Arsenal attacked once again for a third corner, Karius was beaten in the strangest of circumstances. The goal was coming, either way: for 18 minutes, Newcastle had barely left their own half, but this time they seemed unprepared for a rearguard action. Set pieces have become a weapon reminiscent of the George Graham era for today's Arsenal, but not even his predecessors managed many such scruffy openers.

Saka's right-wing delivery was met, like so many others, by a surging Gabriel Magalhães and Karius did well enough to repel the header. As the ball spun, Botman attempted to punt but failed to make contact; When he fell, Tino Livramento could only knock him into him and, although Karius eventually suffocated, he had already writhed over the line.

The return of Alexander Isak had given Eddie Howe some relief from a debilitating list of injury absences, but Newcastle simply couldn't feed him. They were not even remotely involved in the match and, after Arsenal regained possession from the visitors' final aimless clearance, they soon conceded again.

This time, Jorginho played a clever pass towards the inside-right position and Gabriel Martinelli, breaking his stomach to complete a diagonal sprint from the opposite side, raced forward and cut the ball before it could go behind. Havertz was available to sweep emphatically from the six-yard line and the result already seemed more than certain.

Newcastle were being suffocated but they were also chaotic, Fabian Schär allowing Martin Ødegaard to pick his pocket and thanking Sean Longstaff for a last-minute intervention with Havertz ready to convert again. A wayward header from Martinelli and a smart save from Karius de Saka meant Newcastle, pressed into submission during as one-sided a half as has been seen this season, escaped further damage before the break.

22 seconds into the restart, Havertz, freed after a cutting run by Saka and a push by Martinelli, should have added a third, but he went wide. Newcastle finally got a glimpse of goal almost immediately, Isak trying unsuccessfully to round David Raya, and followed up with his first shot when Gordon's low attempt was smothered.

Howe's players had returned more proactively, although they had a low bar to clear on that front. Perhaps this is the time to expose any residual weariness from his host's European adventures. Shortly after the hour mark, Isak delightfully knocked a ball out of the sky before moving inside and firing over. Arsenal seemed content to wait for more opportunities and, although they were hardly under pressure, for a brief period there were belatedly two teams in the contest.

They then pounced on the kind of mistake Newcastle had been making all night, when Botman gifted the ball to Havertz about halfway through the game. Finally, the ball reached Saka and, turning in on his left foot, he fired a low shot past the motionless Karius. Three quickly became four in another corner, Kiwior diverting Rice's delivery to the near post past the unfortunate Lewis Miley.

Willock, who finished well against his former club, ensured Newcastle could apply some ointment to their wounds.