Better but beaten again - Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle

Another defeat for Newcastle United as we fell to a 1-0 loss away to Arsenal in the North London sunshine on Saturday teatime.

We didn't play badly, had plenty of the ball and looked more motivated (the bar was low) and organised, yet it's another defeat - our ninth in the last 12 - as we failed to capitalise on an edgy display from Mikel Arteta's side through a lack of cutting edge.

The result leaves us 14th, eight points above the relegation zone and eight points from Brighton in sixth, with just four games left to play this season.

Realistically, we are not in a battle to stay up, but Eddie Howe's fight to keep his job remains a big talking point now our previously slim hopes of snatching a European place are all but over.

Better but beaten again 

Howe made five changes from last Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth. In came Nick Pope, Dan Burn, Bruno Guimaraes, Joe Willock and Jacob Murphy, and out went Aaron Ramsdale, Lewis Hall, Tino Livramento, Anthony Elanga and Harvey Barnes.

Newcastle XI: Pope - Miley, Botman, Thiaw, Burn - Bruno, Tonali, Ramsey, Bruno, Tonali - Murphy, Osula, Willock.

Arsenal XI: Raya - White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie - Rice, Zubamendi, Odegaard - Madeueke,, Havertz, Eze. 

Early openings came our way, where Osula missed his kick22 seconds in, Bruno fired a good chance over and both Willock and Tonali tested Raya, but Eberechi Eze's stunning first-half strike was the difference.

The short corner seemed to catch us by surprise, and there'll be some arguments we didn't do enough to close down the shot, although it really was a wonder-strike; unlike the six scruffy goals we've conceded against Bournemouth, Palace and Sunderland.

From that point up until the break, we were the better side, having more of the ball, considerably more shots and greater territory against an Arsenal side who looked unsure how to build on their 1-0 lead. Sadly, however, we looked increasingly like a side struggling to find a way back.

Howe brought on Harvey Barnes and Yoane Wissa with 66 minutes on the clock, replacing Murphy and Osula, then Nick Woltemade entered the game in Bruno's place, and almost made the difference. 

Woltemade's dinked pass in behind was a beauty for Wissa, and the Brentford version of him would bury it. Sadly, we haven't seen that version since his £55m switch and it showed once again as his volley flashed over with 10 minutes to play.

Elanga came on and lacked conviction once again, much like our attacking display throughout. Again, it was better as an all-round performance, but it was all a bit limp and too little too late, summed up by Wissa's late miss, the bizarre absence of Hall at left-back when we were chasing an equaliser, our lack of quality out wide, and Woltemade being brought on too late for many fans' liking.

Who performed, who didn't? 

Tonali never stopped in midfield and put out fires to stop Arsenal counters, it was good to see Bruno back, Miley looked assured at right-back and Osula was a handful in patches. 

Pope, however, couldn't avoid another clanger as he almost saw red for wiping out Gyokeres, while Burn's return at left-back limited us in possession. Why he stayed on at 1-0 down, on a booking, while Hall remain on the bench is baffling to me. 

That was better - more organised, more motivated and more competitive - but this version of Arsenal was beaten 2-1 by Bournemouth at the Emirates two weeks ago, and that's the difference. We couldn't capitalise, Bournemouth could, and that's partly why we sit 14th while the Cherries sit 7th and pushing for Europe.

Next up, a home clash with Brighton next Saturday in our penultimate game of the season at St James' Park. 

Keep the faith. Howay the lads!