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    HIGHLIGHTS | Arsenal vs Newcastle United (3-2) | Two wins from two in Singapore | Merino, Odegaard
    World Cup 2026

    HIGHLIGHTS | Arsenal vs Newcastle United (3-2) | Two wins from two in Singapore | Merino, Odegaard



    Martin Odegaard scored a late penalty – won by Max Dowman – to secure a 3-2 victory over Newcastle in an intensive pre-season friendly in Singapore.

    Two goals in as many first-half minutes had initially turned the game in our favour after Anthony Elanga had given his new club an early lead with a fortunate goal that bobbled in beyond David Raya.

    Kai Havertz was involved in both our goals, setting up Mikel Merino with a neat lay off inside the area, before fizzing in a dangerous cross that was crashed into his own net by Newcastle defender Alex Murphy.

    The Magpies levelled through a Jacob Murphy drive in the second-half but Odegaard scoredfrom 12 yards late on to secure another pre-season win.

    So that concludes the first leg of our 2025 Asia Tour, and our record in the National Stadium here over the past ten years now reads played six, won five, drawn one – the love between Arsenal and Singapore is certainly mutual.

    The Singapore National Stadium reached fever pitch shortly before kick-off when Viktor Gyokeres – fresh off his flight from London – was paraded on the pitch.

    The Arsenal supporters greatly outnumbered their Newcastle counterparts in the stadium, and they gave our new striker the most rapturous of receptions.

    But it was the Toon Army who were celebrating first. After just five minutes Sandro Tonali’s cross from the right found Elanga in the middle of the box. He scuffed his first-time shot, off his standing foot, but that only served to deceive David Raya, as the ball looped beyond our wrong-footed goalkeeper.

    We responded well in a frantic opening, and Kai Havertz headed over from a central position before Leandro Trossard had a fierce drive blocked.

    Bukayo Saka saw plenty of the ball on the right flack in the opening 15 minutes and after running at Dan Burn the ball fell invitingly for Ben White, but he blasted over.

    At the other end another cut back from the right fell to Bruno Guimaraes, but White was on hand to hack the ball clear after Raya parried the initial shot.

    Just after the water break, we levelled thanks to some excellent play by Merino. He won the ball outside the area, and quickly fed a pass into Kai Havertz. The German laid it off brilliantly back to Merino who sweetly dispatched his shot into the bottom corner against his former team.

    Barely a minute later we were ahead, and Havertz was instrumental again. His dangerous cross from the left looked destined to reach Saka at the far post, before Alex Murphy thumped the ball into his own net.

    The complexion of the game had changed completely within the space of 90 seconds.

    Mikel Arteta made just the one change at the break, bringing on Martin Odegaard for Ethan Nwaneri, though shortly afterwards Jakub Kiwior replaced Riccardo Calafiori.

    Newcastle hauled themselves level when Murphy squeezed his low shot just inside the post through a crowded penalty area.

    Max Dowman was also brought on and instantly injected some energy into the team. He forced a low save from Nick Pope after an incisive run from the right and looked full of confidence once again. Soon afterwards he drew a save from replacement goalkeeper John Ruddy as he continued to look dangerous with the ball at his feet.

    Newcastle had been served warning, but they could do nothing when he next burst into the box, and the referee awarded a penalty when Joelinton brought him down. Odegaard duly dispatched the spot kick to make it two wins from two in Singapore.

    Lineup
    Arsenal: Raya (Arrizabalaga 59), White (Nichols 77), Saliba (Salmon 77), Calafiori (Kiwior 49), Lewis-Skelly (Zinchenko 77), Merino (Rice 70), Zubimendi (Norgaard 77), Nwaneri (Odegaard 46), Trossard (Harriman-Annous 77), Saka (Dowman 59), Havertz (Martinelli 59).
    Subs not used: Setford, Rojas-Fedorushchenko, Lokonga, Copley, Kabia, Nelson.

    #arsenal

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    View 47 Comments

    47 Comments

    3. @udanis66 on

      Max Dowman makes Martinelli look like a Championship player. Arteta…. do something on Martinelli. 2 years not progressing at all. Teach him how to dribble and take on defenders with skills. Not just on pace. Lift his head up sometimes. Don't always look down to the ground. So, he is able to see what is in front of him, where is the space to cross better and who can he pass to rather than blindly cross the ball. Teach him how to make runs behind the defenders. And lastly, how to finish with the goal back to the net. If after 2 years and you are still unable to train and develop him then just sell him right away. Why waste his age and value without developing him? His value will drop further. Haven't you ever learned from your mistakes that you hold a few players that we can sell earlier at better price such as Maitland-Niles, Eddie, and Nelson? Luckily you got Odegaard, and it is time to sell ESR. If you didn't get Odegaard, I think we would have had to let ESR go on free transfer by now. You always fail to develop young players. Simple. What happened to young players such as Marquinho, Lokonga, Tavares, and a few from the academy. Not improved. Just let them go and build their career.

      Havert is good but not as a striker. Merino is good when we attack and inside the box but not good at defending. Left side defending was poor in this game. They can easily get through and scored 2 goals.

    5. @josephamba591 on

      Hope you guys wont end another season playing good football but staying trophyless………..
      its funny how Chelsea had a good previous season than Arsenal

    13. @DhavalPateldp on

      key thing to note is how Dowman got fouled and INSTANTLY got up to protect the ball again! the player is sharp, attacking and not afraid to take people on, something we have been missing in our to rigid passing and moving ball up

    16. @jbakes6719 on

      moreno deserves so much praise nd i hope he plays in midfeild this year, also loving the goals we are scoring compare the scabby goals we are conceding

    19. @TheSteadyeddieShow on

      not an arsenal fan and genuinely thought max dowman was some experienced right winger you'd signed that i'd missed until i saw he looks about 12 years old. what the hell

    30. @TheGamingDragonFC on

      Max Dowman is a gem, 15 and already showing world-class skills. Kai's playmaking was class as always, and Merino's finishing is top-tier. Solid performance all around. COYG!

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    45. @princecole9783 on

      I do feel Newcastle play through us too easy for their first goal.. We were too reactive and slow closing out the spaces and didn’t anticipate the play quick enough. We didn’t defend their first goal edge of our box well enough. The attacking phases do lack quicker combinations and cohesiveness. I do feel once team set up in lower blocks they don’t fear us and I want that to change. There’s lots of positives and this is just the second game and we got more players coming back. Dowman dribble speed, versatility and ability to separate from his man is a joy to watch.. Madueke needs to do this on the left side for us and don’t be passive in games. I would be a happy man..