History repeats as Arsenal chalk up 3-0 win over Newcastle
Emmanuel Adebayor continued his streak of form
Tuesday, 29, Jan 2008 10:26
Arsenal waltzed to their second win in less than a week over Newcastle as they overcame the visitors 3-0 at the Emirates.
The result moved Arsenal back ahead of Manchester United at the top of the Premier League but left Kevin Keegan no closer to finding a solution to Newcastle's woes.
Emmanuel Adebayor could have made his mark on the scoresheet before his 40th-minute opener, but he smashed a volley high over the bar from an Alexander Hleb cross as the visiting supporters braced themselves to concede.
As it was the Togo international was only to be denied for two minutes as he buried a back-post header from a Mathieu Flamini centre in the Gunners' next attack.
With Kevin Keegan's goal drought as Newcastle manager stretching into a third match, James Milner almost restored parity immediately with a deflected shot that flew narrowly over with Manuel Almunia well beaten.
After succumbing 3-0 in an FA Cup tie against the same opponents at the weekend, scoring the next goal was crucial for the Tynesiders to take something from the game.
But the visitors could not prevent history repeating itself as Flamini crashed home a superb long-range effort that left Shay Given pawing at thin air as the ball sailed into his top corner.
With a two-goal lead Arsenal turned on the style and an incisive move culminated in Nicklas Bendtner lifting a through-ball into the path of Cesc Fabregas who gleefully fired home the third.
Nicky Butt almost gave Newcastle a goal to cheer late on but his curling free-kick thumped off the bar and away to safety.