An entertaining pre-season friendly in Singapore on Sunday saw Arsenal continue their winning start to the summer, as a late Martin Ødegaard penalty secured a 3-2 victory over Premier League rivals Newcastle United.
Despite heading into the fixture on the back of a heavy defeat to Celtic and with the ongoing Alexander Isak saga hanging over them, the Magpies made the perfect start. Summer signing Anthony Elanga scrappily converted his first goal in Newcastle colours to give his side an early lead.
Arsenal, who unveiled their new blockbuster signing Viktor Gyökeres to supporters before kick-off, were forced to play from behind. They eventually found their rhythm and drew level after the half-hour mark thanks to a cultured first-time finish from Mikel Merino, who was influential in midfield. The Gunners’ turnaround was completed just two minutes later when a Kai Havertz cross was wildly diverted into his own net by Newcastle youngster Alex Murphy.
The second half saw Newcastle restore parity through a goal from Jacob Murphy, setting up a tense finish.
The decisive moment came late in the game, thanks to the brilliance of a 15-year-old. Arsenal prodigy Max Dowman, who once again made a huge impression from the bench, jinked his way into the Newcastle box before being pushed over by Joelinton to earn a penalty. Captain Martin Ødegaard stepped up and made no mistake from the spot to seal the victory.
Overall, it was another positive result for Mikel Arteta’s side, who showed resilience to come from behind. The performance of young talents like Dowman, combined with the anticipation for Gyökeres’s debut, will give Arsenal fans plenty of optimism as their pre-season tour continues.