Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the only goal of the game as Arsenal made a winning start to the Premier League campaign with a 1-0 victory at Newcastle on Sunday.
The 30-year-old, who shared the Golden Boot last season with Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, opened his account for 2019/20 in the 58th minute, bringing down Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ cross before lifting the ball over Martin Dubravka.
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It proved to be the crucial strike as the Gunners, who handed Premier League debuts to new signings Nicolas Pepe, Dani Ceballos and Gabriel Martinelli from the bench, ensured Steve Bruce’s reign as Newcastle head coach began with defeat.
The game was played out in front of a crowd of 47,635 – almost 5,000 below capacity – as some Newcastle fans staged a boycott over owner Mike Ashley’s running of the club, but those that were in the ground roared with approval as new boy Joelinton rose highest in the Arsenal penalty area before glancing the ball wide of Bernd Leno’s far post.