ARSENAL 4 NEWCASTLE UTD 1
ARSENAL
1. Wojciech Szczesny
39. Hector Bellerin
2. Mathieu Debuchy
4. Per Mertesacker
3. Kieran Gibbs
20. Mathieu Flamini
15. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 90+1'
17. Alexis Sanchez 87'
19. Santi Cazorla
23. Danny Welbeck
12. Olivier Giroud 73'
Subs
9. Lukas Podolski 73'
22. Yaya Sanogo
26. Emiliano Martinez
28. Joel Campbell
37. Semi Ajayi
70. Ainsley Maitland-Niles 90+1'
34. Francis Coquelin 87'
NEWCASTLE UTD
31. Jak Alnwick
22. Daryl Janmaat
6. Mike Williamson
2. Fabricio Coloccini
36. Paul Dummett
24. Cheick Tiote
14. Jack Colback
17. Ayoze Perez 82'
28. Sammy Ameobi 56'
11. Yoan Gouffran
9. Papiss Cisse 56'
Subs
8. Vurnon Anita
19. Massadio Haidara
20. Remy Cabella 56'
23. Haris Vuckic
29. Emmanuel Riviere 56'
32. Adam Armstrong 82'
41. Freddie Woodman
I don't think luck had a say in this performance, it was always going to be an Arsenal win as soon Olivier Giroud scored the first goal.
I don't think there was very much United, or Alan Pardew, could do about it.
Pardew was forced to play a rookie goalkeeper (who seems more mouth than substance) and ex-Toulouse midfielder Moussa Sissoko was missing because of his own doing.
It made me laugh this week when BBC pundit John Hartson showed how little he knows about the Toon when he told the armchair supporters "Newcastle are doing well recently because the defence has not been changed."
Excuse me! We have had three goalkeepers; Fabricio Coloccini and Steven Taylor have been in and out like yo-yos; Paul Dummett has played just about every position across the back line; and the ex-Arsenal striker says "the defence has not been changed".
So called "experts" running the rule over our team.
Pardew lost key players for this fixture, and United suffered for it.
Apparently he blames himself for the team selection that went wrong ... but I don't blame him at all ... what could he do?
Match report ...
Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla both scored twice as Arsenal closed back up on the Barclays Premier League's top four with a 4-1 win over Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium.
The recent antagonism directed towards the club's manager also looked to have died a death as supporters chanted "There's only one Arsene Wenger" in support of the Frenchman.
Arsenal maintained momentum from the midweek 4-1 Champions League win over Galatasaray in Istanbul to see off the challenge of Alan Pardew's men, who last weekend inflicted a first defeat of the season on leaders Chelsea.
Giroud powered in a header on 15 minutes and, after Danny Welbeck had seen a goal perhaps harshly disallowed, birthday boy Cazorla made it 2-0 at the start of the second half with a neat chip.
French striker Giroud then produced another fine left-footed finish at the near post, and after Ayoze Perez had reduced the deficit, Cazorla clipped home a late penalty as the feel-good factor returned for Wenger's side after the fall-out from their defeat at Stoke.
The Gunners had been forced to start with a makeshift defence because of injury and suspension, so right-back Mathieu Debuchy was deployed at centre-half against his former club.
Arsenal went close to opening the scoring on eight minutes as Per Mertesacker's flicked backwards header from a corner hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced away.
It was 1-0 after 15 minutes when right-back Hector Bellerin won the ball in midfield, before it went out to Sanchez, one of several players rested in midweek.
The Chile forward held up possession on the right before chipping the ball across the six-yard box, where Giroud powered a header into the top-right corner.
Arsenal soon had the ball in the net again as Welbeck cut in from the left, brushing off Daryl Janmaat before dinking his shot over goalkeeper Jak Alnwick. However, referee Lee Mason had already blown for what he saw as a foul by Welbeck on the Newcastle defender.
Welbeck fired an angled volley just wide after a clever chip from Sanchez into the right side of the Newcastle penalty area.
Despite their dominance, Arsenal looked vulnerable to set-plays, and a superb double save from Wojciech Szczesny kept the scores level after 33 minutes.
A free-kick was curled in from the right, which Yoan Gouffran glanced goalwards, but the Pole made a fine reaction save and was then in the right place to block the follow-up from Papiss Cisse at point-blank range.
The hosts doubled their lead after 54 minutes with another goal of the highest order.
Sanchez played a sliderule pass into the Newcastle penalty area, which Cazorla collected and skipped over Fabricio Coloccini's sliding challenge. The diminutive Spaniard stumbled, but stayed on his feet before clipping a sublime finish into the far corner to celebrate his 30th birthday in style.
Before Newcastle could regroup, it was 3-0 after 58 minutes.
Bellerin got to the right touchline before crossing for Giroud, who expertly guided the ball past Alnwick at the near post with the outside of his left boot.
Newcastle reduced the arrears after 63 minutes when Ayoze Perez took a flick from a free-kick on the edge of the area.
Arsenal soon regained composure, with Kieran Gibbs firing wide after the ball bobbled around a crowded penalty area.
After Arsenal appeared to have weathered the storm, chants in support of Wenger rang around the Emirates Stadium, with hope and belief again restored heading into the hectic Christmas schedule.
Newcastle defender Paul Dummett tripped Welbeck in the right corner of the area after 88 minutes, and Cazorla stepped up to calmly slot home a 'Panenka' chipped penalty straight down the middle.