Arsenal 0 Newcastle 1: Carroll the rising star delivers Gunners another big problem
Didier Drogba has tormented Arsenal for years with his physical prowess. On Sunday, the Gunners were hit by the Geordie version - and it wasn't as if Arsene Wenger had not seen it coming.
In his programme notes, the Arsenal manager wrote: 'Andy Carroll has stature, charisma and quality. He is good in the air, strong and can pass the ball well.' Ninety minutes later and his assessment was more succinct.
Heads up: Toon striker Carroll rises to nod Newcastle into a surprise lead against the Gunners
'Andy Carroll is a handful,' said the beaten boss after watching the 21-year-old score the only goal of the game, a header from a majestic leap above goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski just before half-time.
Fabio Capello was there to savour it and, as long as the England manager is not deterred by front-page headlines revealing Carroll's off-field antics, it is difficult to envisage how he can overlook him when he names the squad for next week's friendly against France.
Wenger believes the centre forward, an inspiration for Newcastle since their return to the Barclays Premier League, is good enough for international football. Few who were at the Emirates on Sunday would argue.
It wasn't only the goal. Carroll chased and battled for every ball as he led the line. Sometimes his touch abandoned him but he never stopped working. He is not refined but plays with honesty and, just like Drogba, was in the right place to win a series of headers inside his own area and clear the danger from set pieces as the visitors fought to defend their lead in the second half.
Flying: Carroll leads his Magpies team-mates in celebration after breaking the deadlock against Arsenal
Newcastle manager Chris Hughton said: 'Apart from having a prowess in the air, as we saw, there are other aspects of his game that he is developing. He gives us a mobility that can stretch defenders. He has a fair way to go but he is working and going in the right direction. Mentally, he is very strong.'
Hughton never considered dropping Carroll, despite more revelations yesterday about the social activities of the striker who is on bail charged with assaulting a former girlfriend.
MATCH FACTS
ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Fabianski 6; Sagna 6, Squillaci 6, Koscielny 6, Clichy 6; Song 5, Wilshere 7 (Bendtner 72, 5); Walcott 6, Fabregas 6, Nasri 7 (Arshavin 56, 6); Chamakh 5 (Van Persie 57, 5). Subs not used: Szczesny, Djourou, Eboue, Rosicky. Booked: Clichy, Fabregas. Sent off: Koscielny.
NEWCASTLE UNITE D (4-1-3-2): Krul 7; Simpson 7, Williamson 8, Coloccini 7, Enrique 7; Tiote 9; Barton 7, Nolan 7, Gutierrez 7; Carroll 8, Ameobi 7 (Ranger 82). Subs not used: Soderberg, Campbell, Taylor, Smith, Routledge, Lovenkrands. Booked: Tiote.
Man of the match: Cheik Tiote.
Referee: Mike Dean.
The Newcastle boss even felt comfortable including Steven Taylor in the squad for the first time since his punch-up with Carroll on the training ground in March.
'I made a selection based on the continuity we have had in the last couple of games,' he said. 'I decided to play two strikers as we've done in the last couple of games. I just felt the same group of players deserved an opportunity to have another go.
'This is a team who have worked hard to get promotion into this division. They know where they want to play their football and this performance showed what it meant to all of them.'
Despite Arsenal's frailties at home, Hughton, a former Spurs player and coach, can be as proud of this win as he was of the 5-1 thrashing of Sunderland seven days earlier.
With Cheik Tiote outstanding in midfield, his team deserved the points, even shading possession, quite an accomplishment against Arsenal.
Central defenders Mike Williamson and Fabricio Coloccini shackled Marouane Chamakh, and Tim Krul kept a clean sheet, making one wonderful save in the first half from Samir Nasri, the pick of Arsenal's players.
Nasri's right footer from the edge of the area, struck first time from a Cesc Fabregas pass, appeared to be swerving into the top corner until the Dutch keeper unfurled his long frame and clawed it away with his right hand.
Double team: Walcott tries to get away from Newcastle defenders Enrique (left) and Coloccini eary on at the Emirates Stadium
Twice the woodwork saved Krul. First a Fabregas free-kick took a deflection which whipped it over his head and on to the bar. Theo Walcott also rattled the bar after the break. It was as close as Arsenal would come.
Fabregas planted a diving header straight at Krul and Andrey Arshavin, dropped from the starting line-up for the first time this season, went close after Carroll had been caught in possession deep in his half.
Wenger's frustrations were complete when referee Mike Dean produced his first red card of the season to dismiss Laurent Koscielny in stoppage time. Nile Ranger beat Koscielny to the ball, wriggled around him and fell as the defender tried to haul him back. To decide it was a clear goalscoring opportunity seemed unfair but this was not Arsenal's day.
Dismissed: Koscielny compounds Arsenal's misery by fouling Ranger and earning a red card as time ran out
'We've bust a few coupons today,' said Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton. 'But I was always confident we could come here and win. We came with a plan and I knew everything we have in our arsenal they wouldn't like. We planned to suck the keeper out and a few times it didn't come off but the one time it did we got a goal.'
Barton supplied the deep free-kick for the goal and Carroll (below with skipper Kevin Nolan) ran straight to manager Hughton after scoring to give him a hug.
It was further evidence of the impressive work this understated coach-turned-manager has done to rebuild a broken club and it is an insult that the owners refuse to open talks to extend and improve a contract which expires at the end of the season.
Sportsmail's Jamie Redknapp said on TV the manager should resign if a deal does not follow Newcastle's first win at Arsenal in nine years.
'That's nice of Jamie,' said Hughton. 'All I can do is win as many matches as we can.' He will not encourage his players to celebrate this one. 'We've got a game on Wednesday. Come 9am the focus has to be on Wednesday's game.'
Hongereni the Toon kwa ushindi ila kwa upande mwingine mmeniliza maana mie ni Toon and Arse-nal as well
