Battling 10-man Newcastle put a spanner in the works of Arsenal's Premiership bandwagon to maintain their own interest in the title race. Frenchman Laurent Robert's third goal of the season was enough to clinch a draw for Sir Bobby Robson's men and, although it ended a run of 11 successive league victories at St James' Park, it eased them back into third place, still eight points adrift of the Gunners and five behind second-placed Manchester United with a game in hand.
But Arsene Wenger's side, who took the lead 10 minutes before the break through Thierry Henry's 24th strike of the campaign, will feel they should have made more of Robert's dismissal for two bookable offences within two minutes of his goal and with more than half an hour still to play.
That they did not was testament to the tireless efforts of Robson's 10 men, who had to endure long periods under the cosh even when at full strength but were good value for their point on an afternoon when keeper Shay Given made a stunning reaction save from his own defender Titus Bramble and Nolberto Solano cleared a Patrick Vieira header off the line.
Filed by Ciaran Cronin
