Dietmar Hamann rescued Newcastle with a spectacular 77th-minute solo goal to
end his side's Arsenal hoodoo.
The German's improvised right-foot strike cancelled out Nicolas Anelka's
first-half opener, and spared the blushes of Steve Howey and Nikos Dabizas.
The two United defenders contributed to a comedy of errors to allow the
Frenchman in as Ruud Gullit's side squandered a good start.
The confidence drained out of the Magpies as they sensed a fifth consecutive
defeat by Arsene Wenger's side, and it took the introduction of club skipper Rob
Lee on the hour to steady the ship and lay the foundation for a comeback.
United will argue that they deserved their point, but at times, they did their
best to hand the Gunners all three with sub-standard defending.
Alan Shearer left his sick-bed to return to Newcastle's starting line-up after
the bout of flu which kept him out of the FA Cup fifth round replay at Blackburn
on Wednesday night.
The England skipper linked up with midweek goal hero Louis Saha, who kept his
place at the expense of Temuri Ketsbaia, while defender Didier Domi also beat
illness to replace Warren Barton.
Arsenal were without influential midfielder Emmanuel Petit, and Wenger handed
Remi Garde the task of partnering Patrick Vieira in central midfield.
Garde's involvement was fleeting to say the least as he left the field on a
stretcher with only three minutes gone after a challenge from Nolberto Solano
sent him into the advertising hoardings.
In the meantime, Saha had announced his presence with a neat near post shot
following good work by Hamann and Laurent Charvet.
But the danger represented by Dennis Bergkamp, Anelka and Marc Overmars was
there for all to see, and the two Dutchmen in particular looked dangerous as
they dropped deep to pick up possession.
Lee Dixon was the first to test Shay Given with a well-struck ninth-minute
effort, and it was fellow defender Tony Adams causing the problems nine minutes
later as he joined the attack and unsettled the home defence.
Howey, who last week signed a new contract which will keep him at St James'
Park until 2003, was in solid form at the back as the men around him suffered a
bout of the jitters, but the back four grew in confidence as the half wore on.
And it was United who almost took the lead on 28 minutes when Hamann jinked
his way past substitute Stephen Hughes and fed Solano down the right.
Shearer pulled away to the far post and the Peruvian's cross looked
tailor-made for him to score, but he failed to make a good connection as he slid
in and the chance had gone.
Solano's 32nd-minute free-kick had David Seaman anxiously scrambling towards
his left post, and the home side were starting to gain the upper hand in
midfield with Hamann to the fore.
But all the good work counted for nothing nine minutes before the break when
the visitors were handed the lead on a plate.
Howey's dreadful pass fell to Bergkamp and Dabizas compounded his team-mate's
mistake by failing to cut out the striker's pass to Anelka, who nonchalantly
rounded Given to make it 1-0.
United were at sixes and sevens once again four minutes before the whistle
when Bergkamp's shot flew off Howey and dropped just wide.
The Gunners were brimming with confidence as the second half got underway, and
Dabizas in particular was looking increasingly uncomfortable as Overmars and
Bergkamp got the bit between their teeth once again.
Domi put his side on the attack again with a surging 53rd-minute run, but his
cross fell straight to Seaman as Shearer pulled away at the far post.
Dixon's foul on the Frenchman gave Hamann a chance to provide the ammunition,
but although his free-kick was delivered to the right area, no-one was able to
get a touch before Seaman intervened.
Gullit replaced Solano and Garry Brady with Lee and Ketsbaia, and that seemed
to give the Magpies fresh impetus.
But it was not until the 77th-minute that they were able to create an
opening.
Hamann picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area and worked it on to
his right foot before flicking a shot past Seaman with the outside of his boot.
Ketsbaia forced Seaman into a save on 82 minutes with a shot which took a
slight deflection, and it was Newcastle who looked the more threatening as the
seconds ticked away.
A late surge from the visitors proved too little, too late and the United
supporters filed out happy with their point.
Teams:
Newcastle: Given, Charvet, Howey, Dabizas, Domi, Hamann,
Solano (Ketsbaia 59), Speed, Brady (Lee 59), Saha, Shearer.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Barton, Griffin.
Booked: Hamann, Dabizas.
Goals: Hamann 77.
Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Keown, Adams, Winterburn,
Garde (Hughes 3), Parlour, Vieira, Overmars (Upson 84), Anelka,Bergkamp.
Subs Not Used: Manninger, Kanu, Diawara.
Booked: Overmars, Bergkamp.
Goals: Anelka 36.
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