Arsenal edge nervously towards the denoument

Eberechi Eze applauds the fans as he is departs following an injury.

Not even close to a statement win, but it may yet prove to be an important one. Arsenal returned to the top of the table with four matches remaining after a narrow victory, secured by an excellent early goal from Eberechi Eze.

In a title race that has tightened in recent weeks, the significance lay less in the performance and more in the outcome.

Arsenal have not looked like a side in full control of their destiny of late. Defeats in their previous two league games — most notably at title rivals Manchester City — had allowed doubt to creep in, and there were moments here that reflected that unease.

The rhythm was not there, the control not complete. But championship races are rarely won with ease. They are often decided by teams that find a way through difficult matches, and this was one of those.

Eze’s goal, after nine minutes, offered a glimpse of what Arsenal can still produce. It came from a cleverly worked corner, the third variation of a routine that had already tested Newcastle’s organisation. Thereafter, the game became more of a test than it perhaps should have been.

Newcastle, despite arriving on a run of eight defeats in their previous 11 league matches, were competitive throughout. That sequence, stretching back to late January, has left them in a difficult position and has brought renewed scrutiny on Eddie Howe. The manager has acknowledged the possibility of significant change in the summer, but his players here showed enough commitment to suggest the situation is not beyond repair.

They created moments. Sandro Tonali forced an outstanding save from David Raya with a strike that seemed to shift direction in flight, and there were periods when Newcastle pressed with purpose. What they lacked was the finishing touch that might have changed the mood of the contest.

For Arsenal, the closing stages carried a degree of tension that has been uneasily familiar in recent times. This is familiar territory for a group that has matured considerably but is still learning how to handle the final stretch of a title race. The lead at the top has already slipped once. They cannot afford for it to happen again.

Declan Rice, who continues to manage a fitness issue but remains central to everything Arsenal do, spoke afterwards about the importance of the result rather than the manner of it.

“After the week we had losing against Manchester City, there was a lot of encouragement to take from that game, but we knew coming into this, with five games left, we have to win all five,” he said.

“To tick that one off was a real boost, so we’re really, really happy.”

Rice also pointed to Eze’s growing influence: “That’s what he’s been brought here to do. His ball striking is unbelievable. What a player, what a guy, and he’s going to be massive for us these next few weeks. We really need him.”

There is, however, little time to dwell on this. Arsenal travel to Spain for the first leg of a Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid in midweek, a tie that adds both excitement and complication to their schedule. Mikel Arteta must now manage not only the physical demands of this period but also the emotional balance of his squad.

His energy and intensity have been central to Arsenal’s rise, but in these final weeks there is also a need for calm.

Rice acknowledged that balance: “We’re Champions League semi-finalists, let’s embrace it, enjoy it, and bring it on. But you can’t get too caught up with what’s to come. You need to focus on what we can control in the next game.”

That next game in the league is against Fulham, a fixture that has often proved awkward for Arsenal. It is another test of patience as much as quality, and another reminder that the margin for error has gone.

There were encouraging signs. Bukayo Saka returned from injury and looked sharp in a brief appearance, while there is optimism that both Eze and Havertz, who were forced off, will be available again soon.

Small details, perhaps, but at this stage they matter.

ARSENAL: Raya 8; White 6, Saliba 6, Gabriel 6, Hincapie 7; Zubimendi 6 (Lewis-Skelly 80), Rice 6, Odegaard 7; Madueke 6 (Saka 80), Havertz 6 (Gyokeres 34), Eze 7 (Martinelli 53).

NEWCASTLE: Pope 6, Miley 6, Botman 7, Thiaw 7, Burn 5, Ramsey 6, Bruno Guimaraes 5 (Woltemade 75), Tonali 7, J. Murphy 6 (Barnes 66), Willock 7 (Elanga 86), Osula 6 (Wissa 66).

Referee: Sam Barrott 5.