A positive end to Arsenal’s ‘negative spiral’

Newcastle 0 Arsenal 1

Andre Villas-Boas wrote off Tottenham’s closest rivals thus when, in late March, his side enjoyed victory in the North London derby, to increase their advantage over Wenger’s men to seven points, a 16th consecutive qualification for the Champions League at the Emirates Stadium looking a forlorn hope.

Fast-forward two months, and this gritty victory at St James’ Park rounded off an 11-game unbeaten run, nine of those wins, since the somewhat unwise assertion by Villas-Boas — think red rag and bull — whose side again trailed in behind not so much noisy neighbours, but quietly understated ones, despite recording the highest points tally at White Hart Lane in the Premier League era, 72.