Arsenal players celebrate Patrick Vieira?s (second from left) goal against Newcastle at St James? Park on Wednesday

Leading by goalscoring example, Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira settled this tense affair Wednesday to move the champions back within five points of the Premiership pace-setters, Chelsea. While Arsenal returned south delighted with the points, if not the performance, they left behind a city seized by self-doubt. Another defeat for Newcastle?s manager, Graeme Souness, will keep the local phone-ins and letter pages busy, although he will rightly point out that he was missing eight players against the champions.

Vieira?s thunderbolt just before the break had come at a time when Newcastle were pressing forward with increasing intent. Having weathered an early storm when Arsenal were utterly dominant, requiring Shola Amoebi to clear Sol Campbell?s firm header off the line, Newcastle began to believe in themselves, their confidence rising until Vieira?s intervention. After spending the initial stages defending so deep they were almost in the borders, Newcastle started pushing forward, at last giving some support to Ameobi, their lone front-runner, and bringing a song and swell of hope along the Gallowgate. A five-man midfield hitherto concerned with strangling Arsenal?s creative department suddenly began breathing life into Newcastle attacks. Craig Bellamy began running at Cole. He was fortunate that Bennett failed to notice a handball offence spotted by everyone else in the stadium, though the Arsenal man claimed a nudge by Bellamy forced him to handle. Although the Gallowgate seethed at this injustice, Newcastle themselves were lucky that Bernard?s handling of a Mathieu Flamini strike went unseen by Bennett and his linesmen.

Stunned by the timing and manner of Vieira?s goal, Newcastle tried to rally. Lee Bowyer, finally remembering his suspension was over, sought to trouble Almunia from close, but failed on both occasions. Even young Steven Taylor, one of the few bright developments for Newcastle this season, tried his luck. The defender raided forward and placed a firm shot over.

Taylor?s next part in the evening?s drama was to receive a nasty challenge from Van Persie, for which the Dutchman was deservedly cautioned. Still Newcastle strove to find parity but Arsenal held firm.