Arsenal 2 Newcastle Utd 0
GIVEN that yesterday marked the end of London fashion week, it was fitting that Arsene Wenger successfully unveiled a collection of Arsenal players aimed primarily at next season in last night's Carling Cup third-round tie at the Emirates Stadium.
But while Sam Allardyce's Newcastle side will not be strutting their stuff in the latter rounds of the competition following a 2-0 defeat, they can at least be content with the show they staged in the capital.
Having contained their youthful opponents for more than 80 minutes, the Magpies looked to be heading for a deserved spell of extra-time before late goals from Niklas Bendtner and Denilson condemned them to a harsh defeat.
The visitors displayed commendable spirit and resilience to frustrate an Arsenal side that made the Carling Cup final last season, but were ultimately unable to convert the limited opportunities that came their way.
Obafemi Martins was denied three times and those misses proved costly as the Gunners finished with a flourish thanks to Bendtner's close-range header and Denilson's long-range strike.
Having enjoyed an Indian sign over Arsenal boss Wenger in recent seasons, Allardyce might well look back on last night's game as the one that got away.
While the inclusion of the likes of Martins, Abdoulaye Faye and Shola Ameobi confirmed Allardyce's belief that athleticism is the key to beating Arsenal, the visitors were unable to take their limited chances.
The retention of Alan Smith, Charles N'Zogbia and James Milner ensured that Newcastle would not be lacking experience as they took on a side containing a high proportion of teenage talent, and that experience was crucial during a frenetic opening period in which the Magpies settled ahead of their overly-eager hosts.
With Milner and Ameobi dropping back to bolster the midfield whenever Arsenal were in possession, Newcastle quickly assumed control of a swamped central area and set about hitting their opponents on the break.
The ploy almost paid dividends as early as the tenth minute. Jose Enrique's left-wing cross was reminiscent of the centre N'Zogbia produced for Newcastle's opener on Sunday.
But whereas Mark Viduka had found the corner of the net with his header, Martins' effort was central enough to allow goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski to beat it to safety.
Shay Given should have been similarly hard-pressed at the opposite end seven minutes later, but Denmark international Bendtner could only nod an Armand Traore cross harmlessly over the bar from six yards out.
Traore's run provided confirmation of Arsenal's willingness to attack from any position, a mindset that was further underlined by two long-range Emmanuel Eboue efforts that troubled Given before the interval.
The home side's play was slick, but a Newcastle defence marshalled by the seemingly unflappable David Rozehnal rarely suffered the kind of scares that had haunted both Portsmouth and Derby on their recent trips to the Emirates Stadium.
Indeed, had Martins kept his composure on the half-hour mark inside of wildly lashing over after turning inside Philippe Senderos on the edge of the box, the Magpies might even have gone into the break ahead.
As it was, they would have been happy enough given Arsenal's position at the top of the Premier League table.
That position was severely threatened three times within the opening nine minutes of the second half, but a combination of Given and N'Zogbia ensured the scoresheet remained blank.
Newcastle's goalkeeper dealt with the first two chances, parrying shots from Eboue and Theo Walcott with an agility that underlined his enduring quality, despite his recent spell on the substitutes' bench, and N'Zogbia cleared the third, heading from his own goalline after Eduardo rose to meet Walcott's corner.
The opening 15 minutes of the second half represented Arsenal's most intensive attacking spell of the game. Having survived it, and introduced Emre to add even more midfield bite, Newcastle gradually set about attempting to pose renewed questions of their own.
Their second-half incursions into Arsenal territory proved considerably more sporadic than their first, however, with Martins growing more isolated as the defensive workload increased.
Emre flashed a 70th-minute drive narrowly wide of the left-hand upright but, as time wore on, reaching extra-time became Newcastle's over-riding priority.
They looked like achieving it thanks to excellent defending from both Rozehnal and Steven Taylor, and a tigerish midfield display that was epitomised by countless full-stretch challenges from the industrious Faye.
But after Eduardo slid a low shot past the left-hand post, Bendtner ensured that all of the Magpies' efforts would be in vain.
Traore's left-wing cross caught the Newcastle defence napping for the first time, and Bendtner took advantage to power a six-yard header past Given.
The visitors contrived to fashion their best chance 60 seconds later. But after Martins had raced on to a hopeful long ball and rounded Fabianski, the backtracking Senderos cleared his goal-bound side-foot off the line.
Denilson duly settled any lingering Arsenal nerves with an 89th-minute thunderbolt that arrowed into the top corner
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