Perhaps disappointing not to hang onto a lead, not to get 3 points against a team down to 10 men at the end, not to stretch the lead over Man Utd (and Newcastle) following the earlier draw at Old Trafford.... but on the other hand, our trip to Newcastle was on paper a considerably harder task than Man Utd's home game today. Newcastle were on a run of 11 home wins in a row up to this game. So let's look on the bright side. One game closer to the end of the season, and still 3 points clear.

The game got off to a promising start.

Seaman made a fantastic save on 4 minutes, when Shearer's stretch got his studs to a cross and Dave dived low to his left to claw it away from the post. Moments later Bergkamp struck a low long shot from a free-kick which skidded just wide, although Given may have had it covered.

On 11 minutes, Vieira got a good head to a corner but Solano was on the line to clear. He deflected it up onto the bar and it bounced straight down and out. It came to Pires but it was a bit awkward and he could only head it over. Straight up the other end, Campbell was lucky not to concede a penalty when he out-muscled Shearer without making any attempt to get the ball. Moments later Shearer forced a save from Seaman with a superb spectacular volley.

Up the other end, Given made a bizarre save with his head on the half-hour, when Bramble turned a cross towards his own goal. Hard to say how deliberate it was but let's give him the benefit of the the doubt!

But minutes later Wiltord's pass split the defence, and Henry beat Given to give himself an unmissable chance for the opener.

Given made more good saves, from Wiltord and Pires in particular, as the home side weathered the Aresnal storm.

Newcastle started the second half better, with Bellamy shooting just high 5 minutes in, and then Robert getting the equaliser a couple of minutes later. It was a nicely executed curling left-foot shot, after he'd beaten Lauren to make space for the shot.

But Robert picked up 2 quick bookings soon after, the second for (twice) blocking Bergkamp's attempt to take a quick free kick, and the Newcastle scorer was shown the red card. The inevitable bleating from his manager followed the match, but the automatic booking rule is there precisely to stop people doing what he did. Saying "he didn't have time to get out of the way", as many seem to be saying, is totally irrelevant. He lifted his foot deliberately to block the ball, it wasn't simply played at him. We don't support Arsenal players who do stupid things like that. But they don't do it much, thankfully. As for Bergkamp, if he'd played it directly at Robert, Robert wouldn't have had to lift his foot to stop it, would he? Bergkamp played it past Robert.

Anyway, the sending off did Arsenal no favours in the long run. Our best chance fell to Bergkamp in the box from a Wiltord cut-back, but O'Brien made a great block.

There were more half-chances at both ends, but little that was clear-cut. The galvanised 10 man Toon were just as likely to get a winner as Arsenal, if not more so. Seaman had to make a terrific save from a deflected cross in injury time, exactly the sort of high, running-backwards save he's been criticised for not making. So, honours even, and the title race remains wide open.

Ashley Cole picked up a late booking, his 5th of the season bringing with it a one match ban. But he was going to be given a rest or two anyway, and it'll probably be the home match against Charlton, so no great problem there. Unless Gio picks up an injury.