The 2019/20 Premier League season got off to a winning start for Unai Emery and Arsenal.
The Gunners faced an opening game against unpredictable Newcastle United, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's second half striker was enough to ensure that Emery's men would take the first three points of the season back to the Emirates Stadium.
Youngsters Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson were thrown in at the deep end with the Arsenal manager showing faith in them by naming them in the starting eleven for the game, while new arrival Nicolas Pepe came off the substitutes bench to make his competitive debut for the Gunners. So, with the new season now up and running and the first three points in the bag, who impressed and who could have done better at St James' Park?
Let's take a look at player ratings below to find out their performances seat back and read thanks.
BERND LENO: An excellent save from Jonjo Shelvey's volley ensured that Newcastle's best period of the first half went unrewarded. His sweeping in behind the Arsenal defence was particularly impressive on such a damp, treacherous surface. 7
AINSLEY MAITLAND-NILES: This game will have taught Unai Emery nothing he didn't already know about Maitland-Niles, a menace going forward who, as a natural midfielder still has difficulties with the technicalities of defending as a full-back, though his defensive work improved notably as the game wore on and by the end he had won four tackles. Allied to that he showed remarkable athleticism and composure to provide a brilliant assist for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at a time when the outcome of the game sat on a knife edge. 8
CALUM CHAMBERS: Chambers seemed to embrace the challenge posed by Joelinton, giving as good as he got against the giant Brazilian. It was hard to remember the returning loanee putting a single foot wrong. 7
SOKRATIS PAPASTATHOPOULOS: Arsenal's imposing centre-back looked right at home amid the maelstrom of an August afternoon in the north east, throwing himself into aerial challenges with gusto. However too often Sokratis was caught upfield trying to win balls against Miguel Almiron and leaving his fellow defenders under pressure. Sokratis was crucial at the death, getting his head on every delivery that came into the box. 6
NACHO MONREAL: His crossing left plenty to be desired on the left and too often he was caught upfield by the counter-attacking Almiron. 6
MATTEO GUENDOUZI: Composed in possession what really stood out from Guendouzi was the bite and cynicism he brought to Arsenal's midfield. No coach would teach a player to trip an opponent, protest their innocence to the referee and then turn around to wink to the bench but that sort of character is much needed in this Arsenal side. 6
GRANIT XHAKA: When the captain really looked to push the play there were some exceptional passes, none more so than his delivery behind the Newcastle defence from which Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang couldn't quite get away.
Xhaka did not shy away from challenges and did not give the ball away needlessly, as is too often the case. 6
HENRIKH MKHITARYAN: There are still flashes of real quality in Mkhitaryan's game. One through ball to Aubameyang took three defenders out of the game, another elegant ball over the top showed that understanding the pair built at Borussia Dortmund is well and truly alive. The problem is that to get there Arsenal have to wade through an awful lot of dross, clumsy passes that give possession away immediately; it was notable that many of Newcastle's best moments in the first half came from Mkhitaryan's wastefulness. 4
JOE WILLOCK: The youngster had perhaps the toughest job on the pitch as the No.10 against a side happy to sit deep and challenge Arsenal to break them down. Inevitably he could not bring the same incision Emery would expect from Mesut Ozil or Dani Ceballos but he ran hard and offered a key focal point when Aubameyang drifted wide. 5
REISS NELSON: In only his second Premier League start it was perhaps understandable that Nelson started slowly but once he got into the game his direct running was a crucial asset for Arsenal. Sometimes the teenager might make the wrong call when he has time to pick a pass but there is cause to believe that in time the decision-making will improve.
Ally that to his natural qualtiies and Arsenal have quite the player on their hands. 7
PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG: This does not feel like the ideal game for Aubameyang to lead the line in. Against a deep-lying backline the striker's best chances to burst in behind came down the flanks but all too often that left Arsenal's attack without a focal point. After nearly an hour with little to no service coming his way Aubameyang did not hesitate when the best chance so far came his way, an elegant chip suggesting that the forward's fine form in pre-season portends to greater things to come this season. 8
DANI CEBALLOS (SUB, WILLCOCK, 60'): An overly showy backheel to an opponent was not the best of starts for the Real Madrid loanee but after that clumsy moment he was far more intelligent in his passing. 6
NICHOLAS PEPE (SUB, NELSON, 71'): If chants of "Super Nico Pepe" before he had even touched the ball are anything to go by the record signing has already won over Arsenal fans but he had little chance to show what he could do today. 5