Chelsea crashed to yet another disappointing defeat as Arsenal impressively got the better of Stoke City in another enthralling Saturday of the English Premier League.
Moussa Sissoko was the man of the moment for Newcastle, as the new signing's brace helped the home team silence Rafa Benitez and Chelsea 3-2 in an entertaining game.
Jonas Guttierez had scored the opener for the Magpies, before two brilliantly taken goals from Frank Lampard and Juan Mata gave Chelsea a 2-1 lead. However, Sissoko popped up to score two of his own, to move Newcastle further away from the relegation zone.
At the Emirates, Arsenal had Lukas Podolski to thank after the substitute's deflected freekick gave the home side all three points against a Stoke side who had all ten men defending for almost the entire 90 minutes.
Arsenal did not really put behind their slow first half syndrome. There were no alarms in the defense this time, but not really much going forward either for the first 30 minutes.
Stoke manager Tony Pulis put out a pretty defensive side, with American Geoff Cameron, who has played at right-back all season, the most advanced midfielder for the away side, which said enough for their ambition going forward.
However, Arsenal, despite holding the bulk of the possession, rarely threatened Asmir Begovic's goal in a sedate 30 minutes of the first half, with the loudest cheer emanating from the crowd every time new signing Nacho Monreal, making his debut and a sound one at that, touched the ball.
Jack Wilshere was the most likely Arsenal player yet again to carve open the Stoke defense, with the playmaker playing in an advanced role as Arsene Wenger decided to rest both Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain lining up on the left.
Stoke were happy to soak up the pressure, but didn't really have much of an outlet going forward to trouble Arsenal on the counter, with a couple of long-range shots hardly troubling goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny's goal.
Arsenal cranked up a gear after 30 minutes. Stoke are one of the biggest sides in the Premier League, and ironically, Arsenal's best two chances came from corners. Oxlade-Chamberlain had a glorious opportunity to put the Gunner ahead, but saw his shot from six yards out brilliantly kept out by Begovic.
The Stoke goalkeeper came to his side's rescue yet again, when he saved Laurent Koscielny's close-range header off another corner, after Olivier Giroud, had inexplicably decided to try and head the ball back to one of his teammates when left free eight yards out.
Wilshere carved open the Stoke defense with a brilliant through ball to Oxlade-Chamberlain on the inside right, but Begovic made a diving one-handed stop off a curling shot from the Arsenal midfielder.
The second half was even more dominating than the first for Arsenal - the home side had over 70 percent of the possession in the whole game - but the goal never really looked like coming as Stoke, with two banks of five, held firm.
Wenger brought on Podolski and Cazorla with 20 minutes remaining for Oxlade-Chamberlain and Abou Diaby, and those changes seemed to add a little more purpose and pace to Arsenal's attacking play.
The goal came in the 78th minute. Walcott, who had tormented Andy Wilkinson the whole game, earned a freekick after the fullback brought him down just outside the area.
Podolski stepped up to take the setpiece, with his effort taking a deflection off a Stoke defender and wrong-footing Begovic.
Arsenal comfortably saw off the final ten minutes or so to earn themselves a deserved and crucial three points, and move to within one point of fourth-placed Tottenham.
At St. James' Park, Demba Ba's return to his old club did not quite pan out as he would have envisaged, with the Chelsea forward having to come off in the first half for Fernando Torres, after a nasty boot to the face from former teammate Fabricio Coloccini.
The Blues had a case for a penalty, with the challenge happening inside the box, but the referee decided not to point to the spot.
Guttierez was the man who scored the only goal of the first half, rising high between two Chelsea defenders to power home a header off a nice cross from Davide Santon.
Chelsea roared back in the second half as Lampard equalized in the 55th minute, smashing home a brilliant effort from 25 yards out.
Mata made it 2-1 to the Blues five minutes later, with another nice finish from long-range, after being setup by Torres.
However, things went pear-shaped for Chelsea soon after that with Sissoko slotting home from close range in the 68th minute, after Petr Cech had kept the initial effort from another new signing Yoann Gouffran out.
Chelsea's misery was compounded in the final minute when Sissoko struck a low drive past Cech to send the St James' Park faithful into ecstasy, and the Chelsea fans into agony.
Rafa Benitez will not be looking forward to getting back on that bus to London, as the Spaniard faces yet another hostile week.
Results: QPR 0-0 Norwich; Arsenal 1-0 Stoke; Everton 3-3 Aston Villa; Newcastle 3-2 Chelsea; Reading 2-1 Sunderland; West Ham 1-0 Swansea; Wigan 2-2 Southampton.
