Olivier Giroud scored two goals in four minutes as Arsenal beat Newcastle to continue their pursuit of second-placed Manchester City
After City beat West Brom, the Gunners kept a point behind their rivals with a sixth successive win, hanging on as Newcastle improved after half-time.
Giroud poked in from Santi Cazorla's free-kick before heading in a corner.
Moussa Sissoko's crisp finish sparked a response but Arsenal held on after David Ospina saved Remy Cabella's shot.
Any Newcastle hopes that the Gunners would suffer a hangover after Tuesday's Champions League exit were extinguished in a first half where the Gunners could easily have been four goals ahead.
Despite being without Mesut Ozil, they did not miss the German playmaker as Giroud again linked up well with Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck to score his ninth goal in as many games.
If only Newcastle could call on the same firepower. Newcastle manager John Carver witnessed an improved second-half display from his side, but without injured top scorer Papiss Cisse and suspended defender Fabricio Coloccini, they slipped to a fourth defeat in the last five games.
Carver spoke earlier this week of a player "clear-out", which did not seem to lift his team in a woeful first-half. In fact, they were closer to the description of Match of the Day pundit Phil Neville, who said many of them were already wearing flip-flops in anticipation of the summer break.
Arsenal took advantage of their sluggishness with some ease.
Giroud was a tad fortunate for his first goal as Welbeck flicked on Cazorla's free-kick and the Frenchman seemed to score via his knee. The second showed his strength as he held off Mike Williamson to nod in Cazorla's corner for his 17th of the season.
Aaron Ramsey, in the side to replace Ozil, prevented Giroud from a first-half hat-trick when he diverted a low cross.
The Newcastle supporters booed off their team at half-time but they saw a transformation at the start of the second period.
Cabella was heavily involved as he first set up Sissoko's goal with a clever cut-back. He then teed up Yoan Gouffran, who could only poke straight at Ospina, with Sissoko almost troubling the Colombian from close-range following a corner.
As Arsenal tired, Jonas Gutierrez, who returned to action earlier this month after overcoming testicular cancer, came on to further boost his team-mates.
But Ospina denied Newcastle a point when he saved well with his legs to stop Cabella's deflected shot.
Despite losing, Newcastle at least ended the game strongly and their fans will hope they show the same effort in their trip to the Tyne-Wear derby at Sunderland after the international break.
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