Arsenal 1-3 Newcastle

Newcastle have gone top of the English Premiership with their first win in London for four years.

Bobby Robson's side came from behind to beat Arsenal by two clear goals at Highbury on Tuesday night, although they needed a big helping hand from referee Graham Poll.

The Tring official incensed the home team by dismissing Ray Parlour at the end of the first half and then awarding the Magpies a controversial penalty with five minutes to go.

Robert Pires gave the Gunners the lead but goals from Andy O'Brien, Alan Shearer and Laurent Robert ensured Newcastle, who had Craig Bellamy sent off, won in the capital at the 30th time of asking.

Robson called the victory "the best early Christmas present I have had for many, many years".

Arsenal opened brightly and should have taken the lead on 15 minutes when Kanu poked the ball over with the goal at his mercy.

But the glaring miss was quickly forgotten when Pires found the net from inside the six-yard box following a cross by Ashley Cole.

Newcastle claimed that the Frenchman had handled when the ball initially came into the area from Thierry Henry's overhead kick.

The former Bradford defender headed the ball home at the near post following a corner from substitute Lomana Lua-Lua.

Poll then took centre stage again on 72 minutes by producing his second red card of the match.

This time Bellamy, who had just completed a suspension, was the recipient. The former Norwich striker handed his marching orders for swinging an arm into the face of Cole.

Poll came under yet more fire when he ruled that Sol Campbell had fouled Robert inside the Arsenal area with five minutes left.

Arsenal: Taylor, Lauren, Campbell, Keown, Cole, Pires, Parlour, Vieira, Henry, Kanu, Wiltord. Subs: Bergkamp, van Bronckhorst, Grimandi, Upson, Stack.

Newcastle: Given, Hughes, O'Brien, Dabizas, Elliott, Dyer, Solano, Bernard, Speed, Shearer, Bellamy. Subs: Harper, Lua-Lua, McClen, Distin, Robert.

Referee: G Poll (Tring).