Mesut Ozil scores the goal of the season contender as Arsenal beat Newcastle United (Details, pics)

Arsenal defeated Rafa Benitez's Newcastle 1-0 with a stunning strike from Germany's international Mesut Ozil.

The Gunners went into the game against Newcastle at the Emirate on Saturday, December 16, in search of their first victory in four games.

It was all Arsenal in the first 20 minutes of the game, but poor decision making in the final third led them down on so many occasions.

The game was screaming for quality and we got that from the German playmaker in the 23rd minute of the game.

Sanchez's deflected effort looped up into the air and Newcastle thought they had cleared the danger, but the ball dropped for Ozil whose stunning left-footed volley fired the Gunners into the lead in emphatic fashion.

The half ended with Arsenal failing to add to their lead while Newcastle failed to offer no threat to the Arsenal defence going foward.

The second half started with Arsenal looking sharp but they still weren't doing enough in the final third with Lacazette, Sanchez, Ozil and Iwobi failing to connect in the final third.

Newcastle however looked stronger going forward in the second half and almost got an equalizer but Murphy's strike was brilliantly stopped by Cech.

Lacazette should have doubled Arsenal lead and put a daylight between Arsenal and Newcastle but his audacious chip failed to worry Newcastle goalie Elliot.

The Magpies poured forward in search of an equalizer but could not get and Arsenal held on to get their first victory in the League in the month of December.