Arsenal 1 Newcastle 0: The score was camouflage. Anyone who glances only at the result will miss the truth of Arsenal's resurgence. This was, by far, their best display since the defeat at Old Trafford in October.

Even if a 10-point gap separates them from Chelsea in the Premiership, the players reminded themselves of their quality and that should stand them in good stead in the Champions League.

Graeme Souness aims to create a hardier Newcastle United, yet Shay Given had to provide almost all of their resistance. Thanks to the Irish goalkeeper, there might have been a ludicrous draw at Highbury had his opposite number Manuel Almunia not blocked with his legs when Lee Bowyer was released by Shola Ameobi in the 81st minute.

Craig Bellamy's Newcastle career is hanging by a thread this morning after a furious selection dispute with Souness. Newcastle sources indicate the Wales striker refused to play in a wide position in the build-up to yesterday's defeat.

It is said that Bellamy reported himself injured in midweek in an attempt to avoid playing in a position he does not favour, an incident that led to a confrontation in his chairman's office.

There, the club have privately recounted, the chairman Freddy Shepherd asked Bellamy whether he was fit, to which the response was a stream of consciousness about his disaffection at playing on the wing.

"On Friday there was an incident that led to a meeting between myself, the chairman and the player," Souness said. "Bellamy was not happy about playing out there but he has gone about showing his displeasure in totally the wrong way.

"He declared himself injured on Friday. We are trying to create a strong team spirit here and sometimes you have to sacrifice things for the team cause. Our supporters do not want to hear about petulance and a player not working his socks off for the team cause. We will address the situation next week. Bellamy is still contracted to this club."

Souness' description of the outburst prompted an angry response from the forward, who insists he has always been a team player.

"I have played 20-odd games out of position this year because I want to play for Newcastle but I don't feel I am doing myself or the club justice," said Bellamy after the match at Highbury, at which he had been a disgruntled onlooker and was not even named among the substitutes.

Aston Villa are believed to be ready to match Bellamy's £6 million valuation with an appropriate bid, having missed out on the tussle with Everton over James Beattie. Certainly Souness made little attempt to dampen transfer talk. "I will only have players who will give everything for the club," he said.

Newcastle could certainly have done with Bellamy's services yesterday, as Arsenal showed no such problems in the balance of their side.

Antonio Reyes was the sole Arsenal player to be substituted as Arsene Wenger, in the 90th minute, made sure that a little more time and momentum dribbled out of the match.

It was no accident that Reyes was the person thereby treated to a personal ovation from the crowd. A clever manager has a variety of ways to reward a player who has performed well.

Bergkamp would normally have expected to be rested, but this was one of the unusual occasions when he stayed on the field for the duration. Wenger was reluctant to do without a man who, after 19 minutes, had scored Arsenal's goal with such pared-down expertise.

Flamini made a clever run behind the Newcastle midfield to take Kolo Toure's pass on the right and knock it into the penalty area. Both centre backs were stranded and Steven Taylor was never allowed any hope of a tackle as Bergkamp kept the ball on his right side, stabbing it ahead of him with his first touch and knocking it into the net with his third.

Taylor had already been cautioned by then and, on his 19th birthday, could have been presented with a red card before the interval. Souness sensibly chose to replace him. There were few innocents around and Patrick Vieira somehow dodged a booking despite a few fouls, but the main impression was that Newcastle are trying to adopt a spikier attitude.

Arsenal, always a highly strung side, were peeved and Toure, after 81 minutes, took such exception to a challenge from Alan Shearer that he retaliated and hit him in the back.

It is one of the most agreeable features of the Newcastle captain's old-fashionedness that it never occurred to him to exaggerate the incident in the hope that the referee Steve Dunn would send off the centre-half.

- Guardian Service