Aubameyang has scored 32% of Arsenal's Premier League goals since his debut in February 2018
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang punished slack Newcastle defending to give Arsenal victory at a rain-drenched St James' Park.
Starting with many of their £125m-worth of signings on the bench and without midfielders Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac, Gunners boss Unai Emery watched his side struggle to cut through their opponents in the first half.
That all changed just before the hour mark when Aubameyang was left unmarked on the edge of the area, collected Ainsley Maitland-Niles' cross from the right and fired past Martin Dubravka.
Emery gave £72m club-record signing Nicolas Pepe and midfielder Dani Ceballos debuts from the bench, but they failed to make much of an impression.
As for Steve Bruce, his Newcastle managerial debut was about what could have been.
The Magpies' record signing Joelinton went close with a shot blocked by Bernd Leno, before Jonjo Shelvey saw his drive crash off the woodwork.
The home side were flat for much of the second half, although another new recruit, the exciting wing prospect Allan Saint-Maximin, tested German Leno with a near-post drive.
Aubameyang makes the difference
Unai Emery went through a range of emotions in his dugout area during the first period, ranging from anguish to anger.
His somewhat makeshift Arsenal starting XI, without the experienced Ozil and Kolasinac, struggled with both the conditions and the five-man Newcastle midfield.
They only opened up the Magpies' defence twice in that opening period, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan firing wildly over before Aubameyang struck a firm drive at Dubravka.
Both sides had pacy frontmen, but only one was proven at this level. And when Aubameyang, who scored 22 Premier League goals last season, was given a second chance at goal he took it brilliantly.
The Gabon international was inexplicably given a free run into the area as Jamaal Lascelles went AWOL, and slotted in Maitland-Niles' delivery from the right.
Ivorian winger Pepe and Ceballos were given a run-out but made little impact, although had Maitland-Niles' cross reached the record signing in the area late on, then we might have seen a goal on his debut.
No doubt we will see why Arsenal paid £72m to Lille for him in the coming weeks.
Positives in defeat for Newcastle
As a former centre-half himself, Bruce would have been disappointed to have seen skipper Lascelles drawn towards the ball which left Aubameyang free to score the decider.
Up until then his backline coped admirably with the pace of the Gunners - producing the type of disciplined display seen on countless occasions under the stewardship of predecessor Rafael Benitez.
At the other end Brazilian Joelinton had a lively debut, and roused the home crowd when he slalomed past two challenges to hammer in a low shot saved by Leno.
And Shelvey, who will be hoping to once again become a regular fixture in the Newcastle midfield, showed his prowess from distance with a vicious drive which shook the rain off the woodwork.
Joelinton and Miguel Almiron both worked tirelessly, but did not quite click up front as they partnered each other for the first time in a competitive fixture.
But it is worth noting that Ayoze Perez and Salomon Rondon took until the second half of last season to form a potent union, which eventually reaped 23 goals.
There was enough shown on the pitch on Sunday to suggest that there are better days to come for Joelinton and Almiron.
Man of the match - Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal)
Versatile right-sided Maitland-Niles (right) was one of the few players to repeatedly hurt the Newcastle defence. Will he hang on to his spot in the first XI?Young Gunners - the stats
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Arsenal named two English teenagers (Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson) in their starting XI for a Premier League game for the first time since February 1998 (Paolo Vernazza and Matthew Upson v Crystal Palace), before either Willock or Nelson were born.
The Gunners won and kept a clean sheet in their opening game of a Premier League season for the first time since 2008-09.
Newcastle haven't won their opening game in any of their last six Premier League campaigns.
Newcastle manager Bruce suffered defeat in his first game at a new club for the first time since December 2001, when he began his Birmingham City reign with a 2-1 defeat to Wolves in the second tier.
Arsenal have only lost one of their 25 Premier League games under Emery when opening the scoring.
Since making his Premier League debut for Arsenal in February 2018, only Mohamed Salah (36) has scored more goals in the competition than Aubameyang (33).
Pepe made his Premier League debut for Arsenal, becoming the 200th player to feature for the Gunners in the competition.
What's next?
Newcastle are at newly-promoted Norwich City on Saturday (15:00 BST) while Arsenal take on Burnley at the Emirates on the same day in the early kick-off (12:30 BST).
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Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
Newcastle
1Dubravka
5Schär
6Lascelles
3Dummett
19Manquillo
14Hayden
8ShelveySubstituted forWillemsat 54'minutes
36LongstaffSubstituted forSaint-Maximinat 67'minutes
11Ritchie
24AlmirónBooked at 18mins
9Apolinário de Lira
Substitutes
2Clark
10Saint-Maximin
13Muto
15Willems
17Krafth
18Fernandez
26Darlow
Arsenal
1Leno
15Maitland-Niles
21Chambers
5Papastathopoulos
18Monreal
29Guendouzi
34XhakaBooked at 81mins
7MkhitaryanBooked at 37minsSubstituted forMartinelli Silvaat 84'minutes
28WillockSubstituted forCeballosat 64'minutes
24NelsonBooked at 25minsSubstituted forPépéat 71'minutes
14Aubameyang
Substitutes
8Ceballos
9Lacazette
11Torreira
19Pépé
23David Luiz
26MartÃnez
35Martinelli Silva
Referee:
Martin Atkinson
Attendance:
47,635
Match Stats
Home TeamNewcastleAway TeamArsenal
Possession
Home38%
Away62%
Shots
Home9
Away8
Shots on Target
Home2
Away2
Corners
Home5
Away3
Fouls
Home12
Away7
Live Text
Posted at
Match ends, Newcastle United 0, Arsenal 1.
Full TimePosted at 90'+5'
Second Half ends, Newcastle United 0, Arsenal 1.
Posted at 90'+3'
Offside, Arsenal. Calum Chambers tries a through ball, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is caught offside.
Posted at 90'+1'
Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 90'+1'
Foul by Javier Manquillo (Newcastle United).
Posted at 90'
Offside, Newcastle United. Paul Dummett tries a through ball, but Miguel Almirón is caught offside.
Posted at 89'
Attempt missed. Joelinton (Newcastle United) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Miguel Almirón.
Posted at 88'
Nicolas Pépé (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 88'
Foul by Jamaal Lascelles (Newcastle United).
Posted at 87'
Foul by Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal).
Posted at 87'
Matt Ritchie (Newcastle United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 86'
Attempt missed. Fabian Schär (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Matt Ritchie.
SubstitutionPosted at 84'
Substitution, Arsenal. Gabriel Martinelli replaces Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Posted at 84'
Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 84'
Foul by Javier Manquillo (Newcastle United).
Posted at 84'
Attempt saved. Allan Saint-Maximin (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jetro Willems.
BookingPosted at 81'
Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 80'
Foul by Granit Xhaka (Arsenal).
Posted at 80'
Miguel Almirón (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
SubstitutionPosted at 71'
Substitution, Arsenal. Nicolas Pépé replaces Reiss Nelson.
Posted at 70'
Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 70'
Foul by Allan Saint-Maximin (Newcastle United).
Posted at 68'
Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Calum Chambers.
Posted at 68'
Attempt blocked. Miguel Almirón (Newcastle United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Matt Ritchie.
Posted at 67'
Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
SubstitutionPosted at 67'
Substitution, Newcastle United. Allan Saint-Maximin replaces Sean Longstaff.
SubstitutionPosted at 64'
Substitution, Arsenal. Dani Ceballos replaces Joe Willock.
Posted at 63'
Foul by Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal).
Posted at 63'
Jetro Willems (Newcastle United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 61'
Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 61'
Foul by Isaac Hayden (Newcastle United).
Posted at 60'
Attempt missed. Joe Willock (Arsenal) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Granit Xhaka.
Posted at 60'
Joe Willock (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 60'
Foul by Fabian Schär (Newcastle United).
Goal!Posted at 58'
Goal! Newcastle United 0, Arsenal 1. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ainsley Maitland-Niles following a fast break.
Posted at 55'
Attempt blocked. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Matteo Guendouzi.
SubstitutionPosted at 54'
Substitution, Newcastle United. Jetro Willems replaces Jonjo Shelvey.
Posted at 52'
Attempt missed. Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) header from a difficult angle on the left misses to the right. Assisted by Reiss Nelson with a cross following a corner.
Posted at 52'
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Paul Dummett.
Posted at 52'
Attempt blocked. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is blocked. Assisted by Granit Xhaka.
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goal
Source: bbc.com