ERIC CANTONA scored a glorious winner, his fourth goal in as many games, to relieve a night of frustration for Manchester United but it was still not enough to send them back to the top of the Premiership.
United, watched by 50,028, the biggest top flight crowd this season, passed up a countless stream of chances to bury Arsenal's unbeaten eight match run and could not add the second goal which would have regained the leadership for them.
Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan was invited to draw the lottery at half time and must have thought he had picked the winning tickets as Arsenal some how survived an extraordinary blitz for more than an hour.
Roy Keane hit a post in the 11th minute when it looked easier to score, while Ryan Giggs and Andy Cole both missed gilt edged opportunities.
Meanwhile England goalkeeper David Seaman's desperate saves, combined with a string of last ditch interventions by Arsenal's trio of central defenders, Martin Keown, Andy Linighan and Scott Marshall, enabled the Gunners to stay afloat against incredible waves of pressure.
But there was no stopping Cantona, once again in mesmeric form, as he finally blasted the breakthrough with a stunning goal in the 64th minute.
Keown made yet another headed clearance which carried way out of the penalty box and on this occasion perhaps he should have left it to Seaman.
But nobody could have predicted the power and perfection of Cantona's thundering strike from 25 yards which bombed the ball over Seaman and in off the underside of the bar.
Amazingly, for all their possession and dominance, United had almost thrown the game away in the closing 15 minutes.
Arsenal striker John Hartson, who had seen an earlier shot saved by goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel's heel, volleyed powerfully at Nigel Winterburn's cross and forced the big Danish goalkeeper into a vital save.
Then a wayward pass by Butt was picked up by David Platt, who sent substitute Glenn Helder skating through the middle, only for the Dutch winger to finish with a tame shot which Schmeichel pushed away.
