Magpies in bottom three

The England international was introduced as a second-half substitute with his side trailing 2-1 after goals from Nicklas Bendtner and Abou Diaby, but the game was effectively over within seconds when Samir Nasri fired home a third.

Obafemi Martins had earlier atoned for a first-half penalty miss with a 58th-minute equaliser but his side were unable to drag themselves out of the bottom three.

It might have been different had Martins converted his 23rd-minute penalty - which Owen would have taken had he started - but Manuel Almunia kept out his spot-kick to provide the platform for a clinical second-half display.

Bendtner opened the scoring in the 57th-minute when he climbed highest to head home Andrey Arshavin's free-kick. But Martins levelled within seconds to give his side hope, firing a left-foot shot past Almunia.

However, goals from Diaby and Nasri within a devastating three-minute period wrapped up a win which saw the Gunners cut the gap on Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool and dump Newcastle into the mire.

Arsenal treated the setback as a minor irritation and the result was put beyond doubt with a quick-fire double.

With Steven Taylor off the pitch receiving treatment, Diaby waltzed through an under-strength defence to blast his side back into the lead with 64 minutes gone and when Samir Nasri thumped a third past Steve Harper three minutes later, the game was over.

In the meantime, Owen had replaced the injured Taylor but all the action was taking place at the other end with Harper pulling off a fine double save from Denilson and Bendtner.

He then kept out Robin Van Persie once again with his defence in tatters and only a post denied Diaby a fourth in injury time.