Arsenal put the pressure back onto Manchester City in the Premier League title race as they recorded a resolute 2-0 victory over third-placed Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon.
Mikel Arteta's side rode an early storm from the Magpies but Martin Odegaard's outside-of-the-box strike from nothing calmed some nerves at St James' Park.
The Gunners were smart with their game management and were rewarded with a stroke of luck when Fabian Schar turned the ball into his own net from a Gabriel Martinelli cross late in the second half.
It means the north Londoners move one point behind the defending champions, who still have a game in hand heading into the final few fixtures of the 2022/23 campaign.
Leading from the front as he often does, Odegaard was at the centre of a real monstrous display up in the northeast and quite rightly will be lauded for his fine work, not to mention his record-breaking moment as it was his 13th goal from open play – the most of any midfielder in the history of the Premier League.
However, he wasn't the only player that ran the show…
How did Jorginho perform vs Newcastle?
A little deeper in midfield was Jorginho, acting as Arteta's beating metronome – calm in possession, rock solid defensively and sold fouls like they were hotcakes.
His experience as a Champions League and Europa League winner was vital, ensuring that his teammates kept their cool from Newcastle's frustrating tactics and that they didn't get too ahead of themselves after opening the scoring.
As per Sofascore, the former Chelsea star led the side for touches (70), accurate passes (44), clearances (three), key passes (two) and assists (one); clearly encompassing an almighty all-round display, one worthy of Egal Talks' accolade of being a midfield "masterclass".
Jorginho also chipped in with three tackles and one interception, whilst he won seven of 11 ground duels, proving to be a real thorn in Eddie Howe's side.
It was a performance that Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville handed the Italian the 'Man of the Match' award "by streets," showing just how impressive he really was in the heart of the pitch.
The 31-year-old, who is valued at around £21m by FootballTransfers, was also hailed as a "baller" by The Athletic's Leyla Hamed, who also suggested that he was the "main man in the first-half," though as it quickly emerged, he was throughout the entire match.
If Arsenal do pull off the unthinkable from here, then the emergence of Jorginho as a key player in these final stages was certainly a big part of the reason why.
The £110k-per-week machine just put in a Rolls-Royce display against a team that has only been beaten by City and Liverpool at home since Howe walked through the door.
Ultimately, he ran the show against the Magpies.
