Newcastle wanted to stop us from playing- Wenger

The Frenchman suggested Steve McClaren's side adopted defensive tactics, but said that he did not see the challenge that resulted in Aleksandar Mitrovic's red card

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Newcastle United tried to disrupt the Gunners' 1-0 win away at St James' Park.

Magpies defender Fabricio Coloccini deflected an Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain shot into his own net to give Wenger's side a narrow victory.

Newcastle, who are still searching for their first win of the season, were forced to play with ten men for much of the match, following Aleksandar Mitrovic's red card for a stamp on Francis Coquelin after 16 minutes.

But Wenger believes that the Magpies adopted defensive tactics even before the Serbia international's red card.

"Newcastle wanted to stop us from playing and they tried that from the start," the Arsenal manager said.

"It was about patience and nerves. We needed not to rush our game and to wait for our chances and take one of them.

"Newcastle decided from the start to make the game quite physical, we had to keep our nerve and not become aggressive as well."

Asked about the red card for Mitrovic, a decision that attracted the ire of the home fans, Wenger insisted that he missed the incident during live play, but believes television replays suggest that challenge deserved a red card.

"Honestly during the game I didn’t see it," Wenger added.

"I’ve just seen it on television and he didn’t get the ball, it’s a red card.

"Did he do it on purpose? I don’t know.

"It was a strange game after that, they played 15 yards deeper with 10 against nine in the final third.

"We didn’t find the space and they defended well. We are happy in the end to win the three points."

Wenger, who dropped striker Olivier Giroud in favour of Theo Walcott, revealed that Arsenal would be in the market for an "exceptional player" as the end of the transfer wndow edges close.

"We are open if we find an exceptional player in any sector we will do it," Wenger revealed.

"Whether something will happen, I don’t know.

"I expected more space for Theo [Walcott] but after 15 minutes it was a different problem for us.

"There was no space behind their defenders."