Finally, we have got a title race on our hands.
Arsenal stepped up amid the din, hurly-burly and intensity of a North London derby to move within four points of leaders Liverpool. Mikel Arteta’s men have played a game more than Arne Slot’s title favourites but at last Arsenal appear to be ready to at least apply some pressure.
They overcame Tottenham to complete the double over their neighbours as they won three consecutive top-flight North London derbies for the first time in 25 years. It was more of a war of attrition than free-flowing football but Arsenal dug deep not just to come from behind but also to hold on when their legs tired at the end.
Tottenham were poor overall and, after rolling over in their penultimate match against Manchester City last May to ensure Arsenal could not win the title, they only put up slightly more fight this time. Ange Postecoglou’s men could drop to 14th if Manchester United beat Southampton and that cannot be acceptable for a club of Tottenham’s stature.
If they keep losing like this, they will be in a relegation scrap before they know it while their bitter rivals are chasing the title. Too often this season, on the rare occasions Liverpool have dropped points, Arsenal have failed to capitalise and they have hardly been in good form after back-to-back home defeats in the Carabao Cup to Newcastle and Manchester United in the FA Cup.
You could sense the nerves and tension in the Emirates especially because they are struggling so badly in front of goal. Arteta sprang a major surprise by starting with Raheem Sterling and, as good as he has been throughout his career, it has just not worked at Arsenal.
Kai Havertz has been struggling for confidence and, even though the crowd backed him, he could not find the net either. It allowed Tottenham to take a 25th-minute lead even though Arsenal had dominated the early possession but just looked toothless.
Arsenal failed to clear a corner, it only went to Son Heung-min and his shot took a deflection off Thomas Partey to wrong foot David Raya and give the visitors a shock lead. Arsenal turned the game on its head in the space of four minutes before half-time and Spurs keeper Antonin Kinsky had a shocker on both goals.
Referee Simon Hooper gave Arsenal a corner when it was clearly a goal kick and Declan Rice’s deep cross sailed over Kinsky, Gabriel headed the ball back at the far post and it deflected in off Dominic Solanke to go down as an own goal. Arsenal got their second after Partey won the ball, Martin Odegaard played a quick and accurate pass to Leandro Trossard whose low cross-shot beat Kinsky who really should have stopped it.
Postecoglou’s response at half-time was to take off his two defensive-minded midfielders Pape Sarr and Yves Bissouma to replace them with James Maddison and Brennan Johnson and go hell-for-leather. You have to admire Big Ange’s cavalier approach. Win or bust. But it meant there was a huge gap in midfield while the harsh reality is that, despite all their attacking players on the pitch, they did not create a single big chance after the break.
Gabriel Martinelli gave Arsenal some much-needed pace and threat after replacing Sterling. Gabriel shone for Arsenal in defence while teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly was superb at left-back. Arsenal wasted chances to put the game to bed. Havertz glanced a header wide. Odegaard scuffed a shot with the goal in front of him.
Incredibly, Tottenham full-back Pedro Porro smashed the outside of a post deep into injury time as the nerves were shredded by the end but no-one can deny Arsenal fully deserved the win.
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