Arsenal vs Tottenham Premier League Match Report: Arsenal completed league double against rivals Tottenham as the gunners came from behind to register a 2-1 victory in the North London Derby at the Emirates Stadium last night.
Manager Mikel Arteta was the most relieved man out there as back to back home defeats in two cup competitions last week raised many eyebrows.
With a growing list of absentees due to injuries, Arsenal started with Saliba and Gabriel at the heart of defence alongside Timber and teenager Lewis-Skelly in full back positions.
Captain Odegaard orchestrated the midfield with supports from Partey and Rice. Raheem Sterling started in the right wing as both Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus have been side lined for at least couple of months. Trossard and Havertz filled the other attacking positions.
Meanwhile, the visitors also deployed a similar 4-3-3 formation with Son, Solanke and Kulusevski up front while Bissouma, Sarr and Bergvall in the midfield. English teenager Archie Gray and Romanian defender Radu Dragusin were in central defence with Porro and Spence in the flanks.
The hosts were all over their old rivals in the opening exchanges as Arsenal dominated possession with their usual skilful passing football. A combination play of Odegaard and Rice created an opportunity for Trossard in the 13th minute but the latter’s deflected shot was cleared and Partey’s follow up attempt was blocked.
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On the other hand, Spurs almost opened their account in the counter attack when left back Spence streaked away down the touchline delivering a sublime cross towards Solanke in the centre, only to be intervened by Gabriel’s last ditch tackle. A minute later they again came close of scoring through Kulusevski when the home defence was unable to clear a corner in the first place. However, thanks to Raya’s crucial save the score remained unchanged.
Eventually, Spurs took the lead in the derby in the 25th minute when the home defence failed to deal with a delivery from out wide and the ball nicely fell for Son on the edge of the area and the Spurs captain fired a low shot that sneaked past Raya into the bottom corner after taking a wicked deflection.
After a prolonged period of pressing football the gunners were on level terms in the 40th minute when defender Gabriel rose highest to win a header from a corner, and his attempt was eventually into the net after taking a touch of his marker Solanke, hence, an own goal was declared.
The Gunners completed the turnaround on the brink of half time when Martin Odegaard fed unmarked Trossard in the left and the Belgian fired a left footed strike from just outside the penalty box, beyond the outstretched arm of Antonin Kinsky.
At the restart, Ange Postecoglou introduced James Maddison and Brennan Johnson to boost the Spurs attack, however, the gunners were on song and continued to create more and more chances through Havertz, Sterling and Odegaard and there were plenty of opportunities to put the score line beyond any doubt.
In the dying moments, Spurs pushed hard to snatch a late equaliser and they almost got it when full back Porro’s right footed strike from an almost impossible angle ricocheted Raya’s left post and went out of play.
With this victory, Arsenal are now 2nd in the league table with 43 points, 4 adrift of leaders Liverpool who have played a game fewer.
