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Arsenal produced a thoroughly tactically organised performance, uncharacteristic of their displays this season, to overcome rivals Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in their English Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium yesterday.
With more than murmurs of discontent from fans over manager Arsène Wenger at the club and former players claiming there’s been a power shift in North London, what with Spurs having arguably the better side – a victory in the derby was pitched as of paramount importance.
The Gunners started the fixture in sixth place, while Mauricio Pochettino’s men were third, level on points with second-placed Manchester United after 11 games this season.
However, when both line-ups were announced, sets of fans from both sides would have expected an evenly fought encounter, with Wenger opting for Alexandre Lacazette up-front with Alexis Sánchez, and Mesut Özil supporting the France international on the flanks.
In-form Christian Eriksen, who netted a hat-trick in midweek to send Denmark to the World Cup at Ireland’s expense, was, meanwhile, handed a free role with Dele Alli behind Premier League top-scorer Harry Kane.
A defeat would have been a massive blow to the home side’s hopes of reclaiming a spot in the top-four – that eluded them last season for the first time in Wenger’s two decades at the club and their early showing proved their hunger for a positive result, within the electric atmosphere the Gunners’ supporters created.
Lacazette, fresh from scoring a brace against World Champions Germany during the international break, had the first chance of the game in the opening five minutes but failed to hit the target after Eric Dier’s error gifted him possession.
Both sides looked impressive going forward in the early stages as Moussa Dembélé waltzed through the home side’s midfield, but the defensive organisation to keep Kane at bay handed Arsenal the confidence to end their rival’s six-game unbeaten run in the fixture.
By the time Arsenal opened the scoring in the 36th minute, Spurs were severely on the back-foot after spurning a few half-chances. But the free-kick that resulted in the opening goal was a questionable decision from referee Mike Dean.
Davinson Sánchez looked to have pulled off a great sliding challenge on Alexis Sánchez but Dean called a foul for an alleged tug on the shirt and the subsequent set-piece from Özil found his compatriot Shkodran Mustafi, who towered a powerful header beyond the stranded Hugo Lloris.
With the visitors pushing for an equaliser, the Gunners got in behind Spurs’ static back-five once again, as left-back Ben Davies and Jan Vertonghen were picked apart and Lacazette found Sánchez in the area to double the lead four minutes before the break.
Spurs looked weary and fatigued after falling two goals behind and in the second-half it was unlikely their poor record against the ‘top-six’ away from home would improve.
Wenger’s side kept up their high-tempo and energetic display to nullify Tottenham’s attempts at clawing their way back into the game, with even Eriksen looking unusually out of sorts.
By the 75th minute, Kane and Alli had been called off by Pochettino, which inadvertently saw the Argentine admit to defeat as he looked to rest the two star players who were well below-par – and perhaps a risk that backfired – given they missed England national team duty this week with injury.
Sánchez, Dier and second-half substitutes Fernando Llorente and Heung-min Son all had great opportunities late on to etch their names on the scoresheets but it wasn’t to be as the scoreline remained 2-0.
It proved to be a morale-boosting victory for the Gunners who ended a three-year wait to reign victorious in the North London Derby and five wins from their last seven games for Wenger, while Spurs were compounded to their third defeat of the season.
–TEAMtalk Media
