Arsenal extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points with an outstanding performance and win in the north London derby at Tottenham.
The Gunners took full advantage of Manchester City’s loss at Manchester United on Saturday with an impressive show of style in the first half and steel after the break to claim a vital three points.
Arsenal were helped by a blunder from hapless Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris when he fumbled Bukayo Saka’s cross into his own net after 14 minutes, but it was no more than Mikel Arteta’s side deserved as captain Martin Odegaard drilled in a second from outside the area nine minutes before the break.
Spurs, so poor in the first half, did have their chances but found visiting keeper Aaron Ramsdale in top form as he saved twice either side of half-time from Harry Kane and also stopped Ryan Sessegnon’s angled effort.
Arsenal’s show of strength
Arsenal were handed a huge opportunity to take a stronger grip on the title race after closest rivals Manchester City were beaten at Old Trafford, but with the expectation also came pressure in the hothouse of a north London derby.
The Gunners, as they have so often this season, rose to the challenge by over-running Spurs to take control in the opening 45 minutes, then hold their nerve in the face of an expected rally from Antonio Conte’s men after the break.
Arsenal were simply irresistible in the first half as they outclassed Spurs – the own goal from Lloris and captain Odegaard’s strike scant reward for their vast superiority.
Odegaard was class personified in midfield, while Saka ran Spurs ragged down Arsenal’s right flank, creating the first goal and posing constant problems.
And the visitors showed they were prepared to do the dirty work when Spurs tried to mount a recovery. Keeper Ramsdale was outstanding and his defenders prepared to throw themselves in front of everything to protect the lead.
There was some ill-feeling and ugly scenes at the end when Ramsdale and Richarlison had a flare-up, before a Spurs fan appeared to aim a kick at the England keeper.
Arsenal’s players were eventually ushered away to enjoy their thoroughly-deserved celebrations with their own ecstatic supporters.
More to follow
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key1 = Give it up10 = Pure perfection
Tottenham Hotspur
Starting XI
Avg
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Squad number1Player nameLlorisAverage rating
2.80
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Squad number17Player nameRomeroAverage rating
3.34
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Squad number15Player nameDierAverage rating
3.95
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Squad number34Player nameLengletAverage rating
3.29
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Squad number2Player nameDohertyAverage rating
3.38
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Squad number29Player nameSarrAverage rating
3.87
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Squad number5Player nameHøjbjergAverage rating
3.19
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Squad number19Player nameRyan SessegnonAverage rating
3.99
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Squad number21Player nameKulusevskiAverage rating
4.33
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Squad number7Player nameSon Heung-minAverage rating
3.58
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Squad number10Player nameKaneAverage rating
3.70
Substitutes
Avg
-
Squad number9Player nameRicharlisonAverage rating
3.00
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Squad number11Player nameGilAverage rating
2.83
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Squad number14Player namePerisicAverage rating
2.95
-
Squad number33Player nameDaviesAverage rating
2.77
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Squad number38Player nameBissoumaAverage rating
2.98
Arsenal
Starting XI
Avg
-
Squad number1Player nameRamsdaleAverage rating
8.65
-
Squad number4Player nameWhiteAverage rating
7.95
-
Squad number12Player nameSalibaAverage rating
7.92
-
Squad number6Player nameGabriel MagalhãesAverage rating
7.88
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Squad number35Player nameZinchenkoAverage rating
7.81
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Squad number8Player nameØdegaardAverage rating
8.77
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Squad number5Player nameParteyAverage rating
8.18
-
Squad number34Player nameXhakaAverage rating
8.07
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Squad number7Player nameSakaAverage rating
8.55
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Squad number14Player nameNketiahAverage rating
7.93
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Squad number11Player nameGabriel MartinelliAverage rating
8.16
Substitutes
Avg
-
Squad number3Player nameTierneyAverage rating
7.94
-
Squad number10Player nameSmith RoweAverage rating
7.34
-
Squad number18Player nameTomiyasuAverage rating
7.39
-
Squad number21Player nameFábio VieiraAverage rating
7.27
Line-ups
Tottenham
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Lloris
- 17RomeroBooked at 35mins
- 15DierBooked at 72mins
- 34LengletSubstituted forDaviesat 88’minutes
- 2DohertySubstituted forRicharlisonat 71’minutes
- 29SarrBooked at 53minsSubstituted forBissoumaat 76’minutes
- 5Højbjerg
- 19R SessegnonBooked at 45minsSubstituted forPerisicat 76’minutes
- 21KulusevskiSubstituted forGilat 88’minutes
- 7Son Heung-min
- 10Kane
Substitutes
- 4Skipp
- 6D Sánchez
- 9Richarlison
- 11Gil
- 12Emerson Royal
- 14Perisic
- 20Forster
- 33Davies
- 38Bissouma
Arsenal
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Ramsdale
- 4White
- 12Saliba
- 6GabrielBooked at 90mins
- 35ZinchenkoSubstituted forTomiyasuat 86’minutes
- 8ØdegaardSubstituted forFábio Vieiraat 90+4’minutes
- 5Partey
- 34Xhaka
- 7Saka
- 14NketiahSubstituted forSmith Roweat 90+3’minutes
- 11MartinelliBooked at 70minsSubstituted forTierneyat 79’minutes
Substitutes
- 3Tierney
- 10Smith Rowe
- 16Holding
- 18Tomiyasu
- 21Fábio Vieira
- 23Sambi Lokonga
- 27Marquinhos
- 30Turner
- 72Smith
- Referee:
- Craig Pawson
Live Text
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Match ends, Tottenham Hotspur 0, Arsenal 2.
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Second Half ends, Tottenham Hotspur 0, Arsenal 2.
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Substitution, Arsenal. Fábio Vieira replaces Martin Ødegaard.
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Substitution, Arsenal. Emile Smith Rowe replaces Eddie Nketiah.
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Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur).
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Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal) is shown the yellow card.
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Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Richarlison (Tottenham Hotspur).
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Foul by Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal).
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Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Ben Davies replaces Clément Lenglet.
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Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Bryan Gil replaces Dejan Kulusevski.
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Attempt saved. Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Yves Bissouma with a headed pass.
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Attempt blocked. Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Foul by Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal).
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Clément Lenglet (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Substitution, Arsenal. Takehiro Tomiyasu replaces Oleksandr Zinchenko.
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Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Thomas Partey.
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Attempt blocked. Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Harry Kane.
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