Arsenal claimed victory at Tottenham Stadium on Sunday to bring an end to a near nine-year winless run on the road in the north London derby, and they did it in some style.
It was a *long* time coming but, my god, was it worth the wait. The Gunners played their hosts off the park for much of a one-sided clash and were full value for their 2-0 win, with the added bonus of moving eight points clear of Manchester City in the Premier League.
Does it get much better than this?
All the attention in the build-up had been taken by the unedifying end to the Mudryk saga but, if it left a bitter taste among the fanbase, it had no such affect on the squad as they took a timid Tottenham side apart in style. The first-half, in particular, was a suffocating masterclass from Mikel Arteta’s men, with the hosts unable to get a foothold.
To a man, Arsenal were more intense, better prepared and a million miles more motivated. Spurs had no answer to the relentlessness of our game and two goals in the first half were rich reward for our endeavours.
And, even before we opened the scoring, Tottenham were fortunate to get away with a sloppy piece of goalkeeping from Huge Lloris which could, and perhaps should, have resulted in the opener for Eddie Nketiah. As it was, Lloris was in a giving mood and it wasn’t long before another error saw Bukayo Saka’s shot-cum-cross spooned into the bet by a slow-to-react Lloris.
The goal silenced an already subdued crowd and saw Spurs crumble to dust. Thomas Partey was unlucky to see a thunderous volley clatter off the post before Martin Odegaard, the Premier League’s player of the month for December, slot home with a beautiful curling effort from the edge of the area.
All told, it was a glorious first half in which almost everything went to plan. Quite apart from anything else, it was refreshing to see a match decided by brilliant play and not by poor officiating – a rare thing these last 10 or so years.
With the match under control, the Gunners changed their shape a little for the second half and the early onslaught was predictable. Full credit to Aaron Ramsdale, he had an excellent game between the sticks and dealt with everything thrown at him and there was a fair amount in the period after the break.
With the 20-minute storm weathered, though, Arsenal reassumed control and wound down the clock without a great deal more to worry the travelling fans, who were in hearty voice throughout.
Partey was outstanding in possession and Granit Xhaka an excellent foil in the heart of midfield. Odegaard really did pull the strings in the middle of the park while our young stars, Gabi Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, worked tirelessly.
Dealing with Harry Kane is almost always a pain in the arse but, credit to William Saliba and Gabriel Maghlaes, they did so manfully. It was arduous work at times, but they rose to the occasion when needed. What a partnership that is turning into.
I must confess, I thought this match would be similar to so many others we have seen at Spurs in recent times. With form almost always irrelevant, I had expected a home win but I couldn’t have been more wrong. The hosts were listless and drab and the Gunners took full advantage. They were a class above.
After Manchester City’s fumble at Old Trafford on Saturday, there is no understating the magnitude of this result. Coming through a difficult game with three points, and with a bigger cushion than when we went into it, is the perfect outcome. Things could so easily have gone against us in both fixtures but they haven’t, they’ve swung decisively in our favour.
Though another test awaits with the visit of Manchester United next week, speculation about that match can wait for another day. Right now, we can bask in the glory of a magnificent north London derby win on the road, something that has been rare enough.
Enjoy it tonight, Gunners!
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