Arsenal reignited their Premier League title challenge with a resilient 2-1 victory over Tottenham in the north London derby on Wednesday. Despite being shaken by an early goal from Son Heung-min, Mikel Arteta’s side responded superbly to claim all three points at the Emirates Stadium, keeping the pressure on league leaders Liverpool.
The game started in dramatic fashion with Tottenham taking the lead in the 25th minute when Son capitalized on a loose ball from a cleared corner, sending a shot that deflected off Arsenal’s William Saliba and past goalkeeper David Raya. This goal propelled Son to fourth place on the all-time north London derby scoring charts, but Arsenal showed their mettle by bouncing back before the break.
In controversial circumstances, the Gunners were awarded a corner in the 40th minute that replays suggested should have been a goal-kick. Arsenal made the most of the decision when Declan Rice’s delivery caused confusion in the Tottenham defense. Gabriel’s header into the box was deflected off Dominic Solanke into his own net, leveling the score at 1-1.
Just minutes later, Arsenal took the lead in the 44th minute through Leandro Trossard. Thomas Partey’s interception in midfield led to a precise pass to Martin Ødegaard, who set up Trossard for a powerful low strike past Tottenham’s goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky.
The second half saw Arsenal continuing to dominate possession, though they were unable to extend their lead. Kai Havertz missed a couple of chances, heading wide from Ødegaard’s cross and then straight into Kinsky’s hands. The Tottenham goalkeeper was kept busy, saving shots from Rice and Ødegaard in the closing stages.
Tottenham had a late chance to snatch a point when Pedro Porro hit the post in a dramatic finale, but it was Arsenal who held firm to secure their first win in four games across all competitions. The victory lifted Arsenal to within four points of Liverpool, who had drawn 1-1 with Nottingham Forest the previous day. With seven wins and one draw in their last eight league games against Tottenham, Arteta’s men are putting pressure on the leaders.
Meanwhile, Tottenham’s season continues to falter under manager Ange Postecoglou, who faces mounting scrutiny as his team sits just eight points above the relegation zone. Having lost four of their last five league games, Spurs now find themselves in 13th place, and Postecoglou will need to address his side’s inconsistency before the situation worsens.
