Arsenal survive fightback from Spurs to win thrilling North London derby
Fresh from a thumping win over Chelsea in midweek, Arsenal made the short journey to their North London rivals with a slender one-point lead at the top of the table.
The opening stages of the contest were closely fought, as both sides looked to stamp their authority on proceedings in a high-octane start.
Clear-cut chances came at a premium, but it was the Gunners who stunned the home crowd with a breakthrough in the 16th minute when Bukayo Saka’s inswinging corner was inadvertently headed into his own net by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Determined to find a swift response, Tottenham showed plenty of intent in the final third, as Cristian Romero directed a close-range header against the woodwork and Micky van de Ven saw a well-taken finish ruled out for a marginal offside.
Grateful for those reprieves, Arteta’s men doubled their lead shortly before the half-hour mark, with Kai Havertz lifting an accurate ball over the top for Saka, who cut inside Ben Davies before curling a clinical effort into the far corner.
Armed with all the momentum, Arsenal continued to press home their advantage and the Gunners duly added a third before half-time, as Havertz rose highest in the six-yard box to send Declan Rice’s delivery beyond Guglielmo Vicario.
Now faced with a daunting three-goal deficit, Tottenham knew a positive start was needed in the second half, but it was the visitors who soon threatened a fourth when Saka’s close-range effort was superbly thwarted by the legs of Vicario.
The hosts looked devoid of ideas in the final third, but they were gifted a route back into the contest with 25 minutes remaining, as David Raya inexplicably passed the ball straight to Romero, who held his nerve to finish confidently into the bottom corner.
Despite that moment of madness from Raya, Arsenal looked to have regained their composure with time ticking into the final half-hour.
However, a reckless challenge from Rice on Davies in the box allowed Son Heung-min to fire home from the spot, setting up a fascinating finale.
Determined to derail the Gunners’ title charge, the hosts went in pursuit of a dramatic equaliser, but the Arsenal rearguard held firm under pressure to secure a crucial victory and move four points clear at the top of the PL ahead of Manchester City’s match against Nottingham Forest later on Sunday.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Kai Havertz (Arsenal)