Gabriel Magalhaes headed Arsenal to a 1-0 win at Tottenham on Sunday because the Gunners overcame the absence of key midfielders Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard to increase their north London derby dominance. Mikel Arteta’s aspect have been with out skipper Odegaard because of an ankle damage suffered on Norway responsibility, whereas Rice served a suspension for his crimson card in opposition to Brighton. Losing two such influential gamers appeared to make Arsenal susceptible on their journey up the Seven Sisters Road to face their bitter rivals. But the Premier League title contenders dug deep with a combative show, benefitting from Tottenham’s newest show of wasteful ending earlier than Gabriel bagged the winner within the second half.
The Brazilian defender’s first purpose since February made it three wins from 4 league video games for unbeaten Arsenal as they chase a primary title since 2004 after two successive runners-up finishes.
Arsenal have now received on their final three visits to Tottenham, shedding simply as soon as, in May 2022, of their final eight conferences with their hated neighbours.
The second positioned Gunners are two factors behind Manchester City as they flip their consideration to their Champions League opener at Atalanta on Thursday earlier than travelling to face Pep Guardiola’s champions subsequent weekend.
The 196th north London derby confirmed Arsenal have metal and spirit aplenty, however additionally they wanted a dose of excellent fortune as Tottenham allow them to off the hook within the first half.
Failing to show dominant spells into objectives has been a well-recognized story for Tottenham this season and as soon as once more Ange Postecoglou’s males have been let down by their lack of leading edge.
Tottenham’s second successive defeat leaves them with just one win from 4 video games in a worrying begin to the season for Postecoglou after their late swoon final time period value them a prime 4 place.
Turning to Jorginho and Gabriel Martinelli to interchange Rice and Odegaard, Arteta had urged his workforce to indicate the “resilience, depth and starvation” wanted to beat their choice points.
Set-piece specialists
Arsenal needed to name on all these qualities throughout a vibrant begin from Tottenham, with David Raya making a superb save at his close to publish after Son Heung-min’s go picked out Dejan Kulusevski for an instinctive strike.
Raya needed to make an much more agile cease when Kulusevski’s cross flashed by a crowd of gamers towards the far nook till the Spaniard clawed it away at full stretch.
William Saliba needed to make a vital, last-ditch sort out to disclaim the unmarked Dominic Solanke, who took too lengthy to shoot inside the world after Son pressured Arsenal into conceding possession.
Tottenham’s profligacy gave Arsenal encouragement and Kai Havertz rose highest for a close-range header that pressured an excellent save from Guglielmo Vicario, who was additionally equal to Martinelli’s roller moments late.
Picked out by James Maddison’s cross, Solanke did nicely to carry off Gabriel however his looping header dropped narrowly extensive.
Amid a flurry of aggressive challenges, the simmering derby stress boiled over after Jurrien Timber’s sort out on Pedro Porro left the Tottenham right-back writhing on the turf.
Vicario confronted the Arsenal defender, with each gamers booked after a scrap that includes a plastic bottle thrown from the stands.
By the time Kulusevski crudely up-ended Jorginho on the stroke of half-time, seven gamers had been booked in a fractious conflict, together with 5 from Tottenham.
Micky van de Ven’s glancing examined Raya quickly after the interval, however toothless Tottenham have been hit with a brutal sucker punch within the sixty fourth minute.
With 23 objectives from set-pieces for the reason that begin of final season, Arsenal have develop into dead-ball specialists this was one other expertly labored routine.
Saka’s in-swinging nook arrowed in direction of Gabriel, who received away with a push on Cristian Romero earlier than powering his header previous Vicario from 5 yards.
Tottenham penned Arsenal again within the closing levels, however could not discover a means by as Kulusevski blasted simply over.
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