In a thrilling encounter that illustrated the intense rivalry of the north London derby, Arsenal rose from the ashes in their quest for the Premier League title, winning 2-1 against Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium.
After suffering back-to-back home defeats in cup competitions, Arsenal found themselves on the defensive when Son Heung-min opened the scoring for Spurs in the 25th minute.
However, the Gunners were able to react just before half-time. Gabriel’s header from a corner found its way to Dominic Solanke before landing straight at the feet of Leandro Trossard, who didn’t miss the opportunity to put Arsenal ahead just at the end of the first period.
With the victory, Arsenal climb to second place in the table, reducing the gap with leaders Liverpool to just four points, especially after the Reds’ 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest earlier in the week.
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This encounter was crucial for Arsenal, coming after a disappointing week which saw them exit the Carabao Cup and FA Cup. Manager Mikel Arteta had called for unprecedented support from fans, and the Emirates crowd responded with an electrifying atmosphere as his team took on their fiercest rivals.
The Gunners started brightly, dominating possession for the first 20 minutes with Trossard and Thomas Partey threatening the Spurs defence. An error by Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky almost gave Arsenal a chance, but he made up for it with a quick save.
However, the respite was short-lived as Son Heung-min took advantage of a defensive lapse, firing the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the box to give Spurs the lead. The goal, which benefited from a lucky deflection off William Saliba, sent the crowd into jubilation, while Arteta’s side had to draw on their resources to respond.
That reaction came before halftime: after a series of corners, Gabriel outclassed Radu Dragusin to head a serve that ricocheted off Solanke for an own goal. The Spurs camp were understandably unhappy, arguing that there should never have been a corner, but the home fans had their moment of celebration.
Sparking a comeback, Arsenal roared back just before half-time. Partey intercepted a pass, allowing Martin Odegaard to play on Trossard, who finished accurately beyond Kinsky to consolidate the Gunners’ advantage.
Arsenal looked to extend their lead, but Tottenham continued to push for an equalizer. Gabriel’s heroic interventions late in the match drew reactions from the crowd reminiscent of a celebrated goal, while Odegaard missed an opportunity to seal the fate of the match by shooting wide.
As the match entered five minutes of injury time, a moment of panic set in when Pedro Porro’s shot hit the post, causing a collective gasp in the stadium. However, the referee’s whistle soon signaled the end of a clash which saw Arsenal firmly back in the Premier League title race.
