Arsenal beat Tottenham to throw open title race despite Mikel Arteta surprise backfiring
Arsenal beat Tottenham to throw open title race despite Mikel Arteta surprise backfiring
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Finally, we have got a title race on our hands. Arsenal stepped up amid the din, hurly-burly and intensity of a North London derby to move within four points of leaders Liverpool. Mikel Arteta’s men have played a game more than Arne Slot’s title favourites but at last Arsenal appear to be ready to at least apply some pressure.
They overcame Tottenham to complete the double over their neighbours as they won three consecutive top-flight North London derbies for the first time in 25 years. It was more of a war of attrition than free-flowing football but Arsenal dug deep not just to come from behind but also to hold on when their legs tired at the end.
Tottenham were poor overall and, after rolling over in their penultimate match against Manchester City last May to ensure Arsenal could not win the title, they only put up slightly more fight this time. Ange Postecoglou’s men could drop to 14th if Manchester United beat Southampton and that cannot be acceptable for a club of Tottenham’s stature.
If they keep losing like this, they will be in a relegation scrap before they know it while their bitter rivals are chasing the title. Too often this season, on the rare occasions Liverpool have dropped points, Arsenal have failed to capitalise and they have hardly been in good form after back-to-back home defeats in the Carabao Cup to Newcastle and Manchester United in the FA Cup.
You could sense the nerves and tension in the Emirates especially because they are struggling so badly in front of goal. Arteta sprang a major surprise by starting with Raheem Sterling and, as good as he has been throughout his career, it has just not worked at Arsenal.
