Spurs 2 - Arsenal 1Spurs: Harry Kane 56; Harry Kane 86
Arsenal: Mesut Ozil 11
Arsène Wenger has seen many Spurs sides come and go, but few have outplayed Arsenal so thoroughly as Mauricio Pochettino’s did here, emerging triumphant after a pulsating contest that ended with Harry Kane the toast of Tottenham Hotspur again.
This was Kane’s first north London derby and how he revelled in the occasion. The striker, on Arsenal’s books as a youngster, was the catalyst for a remarkable comeback victory as Spurs produced an accomplished display to overturn a one-goal deficit after falling behind to a Mesut Özil volley.
Kane struck early in the second half to equalise and lifted the lid of a raucous White Hart Lane with four minutes remaining, elevating Tottenham above their rivals in the Premier League table and, on this evidence, deservedly so. Arsenal were anodyne in attack and, although they contained Spurs for the most part, switched off at the decisive moments.
They departed having been outplayed during a spiky contest that demonstrated just why these sides have been revelling in a renaissance since the new year. This was a high-quality, high-octane match of fierce pace; a frantic and compelling duel where strength out wide proved pivotal.
Tottenham have never finished above Arsenal during Wenger’s reign as manager but Pochettino’s side are growing as the season progresses. There is a long way to go, of course, but they have edged ahead in what promises to be an intriguing battle for a top-four place.
“I think this is special,” said Pochettino. “It is a special game, a derby, and all that it means. We played with our brain, but showed passion and emotion. It’s special for our supporters. I’m very happy because of the victory and happy for the performance. I congratulate my players because the performance was brilliant.
“We need to keep the same level because we can. We know it is difficult. This is our challenge, and to keep the players fit. I never look at the table. We need to go step by step, keep fighting and working hard. This is our challenge.”
There were other outstanding performers in Pochettino’s side – notably the centre-midfield pairing of Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason – and although Kane’s role was crucial, this was an excellent overall display. Spurs dominated the first half, yet forced only one real save from David Ospina, in the fifth minute, as Arsenal sat back and absorbed the pressure, while looking to exploit opportunities on the counter.
Kane was the man to test Ospina early on, receiving the ball from Mousa Dembélé on the left edge of the area, checking inside and curling an effort to the far post. Ospina, the Colombia goalkeeper, dived brilliantly to his left and tipped it behind for a corner, injuring himself in the process.
After receiving treatment, Ospina picked himself up and claimed a Danny Rose cross from the left with ease. He was fit enough to continue and soon his side were in front, against the run of play.
It was Rose – who carried a threat whenever advancing forward – who was partially at fault for Özil’s opener. Danny Welbeck showed startling pace to knock the ball past the left-back and leave his opponent eating dust, before pulling it back for Olivier Giroud, on the edge of the area. Giroud, either with a pinpoint pass or a miscued shot, found Özil at the far post, and he volleyed the ball expertly past Hugo Lloris.
Arsenal were ecstatic, but it was backs to the wall for the remainder of a half in which Tottenham pushed their neighbours but failed to unlock the door. Rose flashed a low shot narrowly past the post after 22 minutes, while Ospina saved a 25-yard effort from Mason after Dembélé had capitalised on Per Mertesacker’s clumsy chest down.
Spurs, though, did not have to wait long for their equaliser – and who else but Kane to deliver it, a deserved leveller from a striker in blistering form. From a corner in the 56th minute, Ospina stretched to keep out a Dembélé header but the ball only went as far as Kane, who gratefully swept it home at the far post.
Soon afterwards, the goalkeeper leaped to his left to keep out a 25-yard shot from Bentaleb, as Spurs continued to press. However, Arsenal were still a threat on the counter, Welbeck cutting inside from the left and unleashing a drive that Lloris palmed wide.
“Were we too focused on defending our goal? I think so,” said Wenger. “I believe that we made too many technical mistakes. They created more chances and, overall, we cannot dispute too much that they won the game. We were not very good and the referee was at our level.”
On Kane, he added: “He was good, as always. He grows and he has a good determination. He doesn’t stop, keeps going. The regret I have is that we gave him a cheap goal. It’s worrying that at the back, with five minutes to go, we always are there to make the same mistakes.”
Cometh the hour, though, cometh the man. The denouement was a fitting end to a thrilling match. Bentaleb swung the ball in from the left and there was Kane, towering above the red shirts, to guide a looping header into the net; his first goals in this derby, but surely not his last.
Guardian
