Arsenal 2 Tottenham 0: Highlights as Alexis Sanchez and Shkodran Mustafi on target as Gunners hit form to dominate derby
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PUMPED-UP Arsenal stormed to their first Premier League victory over Spurs since March 2014 as they dominated the North London derby at the Emirates.
First-half goals from Shkodran Mustafi and Alexis Sanchez sent the Gunners to within one point of their bitter rivals in the table.
And even the most rabid Spurs supporters could hardly dispute that Arsenal deserved this morale-boosting victory.
Yet the visitors did have plenty to complain about when Mustafi headed Arsenal ahead in the 36th minute.
Davinson Sanchez appeared to have won the ball cleanly when he was penalised for a challenge on Alexis Sanchez while Mustafi looked marginally offside when he got between Eric Dier and Jan Vertonghen to head in from Mesut Ozil’s free-kick.
Spurs were also appealing for offside against Alexandre Lacazette in the build-up to Arsenal’s second goal.
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But this time linesman Ian Hussin appeared to get it spot-on before Sanchez smashed his 43rd minute shot into the roof of Hugo Lloris’ net.
Yet those goals were no more than Arsenal deserved for a dominating display in a fiercely-contested match.
Arsene Wenger’s team were clearly stung by suggestions that they lacked the passion of their near neighbours and never allowed Spurs’ stars a moment to settle on the ball.
They should have taken the lead in the 19th minute but Lacazette was just unable to apply a finishing touch to Hector Bellerin’s driven cross into the six-yard box.
And it needed a desperate last-ditch clearance from Dier to keep out Ozil’s clever ball into the danger area on the half hour.
But Arsenal were not to be denied and their persistence finally paid off with two goals in seven minutes to leave them firmly in control.
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The closest Spurs came to a goal all afternoon was a looping Harry Kane header which was saved by Petr Cech despite a deflection off Mustafi, playing his first game after seven matches out with a thigh injury.
Chriatian Eriksen also clipped the outside of a post and Kane thought he should have had a second-half penalty when he collided in the area with Sead Kolasinac.
But it was clearly not going to be their day, a fact acknowledged by Pochettino when he subbed Kane and Alli 15 minutes from the end to save them for Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund.
FACTS, STATS, GOALS & LOLS
- Lacazette was signed to provide a cutting edge up front but has a habit of blazing over or taking heavy touches in the area.
- Wenger let the fans pick his team for him by finally selecting Ozil, Lacazette and Sanchez. Perhaps his eventual replacement could be a Twitter poll.
- Eriksen looked understandably jaded after single-handedly carrying Denmark to the World Cup.
- Kane, Winks and Alli did not have fatigue to blame, however, after miraculously recovering from the knocks that forced them out of the England squad. Kane and Alli's joint substitution with 15 minutes to play was a surprise.
- Arsenal took a deserved lead, from an undeserved free-kick. Davinson Sanchez's tackle on namesake Alexis should not have seen Mike Dean reach for his whistle.
- But given his chance, Mustafi - potentially offside - produced a stunning header from Ozil's whipped delivery.
- Tottenham's back three struggled from the off and were all over the shop for the Gunners' second as Sanchez gleefully smashed home from a yard out.
- Spurs are dreadful against the bigger teams and it has hit their Premier League campaigns for years. They were brilliant against the biggest team, though, to beat Real Madrid at Wembley and take a point from the Bernabeu.
- Watching players sprint 40 yards to get on the ball only for the linesman to flag them offside just as they get close is a guilty pleasure, when I'm not on the field.
- Hugo Lloris was to thank for keeping Spurs in it with a couple of smart stops.
- Opposite number Petr Cech rolled back the years with a brilliant stop to deny Eric Dier with ten minutes left.
SOCIAL SAYS
WHAT THEY SAID
Eric Dier: "I thought our performance was good from the beginning, we did what we wanted to do.
"We were playing a very good side and both teams will have their periods in the game. We are disappointed to concede the goals we did.
"I don't need to say anything [about the referee]. In big games there is too much on the line for mistakes like that. It put them in front and changed the game."
Shkodran Mustafi told Sky Sports: "Since I joined, we have had a few good performances but the only important thing is too keep it up.
"We did well today in the derby, we showed character, were there in the important moments and if you do all that, you win games.
"As I was going up for the header, I told Mesut Ozil to go to the ball and swing it in. If you have players who can put crosses in like that, you have belief to get your head on the ball.
"I was happy the referee did not blow the whistle for offside. I am lucky to get away with it.
"That is football, you get things for and against you, at the end of the season the decisions end up as a draw."
DREAM TEAM RATINGS
Arsenal: Cech 7, Mustafi 8, Koscielny 7, Monreal 7, Bellerin 6, Xhaka 6, Ramsey 6, Kolasinac 6, Ozil 7, Sanchez 8, Lacazette 7. Subs: Coquelin 6, Iwobi 6.
Tottenham: Lloris 6, Trippier 6, Dier 6, Sanchez 7, Vertonghen 6, Davies 6, Dembele 7, Sissoko 6, Eriksen 6, Dele 6, Kane 6. Subs: Winks 6, Llorente 6, Son 5.