Gabriel Magalhaes scored the decisive goal as Arsenal got back to winning ways with a 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
The defender netted the only goal of the contest after 64 minutes, punishing Spurs for a lapse in concentration from a corner.
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The hosts had the better chances in the first half but were thwarted by David Raya's saves and some disappointing misses.
Despite Spurs' search for a late equaliser, Arsenal were able to hold out and maintain their unbeaten start to the Premier League season.
Mikel Arteta’s side are up to second in the table on 10 points, while Spurs are 13th after suffering their second defeat of the campaign.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Liverpool
LIV
|
17 | +23 | 42 |
| 2 |
Chelsea
CHE
|
18 | +17 | 35 |
| 3 |
Nott'm Forest
NFO
|
18 | +5 | 34 |
| 4 |
Arsenal
ARS
|
17 | +18 | 33 |
| 5 |
Newcastle
NEW
|
18 | +9 | 29 |
How the match unfolded
The hosts made a strong start to the match, with Raya called into early action, making a sharp stop to deny Dejan Kulusevski at his near post.
Kai Havertz’s header was then kept out at the other end before Gabriel Martinelli fired a tame shot straight at Guglielmo Vicario after a driving run.
Dominic Solanke came within inches of a first goal just before the half-hour, with his looping header bouncing just wide of the far post while Micky van de Ven was denied by Raya just after half-time.
Arsenal profited from another set-piece on 64 minutes, as Bukayo Saka’s pinpoint corner picked out Gabriel, who thumped a free header over Vicario after some slack defending from Cristian Romero. In fact, three of their past four goals against Spurs have come from corners.
The Gunners have also scored 24 goals from set-pieces (excluding penalties) since the start of last season in the Premier League - the most of any side.
Spurs had opportunities to level the score late on, although looked hesitant to take them, as Pape Sarr hit the target with a low shot straight into Raya’s gloves.
Kulusevski came closest to finding an equaliser in the closing stages, cutting inside to whip a shot just over the crossbar.
Spurs’ derby day blues
In the exact fixture last season, Spurs were 3-0 down at half-time and, although they fought back, they still lost the fixture 3-2.
Some would argue that this was a good time to face Arsenal, with their selection problems, but they could not take advantage.
Getting to the break with a clean sheet intact will have felt like a big step for Ange Postecoglou’s side after last season's fixture, but they should have been in front after big chances for Kulusevski and Solanke.
Their intensity dropped in the second half, offering little after Van de Ven’s shot in the 49th minute until their late push. They also struggled to find spaces in the final third, even after the introductions of Sarr and Wilson Odobert.
Postecoglou is yet to beat Arsenal in three attempts, and with just one win from four so far this season, he will be looking to get his team back on track when they welcome Brentford to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next week.
Arsenal weather midfield crisis
Arteta faced many questions in the build-up to this match, with many focusing on how he would manage a sudden lack of midfield options.
New signing Mikel Merino is out with a shoulder injury, while Declan Rice was suspended after his red card before the international break. Their luck worsened in midweek as Martin Odegaard suffered an ankle injury on duty with Norway.
But Arteta got creative. He shifted Thomas Partey out on the right, allowing Jorginho to slot in the deeper lying role, with Martinelli providing extra width on the opposite flank.
Their high press caused Spurs problems as they tried to play out from the back, but they also defended resolutely, with Raya producing some stand-out saves.
However, the manager may have another problem. Saka went off after receiving treatment late on.
Ahead of a busy week, which includes trips to Atalanta in the UEFA Champions League on Thursday and then to champions Manchester City in the Premier League next Sunday, an injury to one of his star players will be the last thing he needs.
🎶 One-nil to The Arsenal 🎶
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 15, 2024
Enjoy the highlights from our third successive north London derby win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 👇 pic.twitter.com/ppJ2XDHLd4
See: Spurs report | Arsenal report
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What the managers said
Ange Postecoglou: "I thought it was a tight game all the way along. We controlled it for the most part and got off to a good start. We didn't capitalise on the opportunities and we were unable to get on top of them.
"We lost concentration [for the goal]. We've got some big guys in there who really attack the ball and we just switched off for a second.
"I think I've said my piece. For the most part we controlled the game today, had good territory and possession but we didn't make the most of it and we got punished."
Mikel Arteta: "After the international break, we had a few blows. How the team reacted was magnificent. It showed a lot of maturity from the team.
"The resilience we showed. We knew it was going to be a really tough match, a great atmosphere but we knew we had a big threat on set-plays."
Match facts
Arsenal have won six consecutive Premier League away games for the first time since March-September 2013, when they won eight in a row under Arsene Wenger. They’ve also now won three consecutive away north London derbies for the first time since September 1988.
Arsenal have won half of their Premier League away games against Spurs under Mikel Arteta (three out of six). Indeed, this is now just one victory fewer than the Gunners managed in 22 away games against them in the competition under Wenger (four out of 22 – D11 L7).
Son Heung-min made his 19th Premier League appearance in the North London derby. Sol Campbell is now the only outfield player to have made more appearances in this fixture in the competition, with 22 matches.
