TEN memorable moments from north London derby

One of the Premier League’s biggest fixtures returns this weekend when Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal resume hostilities in the first north London derby of the season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

It is a huge rivalry that has featured countless unforgettable matches, goals, players and incidents down the years.

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Adrian Kajumba looks at 10 memorable moments between these two sides from the Premier League era.

Campbell’s return to Spurs - November 2001 

If Sol Campbell was in any doubt about how controversial his move to Arsenal was, seeing his older brother Tony among the Spurs crowd venting their fury at him when he made his White Hart Lane return would have emphatically ended that.

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Of 15 players to represent both clubs, nobody has done it in as contentious fashion as Campbell - by leaving Spurs in a free-transfer shock switch to their most bitter rivals with accusations that he had gone back on his word about staying and also never playing for Arsenal.

Campbell discovered the depth of ill-feeling towards him before, during and after the match as he ran the gauntlet in his first appearance back at Spurs a few months later.

Manager Arsene Wenger praised Campbell for showing “formidable strength” to produce an “outstanding performance” in extremely hostile circumstances during the 1-1 draw. 

But the backlash was so severe Wenger has since admitted that, if given the chance again, he would not have exposed Campbell to it by convincing him to cross the divide.

Henry’s wonder goal - November 2002

“It will stay for a long time, that goal and that celebration,” Thierry Henry once said as he reflected on his stunning solo strike in this 3-0 win. 

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So long in fact, that it is now immortalised in bronze outside Emirates Stadium.

In a moment that typified him in his unstoppable pomp, Henry collected possession deep in his own half, left one Spurs midfielder trailing in his wake and wrong-footed two more defenders as he approached the edge of their box, before firing a left-footed effort into the bottom corner.

And Henry capped that moment of brilliance with a fittingly iconic celebration to mark an iconic Highbury and derby goal – running back up the pitch before executing a trademark knee slide towards the away fans.

This pose was the inspiration for his statue that now sits proudly outside Arsenal’s new home. 

Arsenal’s White Hart Lane title win - April 2004

Arsenal had won the league at White Hart Lane before, in 1971, but had added reason to milk the moment when history repeated itself towards the end of their 2003/04 “Invincibles” campaign.

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They were initially prepared to obey security orders not to over-celebrate and rub their rivals’ noses in it if they secured the point required to be crowned champions.

But their stance changed when they took exception to Spurs celebrating “like they won the league” after Robbie Keane’s late penalty sealed a comeback from 2-0 down that denied Arsenal victory.

Henry recalled: “I thought, ‘Wait, do they actually realise we just need a point to be champions?’ I said to Ashley Cole at the final whistle, ‘Now we are going to celebrate.’"

Indeed, Henry led the post-match, on-pitch party twirling his shirt above his head as he and his team-mates headed for the away end, where they danced with delight and lifted inflatable Premier League trophies ahead of receiving the real thing a few weeks later. 

Nine-goal thriller - November 2004

Almost seven months later the two teams were back at White Hart Lane, serving up another breathless and eventful instalment in the history of this rivalry. 

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Nine goals from a Premier League record nine different scorers, some brilliantly created or taken, plus some chaotic defending combined to make this an all-time derby classic. 

The two sides were level at 1-1 at half-time before going goal-crazy in the second half, the final result all the more remarkable given that the scoring did not start until the 37th minute. 

Spurs, who had Martin Jol in charge for the first time, took the lead before Arsenal turned the match around to get their noses in front early in the second half.

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But their advantage after that was never more than two goals and victory not guaranteed until the final whistle with Spurs, as the north London derby demands, refusing to go down without a fight. 

Bentley's stunning volley - October 2008 

A piece of eagle-eyed opposition analysis was the inspiration for one of the most unforgettable north London derby goals. 

David Bentley scored it against his old club, netting an outrageous 40-yard dipping volley to kickstart one of the matches of the season, a rollercoaster 4-4 draw in Harry Redknapp’s first league match as Spurs manager, with one of the goals of the 2008/09 season.

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And he has credited former Spurs coach Clive Allen for his crucial role in it.

Bentley said: “Before the game he pulled the team and said [Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel] Almunia is always off his line so if you get the chance, lob him, so that was in my head. 

Bentley's brilliant goal v Arsenal

“Fair play to Clive. It’s good coaching. Those moments live forever and I’m proud to have done that. I’ll never forget it.” 

Rose’s fairytale debut - April 2010 

Danny Rose’s Spurs Premier League debut will forever be remembered for the way he marked it with a goal that was beyond his wildest dreams.

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When Almunia’s punch dropped out of the sky and into his path just 10 minutes in, the left-back unleashed an incredible 30-yard volley that rocketed back past Arsenal’s goalkeeper before he had time to properly react.

Older, wiser and less of a risk-taker, Rose admits: “I would never ever do that now. I’d probably do anything but shoot. That was more out of nerves in that I didn’t want to try to control the ball, lose it and Arsenal are on the counter-attack.” 

But his choice over 14 years ago paid off in fairytale fashion, as he scored a goal now etched in derby folklore.

“Never did I imagine I would score a goal like that on my debut.” 

Podolski’s away end celebrations - March 2014 

Derby wins are victories to savour, especially landmark ones.

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And Lukas Podolski memorably did just that after Arsenal secured their first league success at Spurs in seven years when he gleefully jumped into the away end to celebrate it with the Arsenal fans.

It led to a picture and moment which the German FIFA World Cup winner has described as one of the standouts of his career. 

Podolski told FourFourTwo magazine: ”North London derbies were always special occasions. I remember this game because of a famous picture taken by photographers, who captured the moment when I jumped into the stands to celebrate with our fans.

"It’s a great image and was a brilliant moment – I really liked my time at Arsenal and the relationship I built with all the supporters there.”

Spurs’ masked hero Kane - March 2016

What it means to Harry Kane to score in a north London derby was perfectly encapsulated in one emotional celebration in March 2016.

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Forced to wear a protective mask having broken his nose a fortnight earlier, Kane ripped it off and threw it to the ground as White Hart Lane erupted, the emotion took over and he wheeled away in sheer delight after bending a brilliant goal past David Ospina in a 2-2 draw.

Having been released by Arsenal as a youngster, that rejection has remained in the back of Kane’s mind as an added source of motivation whenever he has since faced them.

Kane's 14 goals make him the all-time top scorer in this fixture’s history. This strike was one of his all-time favourites. 

Kane's goal v Arsenal

"To score that was unbelievable,” he said. “One of my best goals technically. The moment was really special."

Lamela’s rabona goal - March 2021

Erik Lamela was no stranger to a rabona goal having previously scored a jaw-dropping one in an October 2014 UEFA Europa League tie against Greek side Asteras Tripolis.

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But to repeat the outrageous trick on the grander stage of a north London derby, albeit one played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 restrictions at the time, was something else.

The audacity of his improvised, instinctive strike which nutmegged Thomas Partey en route to Bernd Leno’s bottom corner, made him a worthy winner of the 2020/21 Premier League Goal of the Season, as well as the 2021 FIFA Puskas Award for that year’s most aesthetically pleasing goal.

Meanwhile, team-mate Sergio Reguilon’s reaction - chasing after Lamela, who was later sent off, to celebrate with his hands on his head - reflected the disbelief that all who witnessed it might also have felt.

Saka’s heartwarming welcome back - August 2021

For all the intensity and animosity in this rivalry, some things are bigger than football. 

That was certainly the case when Bukayo Saka received a heartwarming reception from Spurs fans in a pre-season match back in 2021.

When he returned to make his first appearance since seeing his decisive penalty saved in the UEFA EURO 2020 final against Italy, triggering online racist abuse, Saka was classily applauded on to the pitch as allegiances were temporarily put to one side.

In a further show of solidarity, a banner was also displayed during the pre-season friendly carrying the message “North London stands with Bukayo Saka and all players against racism and discrimination.” 

The generous welcome in perhaps one of the last places he might have expected it did not go unnoticed.

“So much respect for this, thank you,” a grateful Saka later said on social media.