Arsenal came back from a first-half goal to beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium, their first victory in the North London Derby since 2018.
Mikel Arteta’s first Premier League win over Jose Mourinho as a coach or as a player came in this match, and it was well-deserved considering his team’s outstanding results. Despite the absence of captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was relegated to the bench following a violation of the club’s code of conduct, the team won.
Mourinho sent Erik Lamela on to replace Heung-Min Son after he was injured in the first half, and the Argentine repaid the manager’s confidence in him just 15 minutes later. Lamela scored a spectacular goal in the 33rd minute, finding the bottom-right corner of Bernd Leno’s goal with a stunning Rabona to put Tottenham ahead.
On the other hand, Arsenal did not remain silent for long, as their wave after wave of attacks paid off eleven minutes later. Martin Odegaard, who had just scored his first goal for the club in midweek, tied the score after his deflected effort gave Hugo Lloris little chance of holding his clean sheet.
The Gunners established their dominance in the game, but their local rivals continually thwarted their attempts to add to their score for the evening. This lasted until a period in the second half that completely changed the game’s outcome.
Alexandre Lacazette was through on goal when he was brought down in the box by Davinson Sanchez. This resulted in a penalty, which was dutifully rolled in by the French striker past his compatriot Lloris.
After scoring one of the most critical goals in the North London Derby history, Lamela went from hero to villain in the next 13 minutes, picking up two yellow cards and leaving Tottenham with a man short. Spurs increased their pace and shot count and came close to scoring thanks to a superb Harry Kane free-kick that rattled the crossbar.
As Arsenal emerged victorious with three points and bragging rights in North London, their efforts were in vain. Arsenal now has 41 points from 28 games, while Spurs are still in seventh place with 45 points.
