Match report
PS Liverpool will go top if they beat Watford this afternoon. You can follow that match right here, right now.
Full time: Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Peep peep! That’s a fair result at the end of a good game. Both Arsenal and Spurs extend their different unbeaten runs – Arsenal in all competitions since August, Spurs in the Premier League this season. Both sides will have misplaced grievances about the goals they conceded - Kevin Wimmer’s own goal and Harry Kane’s penalty. Thanks for your company; bye!
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90+2 min Rose’s cross finds Janssen on the penalty spot, but he shins a miserable volley back across the area. That was a decent chance as well.
90+1 min There will be five minutes of added time.
90 min Sanchez’s clipped cross from the left is headed straight at Lloris by Giroud on the penalty spot. That was a decent chance, although the lack of pace on the cross was not in his favour. There would have been controversy had it gone in because Wimmer ended up on the floor at Giroud’s feet.
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89 min Son is replaced by Harry Winks.
88 min Bellerin throws the ball back to Cech, who slips 20 yards outside his own area. It looks like Son will get to the ball first, but then he bottles a 50/50 with Cech, jumping over the top of him. That was bizarre.
86 min A crucial defensive header from the stretching Vertonghen at the far post denies Giroud a clear headed chance from Sanchez’s inswinging cross. Sanchez has been terrific today.
84 min That break in play has helped Spurs, who have had more of the ball in the last few minutes. And now Eriksen’s free-kick has hit the post! It was a big inswinger from the left wing that went past the head of Dier, beyond Cech and bounced onto the inside of the far post. Dier might feel he should have scored as well.
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81 min “I didn’t think that journalists actually supported any team,” says Niall Mullen. “I assumed they all just HATED MY TEAM.”
80 min Kyle Walker is limping off the field, to be replaced by Kieran Trippier.
79 min “A-ha!” says James Hupp. “You’ve fallen into the trap and revealed yourself. Your belief that both of these teams are likable is clear evidence that you are really a fan of [the team I dislike in this rivalry].”
78 min Spurs can’t get out, although Ramsey generously gives them some respite by smashing well wide from 25 yards.
75 min “How many fouls does Wanyama have to make to get a yellow?” says Angus Macaskill. “Happens every game...” Yes, he was lucky not to be booked for flattening someone in the build-up to that Bellerin chance.
74 min Oxlade-Chamberlain finds the underlapping Bellerin, whose shot is blocked by Dier and then ricochets off another Spurs defender to safety. Arsenal look much the likelier winners at the moment.
73 min Arsenal are starting to put pressure on Spurs. Dier fouls Sanchez, runs away with the ball in his hands and is booked for a timewasting/dissent hybrid.
73 min Janssen replaces the weary Kane.
72 min Sanchez’s brilliant angled through ball from the left slithers through the sliding Dier and finds Ozil, just outside the six-yard box to the left. Lloris is quickly off his line and blocks Ozil’s shot. That was superb keeping. The resulting corner comes to Ramsey, who wafts it not far over the bar from long range.
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71 min Arsenal have moved Sanchez to the left-wing with Ozil behind Giroud and Oxlade-Chamberlain on the right.
70 min Arsenal make their final substitutions: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Olivier Giroud replace Alex Iwobi and Theo Walcott.
69 min Tottenham break three on three, and Koscielny is booked for a foul on Kane 35 yards from goal. He actually got the ball but Mark Clattenburg said he went through Kane. I think Koscielny is a bit unlucky there. Kane looks utterly shattered, not surprisingly, and Vincent Janssen is getting ready.
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68 min “Re that chap’s email on your ‘obvious Spurs bias’, can I say that I think of all you MBMers as somewhat like the judiciary - above petty personal prejudices and intent on reporting ‘as seen’,” says Ian Stewart. “I hope the Guardian provides you with the suitable clothing and that you don’t soon find yourselves on the front page of the Daily Mail.”
Thing is, I’m sure we are unconsciously biased at times. But I couldn’t give two hoots about who wins this game – both sides and both managers are extremely likeable, and I’ll tell ya, honestly, I would love it if either of them won the league.
66 min It’s a little bit ragged all of a sudden, with the game lurching from end to end. Both teams could use a timeout, and an injury to Danny Rose has given them one.
65 min A positive substitution from Arsene Wenger: Coquelin off, Aaron Ramsey on.
63 min After a somnolent start, this has developed into an excellent game.
61 min And now a chance for Arsenal! A short corner on the left is played back to Iwobi, whose superb inswinging cross just evades the head of Xhaka, who was unmarked in front of goal after a brilliant late run.
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60 min Another chance for Spurs! Son plays it down the left to Rose, who fizzes a thigh-high cross towards Kane at the far post. His sidefooted volley hit Monreal and came back off Kane before going behind for a goalkick. It looked like a goal-saving interception from Monreal, though replays suggested Kane had mishit his volley back across goal. Either way, it was a good chance.
58 min That was Kane’s fifth goal in four Premier League matches against Arsenal.
56 min The needless manner of Spurs’ equaliser has unsettled Arsenal. But they have a corner after a vital header over his own bar by Wimmer.
55 min Cech makes an excellent save to deny Eriksen! Mustafi’s desperate defensive header fell for Eriksen, who drilled the ball low towards toe corner from 12 yards with his left foot. Cech got down smartly to his right to push it wide.
The penalty came from a long, winding run by Dembele, who was elegantly shielding the ball with his left foot. Koscielny stuck a leg out just inside the box and definitely tripped Dembele. It was a really stupid piece of defending and, as Howard Webb says on BT Sport, a soft but undeniable penalty.
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GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Spurs (Kane 51 pen)
Kane clips the penalty straight down the middle.
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PENALTY TO SPURS
This looks controversial as well. Dembele falls over just inside the box after a tackle from Koscielny, and Mark Clattenburg gives a penalty. Replays suggest it was a good decision.
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49 min A great run from Son, who scoots down the right and nutmegs Koscielny on the edge of the box. But in doing so he overruns the ball and that allows Bellerin to slide across and make a crucial interception.
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48 min “There was an ugly moment on the commentary when Graeme Le Saux used a sentence with the word ‘discern’ in it - then a moment later had to say ‘I don’t know what discern means, by the way’,” says Charles Antaki. “Cue awkward tittering, and a joke about the Guardian. The poor guy feel he still has to deal with the stereotypes of the the 1990s, 25 years later. (Actually I originally mistyped that as 1900s, and perhaps I should have let it stand).”
It’s just banter.
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47 min “I know what you’re getting at in the 44th minute, Rob, though the self-satisfied snigger McManaman gave following that comment did make my skin crawl slightly,” says Matt Loten. “I think the vast majority of us miss the genuine physical battles of yesteryear, but I’d prefer it took the form of ‘give no quarter, ask no quarter,’ rather than Stevie Mac jumping out of his chair and shouting ‘BOTTLE HIM’ over a theatrical tumble.”
Yes, that’s a fair point. If you say you like physical football, people think you’re Danny Dyer.
46 min Peep peep! Spurs begin the second half, kicking from left to right.
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Fan mail “I just want to thank you for labouring through 45 minutes of updates,” writes James Brown. “Since you are clearly a Spurs fan, I can imagine this is very difficult for you, and I wish you the best of luck on the last 45 minutes. Just remember, this too will end.”
There are no words that can adequately convey the stunningly tedious, ignorant and childish nature of emails like this. What do you think it’s going to achieve? That I’ll spend the second half rooting for the Gunners? That I’ll out myself as a Spurs fan? That we’ll meet up and have sex? Honestly, nobody cares about your petty whinging or your attempt at wit. I wish you the worst of luck for the next 45 minutes and, purely because of your email, I now hope Spurs win 8-1.
On BT Sport, Howard Webb says the Arsenal goal was the correct decision. In short, the law’s an ass, not the referee. Sanchez was offside behind Wimmer, and his presence was probably the reason Wimmer headed the ball. But because Sanchez did not make a direct move towards the ball, he’s not offside according to the laws of the game.
Half-time reading
Half time: Arsenal 1-0 Tottenham
Spurs started excellently with their new back three, but Arsenal woke up at 12.30pm and were superb for the last 15 minutes. The manner of the goal, a Kevin Wimmer own goal that should have been disallowed, was fortunate, but overall they deserve their lead. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.
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45+3 min Mustafi is back on, clutching a tissue. There’s a bit of blood coming out of his nose but he should be fine.
45+2 min There’s a nasty clash between Coquelin and Mustafi on the halfway line. Mustafi looks groggy and is receiving treatment.
44 min It’s kicked off at the Emirates. Vertonghen accused Walcott of diving, and a load of Arsenal players charged towards him. “It’s nice to see,” says Steve McManaman, speaking for the silent majority who preferred football before it was emasculated.
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GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Spurs (Wimmer own goal 42)
Arsenal’s pressure has told. Ozil’s inswinging free-kick is headed down into the corner of his own net by Kevin Wimmer. He was stretching towards his own goal, and had to do something with two Arsenal players behind him - but those two players were offside, so Spurs will feel pretty aggrieved.
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42 min At the precise moment you read this, somebody, somewhere is stroking their chin and opining that Spurs need half-time.
41 min After a sluggish start, Arsenal have been much the better side in the last 10 minutes.
39 min Walcott hits the post! The superb Sanchez played a good square pass on the halfway line to Xhaka, who played an even better angled pass to usher Walcott towards goal. He took a touch and then, as the ball bounced up on the edge of the box, launched a vicious shot that clattered off the inside of the near post with Lloris beaten. The rebound came to Ozil, who couldn’t control the bouncing ball with his right foot and fired over.
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38 min At the precise moment you read this, somebody, somewhere is stroking their chin and opining that this game needs a goal.
36 min Eriksen seems to be fouled on the edge of the D by Monreal. Mark Clattenburg gives Spurs oogatz.
34 min Another dangerous Arsenal break. Iwobi eases the ball down the inside left to Walcott, whose cutback is put behind for a corner by Dier.
33 min “I’m not saying we’re not playing well, but this game oddly hasn’t exactly exploded into life yet,” says Guy Hornsby. “You’d have expected the Gooners to be on the front foot but they’ve not really had a decent sniff yet. Having said that, I’m still absolutely bricking it.”
32 min Walker is back on. Rose’s low cross just evades Eriksen at the near post. Arsenal break and Iwobi misses a great chance. It was a zig-zagging move, with two superb passes from Ozil and then Sanchez. He teed up Iwobi, who sidefooted tamely and too close to Lloris from 12 yards.
31 min Sanchez comes infield from the left and picks out another excellent square pass to find Ozil in the D. As the ball bounces up he tries to sidefoot it into the far corner, but doesn’t connect properly and drags it wide.
31 min Kyle Walker is leaving the field for treatment. This doesn’t look great for Spurs.
30 min Sanchez hoofs high over the bar from 20 yards. We still haven’t seen a shot on target.
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29 min Arsenal can’t get near Eriksen. Ozil, by contrast, has been pretty quiet.
27 min Sanchez, just outside the box on the left, clips a beautiful square pass to Coquelin, who runs onto the ball and hammers a volley that hits his teammate Walcott. I think it was going wide anyway.
27 min “Here at the Spurs supporters club in Bangkok the crowd is mild,” says Jeremy Dresner. “‘Terse Tenacious and Tactical’ if I’m searching for the timely triplicate tautology here.”
Tautology?
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25 min Eriksen, on the right wing, curls another excellent pass towards Son on the edge of the area. Mustafi does well to stretch and intercept; otherwise Son would have been through.
23 min Wanyama, 25 yards out, does a Jonny Wilkinson.
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22 min “Sod high pressing!” writes Nick Parmenter. “Three at the back is the new trend for six months!!”
Yep, three at the back is so damn hot right now. It’s all part of the 1996 nostalgiafest.
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21 min A chance for Spurs. Eriksen on the right curls a fast cross towards Kane, whose stooping header from 12 yards flashes fractionally wide of the far post. Eriksen has been the most dangerous attacker on the pitch so far.
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18 min The last man Mustafi, under pressure from Eriksen, mishits his attempted clearance and Cech slides out to collect the ball. It wasn’t a backpass. Spurs continue to look far more confident than Arsenal.
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16 min Nothing much is happening. Arsenal look surprisingly nervous for a side who have been in such great form.
12 min Arsenal are coming into the game now, with Sanchez looking sharp. But Tottenham will be the happier side.
9 min Iwobi gives the ball to Eriksen, who plays a wonderful curling through ball from deep inside his own half. Son gets behind the defence but Cech runs a long way out of his box to clear.
8 min Spurs have been excellent so far, both with and without the ball.
6 min Wimmer is late on Coquelin, who rolls round pathetically and thus ensures a yellow card. It was probably the right decision as it was very late, but Coquelin’s reaction was ridiculous.
4 min It’s a really brave decision from Pochettino, because if they lose, no matter how they lose, the change of system will be blamed. They have started superbly. Son dummies Mustafi inside his own half and runs all the way into the area before hitting a low cross that flashes across the face of goal. Kane was free at the far post but he couldn’t find him.
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3 min The Spurs wing-backs demonstrate the positive side of their new system. Rose gets down the left and crosses beyond the far post, where Walker gets above Monreal and heads over the bar. He was off balance so it wasn’t an easy chance.
2 min “Use Microsoft Movie Maker,” says Brian Corcoran. “It’s free and easy. Can you mention my colleague Juha Aalto who loves Spurs!”
This one goes out to Juha Aalto, who loves Spurs.
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1 min Arsenal kick off from left to right. They are in red; Spurs are in white. It looks like Spurs are indeed playing a back three.
Football has recently discovered Remembrance Day, and the pre-match tribute was immaculately observed by both sets of fans.
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Some exceptional pre-match pessimism from Lars Bøgegaard
“It’s been a long time since I have dreaded a North London Derby as much as this. We Spurs fans can only hope for a miracle - or for Harry Kane and Hugo Lloris.”
The players are in the tunnel, both wearing their gamefaces. There’s a significant amount of designer stubble on those gamefaces.
Help me out, part two in an exciting new series
Does anyone know a professional lipreader?
Help me out, part one in an exciting new series
Does anyone know of any good free/cheap video-editing software? It doesn’t need to be sophisticated, just idiot-friendly.
Tacticsgate There are some suggestions that talk of Spurs playing three at the back is a smokescreen. The alternative line-up would be the usual 4-2-3-1: Lloris; Walker, Wimmer, Vertonghen, Rose; Dier, Wanyama; Son, Dembele, Eriksen; Kane. They could also play a tighter 4-3-3 with Dembele pulled back alongside Dier and Wanyama.
There’s something about pre-match tactics talk that is thrilling.
“Is it just me,” begins James Bent, “or does Harry Kane look like a grown-up version of that kid from The Sixth Sense?”
Have you seen the grown-up version of that kid from The Sixth Sense?
Pre-match reading
Team news
Harry Kane starts but Dele Alli was injured in training yesterday. Rob Smyth Understands™ that Spurs are playing a back three.
Arsenal (4-2-3-1) Cech; Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Xhaka; Walcott, Ozil, Iwobi; Sanchez.
Substitutes: Ospina, Gibbs, Gabriel, Ramsey, Elneny, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Giroud.
Spurs (3-4-1-2) Lloris; Dier, Wimmer, Vertonghen; Walker, Wanyama, Dembele, Rose; Eriksen; Kane, Son.
Substitutes: Vorm, Trippier, Carter-Vickers, Winks, Nkoudou, Onomah, Janssen.
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Preamble
Choose football. Choose the North London derby. Choose Wetherspoons, a plate of moreish grease and four pints by 11am. Choose banter, selfies and half-and-half scarves. Choose peer pressure, liver damage and insidious self-loathing. Choose forgetting to CHARGE YOUR EFFING PHONE OVERNIGHT. Choose Spurs being in crisis even though they’re unbeaten in the league. Choose lazy preambles. Choose calling the kick-off time high noon rather than midday. Choose 90 minutes of misery and need. Choose Harry Kane, Harry Winks and Harry Kiri. Choose the new Dennis Bergkamp. Choose Ian Allinson, Ray Kennedy and getting your suit MEASURED. Choose NLD, COYS and #YaGunnersYa. Choose the North London derby. Choose football.
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