Match report: Arsenal 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Jacob Steinberg was the Guardian’s man at the Emirates and here’s his on-the-whistle report on an impressive Arsenal win.
Mauricio Pochettino on Danny Rose
When asked if there’s a problem between him and Danny Rose, he laughs. “Problem? What problem?” he asks. He goes on to somewhat fudge his answer, saying it’s “boring” to talk about players “who aren’t here”.
Mauricio Pochettino speaks ...
He is very disappointed and makes it clear who he’s blaming for Tottenham’s defeat in his post-match interview with Sky: “I think it was an even game in terms of shots on target, in terms of possession but I am disappointed because the small details were against us,” he says. “When the small details are against us it’s difficult to win. I feel very proud of the team and thought it was a fine performance.”
When asked to clarify his comments: “I think it’s so obvious what happened I don’t need to say. It’s not easy to accept because we lose the game. But I think everyone who was here knows what happened.” He goes on to say that Arsenal’s first goal was offside and they scored from a free-kick they should not have been awarded.
Burnley away next weekend for Arsenal
They’ll lose, won’t they? Arsenal being Arsenal, after this excellent performance you’d be tempted to put your house on it.
Well played The Arsenal. Well played Mezut. Now let’s smash out another 15 or so of that type of performance and I’ll be a happy fullback😀
— Lee Dixon (@LeeDixon2) November 18, 2017
The match in summary: Tottenham Hotspur were never at the races in a match that was nevertheless settled by two contentious goals. The first, a free header from a fractionally offside Shkodran Mustafi, came from a free-kick that should never have been awarded for a Davinson Sanchez “foul” on namesake Alexis.
It was Arsenal’s Sanchez who provided the second one, taking advantage of some questionable goalkeeping to smash the ball into the roof of the net from a tight angle after being teed up by Alexandre Lacazette. Sanchez too looked fractionally offside as he ran on to Lacazette’s pass. But make no mistake - Tottenham were weirdly awful today and deserved to lose.
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Man of the Match ...
Mesut Ozil, without question. He was outstanding in a match in which all 11 of his side’s players seemed to click.
Mesut Ozil has created 34 chances for his team-mates this season - more than any other player in the Premier League 👏
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) November 18, 2017
👉 https://t.co/TUBpTF9Gm6 #ARSTOT pic.twitter.com/3CN2fh6xK8
Mesut Ozil has run 12km this afternoon - or 3.6% of the way to Manchester
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) November 18, 2017
Full time: Arsenal 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeeeeeep! It’s all over at the Emirates, where Tottenham Hotspur have had their pants pulled down by an Arsenal team that has just won its 11th straight Premier League game at home. Spurs stay in third, level on points with Manchester United and eight points behind leaders Manchester City. Arsenal move up to fifth, one point behind their neighbours and lagging behind Chelsea on goal difference.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City | 11 | 31 | 31 |
| 2 | Man Utd | 11 | 18 | 23 |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 12 | 11 | 23 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 11 | 9 | 22 |
| 5 | Arsenal | 12 | 6 | 22 |
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90+3 min: The siege on the Spurs goal continues: Iwobi pulls a shot wide of the upright moments after Alexis Sanchez had found himself through on goal only to be put off his stride by a last-ditch challenge from Davinson Sanchez. I suspect if he’d gone to ground there, he might have got a penalty. Of course he might also have got a yellow card for diving, which would have been his second booking of the game.
90+1 min: We’re into the first of four recommended minutes of added time. Arsenal have been so impressive today, a state of affairs that will inevitably prompt howls of dissatisfaction from their supporters and critics that these excellent performances are so few and far between.
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90 min: Arsenal remain camped in and around the Spurs penalty area and win a free-kick about 30 yards from goal. Xhaka appeals for a corner as his low drive sails wide, but none is forthcoming.
88 min: Now Sanchez tees up Bellerin with a pass across the face of the Tottenham penalty area. He’s crowded off the ball before he can unleash a shot.
87 min: Sanchez tees up Iwobi in the Tottenham penalty area, but the substitute has his shot blocked.
86 min: Leaning back as he attacks a Fernando Llorente knock-down, Son fires a wild shot high over the bar. Arsenal substitution: Alex Iwobi on for Mesut Ozil.
83 min: Tottenham win a corner after a low, drilled cross from Ben Davies is put out of play. With Spurs forward in neighbours, Arsenal break in numbers. Ozil is on the ball with Ramsey, Sanchez and Bellerin up in support. Ozil’s cross is poor and but picks out Bellerin, whose shot from outside the area is blocked.
81 min: Tottenham win a corner, which Christian Eriksen plays short to Harry Winks. His cross from the right is only half-cleared and Cech is forced to save smartly from an Eric Dier cross-come-shot off his head. Arsenal break down the field, with Sanchez chasing a long ball from the back. Hugo Lloris charges off his line and out of his penalty area to clear the ball with a diving header.
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79 min: Arsenal break on the counter, with Sanchez and Ozil combining well once again in midfield to get the ball forward as quickly as possible. Spurs scramble back in time to clear their lines.
77 min: It’s Lloris to the rescue as Alexis Sanchez jinks and shimmies his way into the Tottenham penalty area and forces the goalkeeper off his line to save before he can unleash a particularly venomous shot.
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76 min: I say promise - Alli is an established international, but it’s easy to forget he’s still young and has had a poor season thus far.
75 min: Tottenham double-substitution: Harry Kane and Dele ALli off, Fernando Llorente and Son Heung-min on. Harry Kane has looked off the pace all day, possibly still hampered by his tight hamstring. For all his promise, Dele Alli has had a game to forget.
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73 min: Arsenal substitution: Francois Coquelin on for Alexandre Lacazette.
73 min: Dele Alli is still on the pitch but has contributed little or nothing. We’re reminded of his existence when Nacho Monreal upends him to concede a free-kick and earn himself a yellow card.
70 min: Spurs clear the corner, but Arsenal retain the ball. On the left, Sanchez cuts inside Trippier and unleashes a curling shot that zips over the bar. Moments later, Sanchez fails to test Lloris properly after being picked out on the edge of the Spurs penalty area by Mesut Ozil. Arsenal are in complete control.
69 min: Kieran Trippier is penalised for a foul on Alexis Sanchez wide on the left and seems lucky to avoid a yellow card. With Spurs playing a very high defensive line, the ball’s sent into the penalty area, where Mustafi’s shot is put out for a corner. Mesut Ozil is in no great rush to take it.
67 min: Arsenal get forward in numbers on the counter-attack and the ball finds its way to Alexis Sanchez on the inside left. He flicks it into the penalty area, where it’s cleared.
65 min: Sky pundits Gary Neville and Thierry Henry are slavering over Mesut Ozil’s performance, but making the point that he should work this hard in every match, not just big ones against Spurs. He has been very impressive today - looking great creatively, while putting in his fair share of the grunt work when it comes to tracking back and putting various Spurs players under pressure.
63 min: Christian Eriksen tries his luck from the edge of the Arsenal penalty area but fires high over the bar. It’s a shame he wasn’t that wasteful against Ireland during the week. Then we’d have only lost 2-1. Grrrr ...
62 min: Tottenham substitution: Mousa Dembele off, Harry Winks on.
60 min: Arsenal win a corner after good work down the inside right from Mesut Ozil. The ball’s swung into the mixer and one unconvincing flap by Hugo Lloris later, ends up going out for a throw-in near the corner flag on the other side of the pitch. Spurs clear their lines.
58 min: Harry Kane looks to be limping and slightly off the pace, but is still dangerous. At first he has a penalty shout turned down after being challenged by Xhaka, then has a good shot blocked down by Mustafi on the edge of the Arsenal six-yard box.
55 min: An Arsenal counter-attack ends with Alexis Sanchez threading a through-ball into the Tottenham penalty area for Mesut Ozil to chase. There’s a mite too much pace on the ball and Hugo Lloris is quick off his line to beat the German international to the ball.
53 min: Lacazette beats the grass in frustration after having an appeal for a penalty turned down. I’d need to see it again to know for sure whether he has grounds for his frustration.
52 min: Arsenal win a corner. The ball’s cleared as far as Bellerin a few yards outside the penalty area, where Bellerin floats it towards the far post. There’s a mix-up between Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny and a good chance goes a begging.
50 min: Now Kane is booked for diving in on Granit Xhaka as the Arsenal midfielder attempted to shepherd the ball out of play for a goal kick. He was never going to get to it and has his name taken. I think Mike Dean was going to let that one slide, so to speak, but produced the yellow card after a chat with his linesman.
49 min: Mousa Dembele sends in a cross for Harry Kane, but it’s a mite too high and the Spurs striker can only head the ball straight up in the air. Moments previously, Shkodran Mustafi was booked for clattering through the back of Harry Kane.
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An email from Nick: “Poor Spurs performance, two offside goals, the first one created by a free kick that wasn’t - so why are the Sky commentators slurping all over Arsenal?” he asks. Because they’ve been really good and are well worth their lead?
Second half: Arsenal 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Arsenal get the ball rolling for the second half, with a two goal lead to protect.
Jesus Perez unhappy ...
Mauricio Pochettino’s assistant Jesus Perez, who is a genuinely lovely fellow, was not at his friendliest as the teams went off for half-time. He waited at the mouth of the tunnel to give refewree Mike Dean both barrels as the ref walked off for half-time. As we wait for the resumption of the second half, Pochettino is deep in conversation with fourth official Kevin Friend. The pair do have every right to be upset with the free-kick that led to Arsenal’s first - there was no foul by Tottenham’s Sanchez on his Arsenal namesake.
Marginal offside for both Arsenal goals: Replays show that both Shkodran Mustafi and Alexis Sanchez were a fraction offside for their goals, but we’re talking millimetres here. Any Tottenham Hotspur fans looking to blame the match officials for the current pickle in which they find themselves are clutching at straws. They’ve been woeful today and can probably consider themselves lucky to be to be no more than two goals down.
In other news, a replay of Arsenal’s second shows that Hugo Lloris was caught flat-footed as the ball was crossed to Sanchez and therefore couldn’t dash off his line when the ball clunked off Sanchez’s thigh. This afforded the Chilean a second bite of the cherry and he smashed the ball into the roof of the net from a very tight angle as the Spurs goalkeeper was caught off balance while trying to adjust his feet. Lloris may be one of the best goalkeepers in the world right now, but that’s one he won’t want to see again: he looked like he’d put his boots on the wrong feet.
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Half-time: Arsenal 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Arsenal go in for the interval with a two-goal lead that is no more than they deserve. Spurs have been uncharacteristically awful: off the pace, poor in possession, woeful in defence and showing little up front either. Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli have offered little or nothing, while Harry Kane is attempting to feed off scraps.
45+2 min: “They have been bullied here,” says Sky Sports co-comms man Gary Neville of Tottenham as the first half enters its knockings.
43 min: Well, this is turn-up for the books ... or is it? Arsenal are battering Tottenham here and Mauricio Pochettino looks furious with his team’s performance. Lacazette got in behind down the right and played the low ball into the Tottenham penalty area, where Sanchez was waiting in acres of space. He made a mess of his first touch, but Lloris remained anchored to his line and allowed the Chilean to recover and rifle the ball between goalkeeper and near post from a ridiculously tight angle.
GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur (Sanchez 42)
Alexis Sanchez bundles the ball home with his second bite of the cherry after getting on the end of a low cross from Alexandre Lacazette.
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40 min: Alexis Sanchez and Davinson Sanchez get involved in another skirmish that results in the Arsenal man going in the book.
37 min: Tottenham have every right to feel aggrieved about that free-kick, but their making at the subsequent set piece was atrocious. The ball was floated into the penalty area by Mesut Ozil, where the unmarked Mustafi leapt highest (from what looked a suspiciously offside position) at the far post and steered a fine header across the face of goal and inside the upright. Arsenal lead, Tottenham will complain but it’s no more than the home side deserve on the balance of play.
Goal! Arsenal 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur (Mustafi 36)
And they only go and score from it! Shkodran Mustafi guides a wonderful header just inside the upright.
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36 min: Davinson Sanchez is penalised – somewhat unfairly in my opinion – for a foul on Alexis Sanchez and Tottenham have a free-kick in a good position.
34 min: Tottenham attempt to find their way back into the game with two chances in quick succession. Eriksen clips an upright with a curled effort, then Cech is forced to save a header from Harry Kane.
33 min: Granit Xhaka picks up the first booking of the game for a needless late challenge on Dele Alli.
31 min: Alexis Sanchez adds fuel to the fire surrounding his complete non-relationship with Aaron Ramsey by going berserk after the Welshman refused to play the ball long to him from a free-kick after the Chilean had made a darting run into a promising position. Instead, Ramsey plays it short to another team-mate, prompting a mini-tantrum from Sanchez.
29 min: Arsenal win a corner after more poor defending from Spurs. Ozil is played in behind the defence and plays a pull-back into the area. Eric Dier concedes the corner, from which nothing comes.
28 min: Hmmm ... in what looks a second example of possible cowardice from Alexandre Lacazette this afternoon, the Arsenal striker looks to bottle a challenge with Hugo Lloris after being played through on the Spurs goal.
27 min: Ben Davies sends in a splendid cross from the left and in the Arsenal penalty area, Harry Kane leaps. He’s beaten in the air by Nacho Monreal, who averts the danger for Arsenal.
25 min: The camera cuts to Mauricio Pochettino in his technical area and he does not look at all happy. His team are second best here and have been giving away possession with alarming frequency.
23 min: Tottenham’s defence is definitely creaking as Arsenal enjoy a period of sustained pressure. It comes to an abrupt end as Granit Xhaka is penalised for a foul on Moussa Sissoko. He’s lucky to avoid a booking.
21 min: A tip of the hat to Aaron Ramsey for his role in the build-up to that chance for Arsenal. He played a wonderful ball inside Ben Davies for Bellerin to latch on to before arrowing in his cross for Lacazette. On Sky, Gary Neville suggests the French striker may not have been as brave as as he should have been with a defender either side of him and Hugo Lloris right in front of him.
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19 min: Chance! Hector Bellerin drills a low hard ball across the face of the Tottenham goal. With Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier either side of him, Lacazette sticks out a leg but is unable to make contact. The ball sails through the corridor of uncertainty and away to safety.
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18 min: Jan Vertonghen makes an agricultuarl clearnace from the left-back position towards Ben Davies on the halfway line. He miscontrols and Arsenal go on the attack.
17 min: Sissoko picks out Alli in the Arsenal penalty area, but Laurent Koscielny is on hand to clear his effort after the Spurs midfielder had beaten Shkodran Mustafi.
15 min: Trippier plays the ball down the right touchline for Sissoko to chase as Tottenham apply some pressure. THe ball’s crossed towards Harry Kane, who is lurking by the far post, but Arsenal clear their lines.
14 min: Spurs get forward and Harry Kane gets the ball deep in Arsenal territory having beaten the offside trap. He’s unable to hold it up and the ball eventually wends its way back to Petr Cech.
12 min: The ball is played forward to the edge of the Tottenham penalty area, where Alexis Sanchez attempts to cushion a header into the path of an unmarked Lacazette. Davinson Sanchez sticks out a leg and intercepts. A let-off for Tottenham, whose defence are looking very jittery indeed.
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11 min: More indecision in the Tottenham defence, where a mistake by Jan Vertonghen threatens to let Arsenal in. They are unable to capitalise.
10 min: After 10 minutes, Arsenal are winning on points on my scorecard, but there’s little or noth9ing in it. Their front three have started well, but they’re occasionally looking a little exposed at the back, leaving room for Kane, Christian Eriksen and Alli to expose.
9 min: Under pressure from Lacazette, Hugo Lloris is forced to rush a clearance and Spurs concede a throw-in. Nothing come of it. Tottenham are looking a bit nervy in defence.
7 min: Harry Kane shoots low and hard after latching on to a Laurent Koscielny clearance, but it’s an easy save for Petr Cech, who gets down to smother the ball in his chest. After a very scrappy start, we have a game on our hands.
5 min: Chance! Alexandre Lacazette collects the ball from Alexis Sanchez and shoots wildly over the cross-bar. Eric Dier’s heart will have been in his mouth there - tasked with marshalling the Tottenham defence today, he gave the ball away cheaply to Lacazette, who combined in a one-two with Sanchez to tee up what turned out to be a dreadful shot.
4 min: It’s scrappy early doors, as both teams struggle to settle or find a rhythm in early stages punctuated by a succession of throw-ins and free-kicks for niggly fouls. Nobody wants to give an inch.
2 min: Moussa Sissoko jumps a tackle and makes ground down the right touchline, but is quickly dispossessed.
1 min: Tottenham’s defenders gets some early time on the ball, tipping it around between them as Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Alexandre Lacazette put them under some early pressure.
Arsenal v Tottenham is go ...
1 min: Tottenham kick off and play is under way at the Emirates.
Not long now ...
The teams march out of the tunnel and line up either side of Mike Dean and his team of match officials for the last of the pre-match niceties. It’s tipping down with rain and not a particularly nice day, but the conditions are perfect for a good game of football. Here’s hoping we get one.
Danny Rose update ...
Sky Sports are reporting that the Spurs full-back is fit but has not been included in the Spurs party that travelled to the Emirates. Instead, in a move that suggests he has displeased his manager in some way, Rose is back in Tottenham’s Enfield training ground working with other players who are not involved in today’s game. “That will not end well,” says Sky pundit Graeme Souness.
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Mauricio Pochettino speaks ...
Speaking to Sky Sports, he has this to say of the players who have recovered from injury: “I think it’s important for us to recover well,” says the Spurs manager. “I think it’s massive for us to have the opportunity to play with them.”
A hard team to pick? “Not only is it hard because nearly all the players were away and we only had one or two days to prepare for the game. But it’s the same for Arsenal. We have a lot of games ahead so we have to think of the future.”
On his side’s poor record against elite sides away from home: “It is important to win against the top sides away from home. It’s not easy because the stats are there. But it’s important and we have to try because Manchester City are doing so well. But it’s a long, long way to the end of the season. When you play a derby, you have to play with your heart and your emotion.”
Harry Kane speaks ...
In an interview recorded for Sky Sports, the Tottenham striker says “it’s important for us to start beating the big teams away, not just Arsenal. We need to play the way we play at home and find the will to win”. Kane is looking to score in his sixth consecutive north London derby today.
Weather report
It’s cold, wet and windy in Norther London this Saturday afternoon, writes minute-by-minute reporter after glancing out window of the Guardian’s Kings Cross HQ.
Arsenal v Tottenham line-ups
Arsenal: Cech, Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal, Bellerin, Ramsey, Xhaka, Kolasinac, Ozil, Sanchez, Lacazette.
Subs: Mertesacker, Wilshere, Ospina, Iwobi, Welbeck, Maitland-Niles, Coquelin.
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Sanchez, Dier, Vertonghen, Trippier, Sissoko, Dembele, Eriksen, Davies, Alli, Kane.
Subs: Son, Vorm, Llorente, Foyth, Aurier, Winks, Walker-Peters.
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Kane starts for Tottenham Hotspur ...
It’s no real surprise to see Harry Kane in the Tottenham Hotspur line-up. He starts and so do Hugo Lloris and Dele Alli. In the Arsenal starting XI, Shkodran Mustafi and Alexandre Lacazette both line-up, while Danny Welbeck has to settle for a place on the bench. We’ll have full teams and line-ups for you very shortly.
Early team news
Danny Welbeck and Shkodran Mustafi were facing late fitness tests as they attempt to recover from respective groin and hamstring injuries. Olivier Giroud misses out today, having picked up a thigh injury on international duty for France.
Tottenham’s medical team have no shortage of the lame and halt to assess. Harry Kane (knee), Harry Winks (ankle), Dele ALli (hamstring) and goalkeepers Hugo Lloris (groin) and Michel Worm (knee) are all in doubt. Toby Alderweireld (hamstring) and Victor Wanyama (knee) will definitely miss out.
The Premier League is back
After a two-week for international activity, the Premier League resumes with the first north London derby of the season. Mauricio Pochettino is seeking his 100th victory as Tottenham boss, but his side’s poor record away from home against the Premier League elite (one win in 16) suggests he may not get it today. Arsenal have won five from five at home in the league so far this season, while Spurs have won four out of five on their travels. Kick-off is at 12.30pm (GMT), but stay tuned for team news and build-up.
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