Barney Ronay.
Mourinho reaction.
That’s it for today’s blog, but you can discuss the game on David Hytner’s match report. Night!
Here’s Alexandre Lacazette
“It’s an amazing feeling. We really wanted to win the derby for the fans. The last 10 minutes were really stressful - sometimes we have problems managing games when we are winning, even 11 against 10, and this is something we have to improve. But we won, and that’s really good for the rest of the season.
“I was lucky to get the penalty after I missed the ball, but sometimes it’s good for us to get a decision from the ref. And I scored, so I’m happy. I took a lot of penalties against Hugo Lloris back in the day, but I was quite confident.
“It’s not easy to sit on the bench in big games. I don’t think it was anything against Auba, it was just the decision of the coach - I will let you ask him.”
One more game, and then you’re free to go.
Arsenal were much the better team for all bar the last 10 minutes, when the prospect of victory almost became too much. Martin Odegaard and Alexandre Lacazette scored the goals, though the game belonged to Erik Lamela: he came on for the injured Son in the first half, gave Spurs the lead with a glorious rabona and was then sent off for being an eejit.
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Full time: Arsenal 2-1 Spurs
Peep peep! Arsenal come from behind to deservedly win the North London derby!
90+5 min ... and Kane spanks the free-kick over the bar.
90+5 min This might be the last kick of the game...
90+4 min Lucas Moura is fouled by Gabriel on the edge of the D, which means another chance for Kane.
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90+3 min Spurs continue to search desperately for an equaliser, but they are running out of time.
90+1 min Five minutes of added time. Arsenal are a bag of nerves.
90 min: KANE HITS THE POST! It was a marvellous free-kick, absolutely hammered towards the far corner. The ball beat Leno, hit the post and rebounded to Sanchez, whose snapshot was headed off the line by Gabriel!
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89 min It’s a long way to the left of centre, but I think Kane is going to shoot...
88 min Arsenal have parked the bus. Kane is fouled 22 yards from goal by Partey, in line with the left corner of the area.
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88 min Another Arsenal change: Mohamed Elneny replaces the potential matchwinner Lacazette.
87 min Moura’s corner is punched away by Leno. Not sure why he didn’t catch it, but it doesn’t matter now.
86 min Lucas Moura teases a dipping cross towards Kane at the far post, forcing David Luiz to get back and concede a corner.
84 min Mind you, Spurs were a goal and a man up in that famous game at White Hart Lane in March 2016, and that ended 2-2.
83 min: Kane has a goal disallowed for offside! Lucas Moura swung the free-kick to the far post, where Kane steered a quite brilliant header into the far corner. But then the flag went up, and replays showed he was just offside.
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82 min Xhaka is booked for fouling Lucas Moura. Arsenal suddenly look a little twitchy, which is daft given they are a goal and a man up.
81 min Lucas Moura’s inswinging corner flashes across the face of goal. The leaping Kane wasn’t too far away from that.
80 min Whether it’s fair or not, Mourinho will get pelters for this performance. The early loss of Son was a big blow, even though his replacement gave them the lead, and we don’t know whether Harry Kane is fully fit.
78 min An Arsenal change: the outstanding Emile Smith Rowe is replaced by Willian.
Lamela has been cruising for a bruising all afternoon. His second yellow was for aggressively fending off Tierney with an arm to the neck. It was an easy decision for Michael Oliver.
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LAMELA IS SENT OFF!
76 min It’s been quite a day for Erik Lamela: he came on as sub, scored a glorious rabona - and now he’s done one!
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74 min Arsenal have been miles better than Spurs today, and Mikel Arteta will be particularly pleased at the performances of his younger players.
73 min “I do admire Mourinho’s one-man war on xG,” says Niall Mullen. “I am also glad he’s not doing it at my club.”
He’s going to win the 2021-22 Premier League with Spurs bottom of the xG table.
72 min “I am glad a penalty is final given for a late foul,” says Ruth Purdue. “So many defenders are allowed a free hit on a attacker after they have had a shot.”
I can see both sides of this argument, and I’m sure Jose can too.
71 min A bit better from Spurs. Hojbjerg flat cross is helped on by the head of Lamela, near the penalty spot, and saved comfortably by Leno.
71 min “At the sight of José Mourinho just gesticulating in protest of the penalty, I suspect I joined the untold multitude of Arsenal fans making our own gestures at the screen,” says Charles Antaki. “Out of gallantry, I restricted myself to a polite but firm old-fashioned V sign.”
That’s not a V sign, Charles.
70 min Kane wanders out to the right and curls a stunning cross that just evades the leaping Dele Alli on the six-yard line.
69 min Lamela is booked for a lunge at Partey. He got the ball but was penalised for his follow through.
67 min Hojbjerg, who is having a tougher second half, is given a final warning by Michael Oliver after fouling Odegaard.
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67 min What isn’t in doubt is that Arsenal thoroughly deserve their lead: they’ve had 13 shots to Spurs’ one.
65 min I feel a bit sorry for Spurs, in that Lacazette had missed the chance before Sanchez made contact with him. That said, I suppose a foul is a foul is a foul, and I’m sure Jose Mourinho will agree in his post-match interview.
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GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 Spurs (Lacazette 64 pen)
Lacazette rolls the penalty into the bottom-right corner. Lloris went the wrong way.
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That was a strange incident. Pepe put Lacazette through on goal with a superb pass - but then the ball bounced up awkwardly and Lacazette shinned his shot in the comedy style. The ball flew off to the left, away from goal, but Sanchez was already committed to the challenge and he took Lacazette out. Sanchez is booked.
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PENALTY TO ARSENAL! Spurs think Sanchez got the ball as he challenged Lacazette. But he didn’t.
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62 min Spurs make their final change: Dele Alli replaces Tanguy Ndombele.
61 min Partey shoots well wide from long range.
61 min David Luiz dances into the area from the right - he was still up following a corner - but then can’t decide what to do and eventually his pass towards Pepe is intercepted.
60 min Hojbjerg is lucky not to be booked for a deliberate block on Partey.
59 min Emile Smith Rowe has had a fine game on the left for Arsenal. He’s such a classy player, whether running with the ball or playing one touch.
58 min Spurs have rejigged their midfield, with Sissoko alongside Hojbjerg, Ndombele as the No10 and Lamela on the right.
57 min A change for Spurs: Moussa Sissoko replaces Gareth Bale, who looks thoroughly unimpressed. He hasn’t had a good game.
54 min Harry Kane was doubtful for this game, and it’s tempting to conclude that he’s not fully fit. But Spurs have had so little of the ball that it’s hard to say that with any certainty.
54 min It’s been a quiet start to the second half. Arsenal are still dominating possession, though they haven’t really threatened since the break.
53 min Now Bale and Lamela have swapped back.
50 min Bale and Lamela have swapped places for the time being. Bale barely touched the ball on the right wing; now he beats a couple of players in the inside-left channel and lofts a cross that clears everyone in the middle.
49 min Spurs have been rubbish going forward but some of their defensive players are having excellent games, Hojbjerg in particular.
46 min Partey loses the ball to Hojbjerg and Spurs break dangerously. Eventually Reguilon’s pass towards Kane is intercepted by Odegaard.
46 min Peep peep! Spurs begin the second half.
Arsenal have made a half-time substitution: Nicolas Pepe on, Bukayo Saka off.
“Not watching the game, instead spending my Sunday afternoon watching The Cure’s Hyde Park show from a few years ago,” says Matt Dony. “An ageing, famously grumpy genius, sticking with what always used to work, and showing a fair amount of disdain for his audience... Ah, I can’t even bring myself to finish this off. The truth is, I love Robert Smith and Jose Mourinho. And people who don’t are, frankly, wrong.”
Half-time reading
Half time: Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Peep peep! After a slow start, the game came to life when Erik Lamela gave Spurs the lead with a BLOODY RABONA. Martin Odegaard scored a deserved equaliser for Arsenal, who hit the woodwork twice and dominated possession throughout the first half. Spurs also lost Son with what looks like a hamstring injury.
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It was made by Tierney, who beat the struggling Doherty and fizzed a low cross towards Odegaard 15 yards from goal. His first-time shot was fairly tame but it took a deflection off Alderweireld and beat Lloris.
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GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Spurs (Odegaard 44)
A deserved equaliser for Arsenal!
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OH MY 😲
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 14, 2021
Érik Lamela with the Rabona in the North London Derby...
📺 Watch on Sky Sports PL
📱 Follow #ARSTOT here: https://t.co/WiNr8izD6A
📲 Download the @SkySports app! pic.twitter.com/TxRY09HJ6k
40 min Reguilon is booked for a lunging tackle on Saka.
37 min: Cedric hits the post! Arsenal have hit the woodwork twice now. Smith Rowe beat Doherty again and cut the ball back towards Lacazette at the near post. He dummied the ball, which looked inexplicable as he was six yards from goal, but then Cedric appeared from nowhere to thump a shot off the outside of the post. I’m almost certain Lacazette wasn’t dummying it for Cedric, not that it would have mattered had he scored.
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35 min Lamela has form for scoring with a rabona. Today’s was slightly different, struck all along the ground, but it had the same audacious brilliance.
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Bale drove a high, hanging cross to Reguilon on the far side of the box. He cushioned a volley into Lucas Moura, who squared the ball to Lamela. He was 12 yards from goal but Moura’s pace was slightly behind him - so he improvised a beautifully struck rabona that went through the legs of Partey and sneaked in the far corner.
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GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 Spurs (Lamela 33)
Erik Lamela kicks Arsenal where it hurts, scoring with a sensational rabona!
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31 min Lamela has a little kick at David Luiz off the ball. Apparently he did the same to Xhaka when they had their contretemps a moment ago.
31 min It hasn’t been much of a game so far.
30 min “The feed I’m watching just lingered for a few seconds on Aubameyang,” says Peter Oh. “I tried to read his reaction to being left on the bench, but it was evident he was masking his feelings.”
Honk!
28 min Lamela and Xhaka exchange shoves over nothing. Mike Oliver tells them to stop acting the goat, and the game goes on.
27 min “Afternoon Rob,” says Simon Frank. “May I just point out the commentator on my dodgy feed just described Ndombele ‘trying to ride the challenge of Odegaard, and failing in that regard’?”
You’ve got to love cringeworthy lines that have clearly been produced before the game. John Motson has some belters in his pomp.
26 min Smith Rowe forces his way past Doherty, gets to the byline and cuts the ball back towards Lacazette, who slices a first-time shot across goal and out for a throw-in. That was a chance, albeit a sharp one.
25 min I can’t remember Harry Kane touching the ball. It’s not a nice question to ask about such a legend, but you have to wonder whether Harry Kane has taken Harry Kane as far as he can.
24 min It’s now being reported that, as we suspected, Aubameyang was left out because he was late today.
24 min Partey sprays well wide from distance. Jose Mourinho would doubtless point out that, for all Arsenal’s dominance, Hugo Lloris’s gloves are clean.
22 min Lamela has gone into the No10 position, since you asked, with Lucas Moura moving to the left.
21 min Spurs have had more of the game in the last 10 minutes - their possession is up from 25 per cent to 30.
20 min “The manager must have woken up on the wrong side of bed; no sane Gunner can make sense of his line-up today!” writes Dennis in Uganda. “How can he start rookie Smith with his lack of match fitness and leave out on-fire Pepe? Why self-destruct by playing Luiz and Gabriel together? Surely the composure of either Holding or Mari would have done us just fine. Xhaka has played many games and tends to have a rush of too much blood in crucial contests. He needed a rest and the playmaker Ceballos would have done well in his place. Mourinho must be licking his tongue looking at our lineup! Arsenal 0-3 Spurs. Thanks for letting me vent.”
19 min Son is replaced by Erik Lamela. That’s bad news for Spurs, as you’d expect him to be out for a few weeks. The Carabao Cup final is on 25 April.
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18 min “Surely the main debating point in this derby clash is which minute Kane will score his first goal,” says Duncan Edwards. “The 35th looks good to me, as do the 49th and 53rd.”
17 min A big blow for Spurs: it looks like Son has pulled his hamstring.
16 min: Smith Rowe hits the bar! What a gorgeous effort from a fine young player. He was found in a bit of space, 25 yards from goal, and rolled his studs over the ball before smacking a fierce shot across goal. It whistled past the flying Lloris and clattered off the bar.
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14 min Lloris comes out of hias area to intercept a through ball, then gets in a bit of a tangle and has to tackle Odegaard 40 yards from goal. Happily for him, the ball doesn’t run straight to an Arsenal player, and Lloris is back in his goal by the time Xhaka shoots over from distance.
12 min Possession so far: Arsenal 75-25 Spurs.
10 min Thomas Partey fires a superb pass into Saka, who tries to drag the ball away from the last man Alderweireld on the edge of the area. He stumbles in doing so and that gives Alderweireld ample time to clear.
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8 min Spurs enjoy their first spell of possession. Eventually Bale flicks a cross with the outside of the foot that is claimed by Leno.
5 min Lacazette has a long-range shot blocked by Ndombele, and then Tierney belts a low cross that flashes across the area.
4 min Odegaard’s free-kick is headed away by Sanchez, who also uses his noggin to clear David Luiz’s follow-up cross.
3 min Lots of early possession for Arsenal, albeit in front of the Spurs defence. Lacazette nutmegs Sanchez 30 yards from goal and is fouled.
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1 min Peep peep! Arsenal kick off from left to right.
“A mystery,” says Charles Antaki. “Is this a masterstroke of kindly pre-game misdirection action by Arteta - making sure that any loss to Spurs will be blamed on the absence of Aubameyang, so shifting attention from the usual hapless suspects?”
“Interesting match,” says Jason Graff, “between a manager who will never be loved no matter his successes and another of whom you could say the opposite.”
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Here’s Jose Mourinho
“I don’t think form matters with the emotion of a derby. It is a positive moment for both sides, so let’s hope for a good game. Without fans, maybe you don’t feel the rivalry as deeply. I believe we just have to look at the table – we look up, they are doing the same, I don’t think they are looking down.
“[Is Harry Kane 100 per cent?] Think so, think so. [Are you surprised Aubameyang isn’t playing?] No, not at all. They won at Leicester with Lacazette; they have very good players.”
Pre-match reading
That would explain it department
Mikel Arteta confirms Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been dropped for the NLD due to disciplinary issuespic.twitter.com/zsW92QhKUi
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) March 14, 2021
Arteta didn’t specify what Aubameyang has done, though Freddie Ljungberg says he thinks it could be that he turned up late for the game.
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Team news
Harry Kane is fit to start, but Arsenal have left Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the bench.
Arsenal (4-2-3-1) Leno; Cedric, David Luiz, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe; Lacazette.
Substitutes: Ryan, Bellerin, Holding, Chambers, Ceballos, Elneny, Willian, Aubameyang, Pepe.
Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-3-1) Lloris; Doherty, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Reguilon; Hojbjerg, Ndombele; Bale, Lucas Moura, Son; Kane.
Substitutes: Hart, Aurier, Davies, Winks, Lamela, Dier, Sissoko, Alli, Vinicius.
Referee Michael Oliver.
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Preamble
Hello. Jose Mourinho was hired by Spurs to win trophies – actual ones, that need a bit of soapy water and Brasso from time to time. But just for today, a metaphorical trophy would do nicely. If Spurs win at the Emirates this afternoon they will complete a league double over Arsenal for the first time since 1992-93, and lift the imaginary North London Bragging Rights Cup. It would also increase their chances of winning another metaphorical trophy by finishing in the top four and qualifying for the Champions League.
Mourinho, who has won both North London derbies since taking over, set the mood with some fruity pre-match comments. Spurs are in good form and he clearly fancies their chances. But the same is true of Arsenal and Mikel Arteta.
In truth, a game like this doesn’t need much of an introduction, and I say that not only as a transparent excuse for the kind of lazy journalism you’ve come to love and expect from the Guardian. Arsenal v Spurs is a fixture that prompts a million memories. It should create a few more this afternoon.
Kick off 4.30pm.
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