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London. — Gunners go eight points clear at the top of the Premier League thanks to north London derby win 2-0 at arch-rivals courtesy of Hugo Lloris’ own goal and Martin Odegaard
Arsenal won the league at White Hart Lane. Twice, in fact. And they enjoyed it so much they are still singing the songs about 1971 and 2004. This year, they didn’t win the league but they did go eight points clear at the top. They dominated Tottenham and they made the return journey across North London with confidence soaring and belief growing that they might be champions in the making.
There were performances of great individual strength and personality throughout the team. In the first half, from captain Martin Odegaard and the Bukayo Saka, the creative sources of a two-goal lead.
There was power and control in midfield from Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka. And, when needed, there was a cluster of fabulous saves from Aaron Ramsdale and a steely determination across the defensive unit to preserve the clean sheet and deny Spurs a way back into the game.
Here, last May, their bid for the Champions League crumbled, two down and reduced to 10 men by half-time, and their mental strength was questioned when they lost at Newcastle days later, surrendering the initiative to Antonio Conte’s side. Here, last May, their bid for the Champions League crumbled, two down and reduced to 10 men by half-time, and their mental strength was questioned when they lost at Newcastle days later, surrendering the initiative to Antonio Conte’s side.
As for the Tottenham goalkeeper, he has let too many mistakes into his game. Only even minutes into the contest, he dithered with the ball at his feet and was closed down by Gabriel Martinelli, playing Clement Lenglet into trouble.
Odegaard charged down Lenglet’s attempted clearance and hooked the ball square, where it found its way through to Eddie Nketiah. Lloris was down quickly to foil Nketiah but this was a sign of things to come.
Arsenal were fresh and bubbling with energy. Spurs were sluggish, unable to find a way into the game.
Dejan Kulusevski returned to Tottenham’s front line and Richarlison was on the bench but Conte opted for the pace of Sessegnon and Pape Matar Sarr ahead of the experience of Ivan Perisic and Yves Bissouma.
Arsenal opened fearlessly, pushing their hosts back. Partey, Xhaka and Odegaard controlled midfield, where they outnumbered Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Sarr, while Spurs found it difficult to work the ball wide into areas where they might expect a numerical overload.
Partey headed over and smashed an incredible volley against a post. And Odegaard was denied once from distance by Lloris before scoring the second, in the 36th minute
Again, it was a slick Arsenal move with Partey controlling a clearance out of defence to release Saka on the right. His pass found Odegaard in space and he fizzed an accurate low shot past Lloris with his left foot from 25 yards. Odegaard became Arsenal’s first club captain to score away against Spurs in the Premier League since Patrick Vieira in 2004/05. On the touchline, Arteta was jumping for joy. In the away end, they were taunting the home fans.
Meanwhile Chelsea won 1 – 0 against Crystal Palace, Kai Havertz’s smart header hands Graham Potter and the struggling Blues a first — and much-needed — win in 2023… as they hang on at Stamford Bridge to end their dismal run in front of £88m new boy Mykhailo Mudryk
Whatever else is said about the patience of those who follow Chelsea, a sense of humour is at least surviving through these tricky times.
And so they had themselves a little sing when it finally went right for a change, which is to say Kai Havertz got a header on target and with it that rarest of things — a win under Graham Potter.
‘We are staying up,’ was the message, and perhaps that was an overstatement of their difficulties, but it has just been that kind of season. That kind of tenure.
That kind of period where if you don’t laugh you might run a good manager out of town.
Of course, with Chelsea and the two-headed beast of their injuries and form, it is premature to say with any certainty if this will be a belated start of the new chapter, or a solitary sheet of paper for their many cracks.
But a victory is a victory and the only known way of stopping the sort of grumbles that have spread with growing volume of late. As Potter put it: ‘I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t relieved.’
With a forthcoming fixture against the fading force of Liverpool followed by Fulham and West Ham, the necessity now is that this becomes part of a sustained move and not an outlier against recent trends, though a raised mood will only help with such missions.
That was assisted in part by the unveiling at half-time of Mykhailo Mudryk on a bafflingly long contract of eight and a half years.
The reception he received as he entered the pitch felt like a celebration for the arrival of the Cavlary, though it will also be noted Chelsea have never lacked for new signings. Indeed, Mudryk is their 13th in one and a half windows, which is arguably part of the problem for Potter.
Across London, Newcastle won 1-0 against Fulham, Alexander Isak comes off the bench to score an 89th-minute winner at a raucous St James’ park… after Aleksandar Mitrovic had an earlier penalty disallowed after he accidentally kicked the ball twice. Rafa Benitez, the former Newcastle manager, did not trust Aleksandar Mitrovic.
He gave away too many needless free-kicks. And here was another. Incredibly, from his own penalty.
The Serbian always was popular on Tyneside, at least among supporters.
And how they enjoyed the moment when, in the 69th minute, the Fulham striker slipped at the point of contact from 12 yards, sending the ball beyond Nick Pope but only after it had clipped his standing foot. Free-kick.
If the home fans were laughing then, they were ready to burst one minute from time when Alexander Isak headed the game’s only goal in front of the Gallowgate End.
So, a tale of two Alexanders. One great, one not so. And how they enjoyed the moment when, in the 69th minute, the Fulham striker slipped at the point of contact from 12 yards, sending the ball beyond nick pope but only after it had clipped his standing foot.
Free-kick, if the home fans were laughing then, they were ready to burst one minute from time when Alexander Isak headed the game’s only goal in front of the gallowgate end.
So, a tale of two Alexanders. One great, one not so. — Dailymailsport.
Online Reporter