Arsenal 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur: Hits and flops as Gunners claim bragging rights in North London Derby | Premier League 2021-22
Arsenal’s resurgence continues to gather momentum as the Gunners defeated local rivals Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Victory in the North London Derby also sees Arsenal leapfrog Spurs in the Premier League table for the first time this season.
The north London derby goes to Arsenal, with their 3rd successive #PL victory
#ARSTOT https://t.co/jGbKaijde2
The first half showcased two completely contrasting performances, resulting in the hosts going three goals to the good with barely half an hour played. Arsenal were innovative in their build-up and ruthless in front of goal, leaving Spurs shell-shocked and entirely bereft of ideas. Emile Smith Rowe, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bukayo Saka scored within 22 minutes of each other to send the delighted home fans to dreamland.
Having knocked the wind out of Spurs in the first half, Arsenal seemed to take their foot off the gas in the second. As such, the second half served up a more even contest, with Son Heung-Min pulling a goal back for the visitors in the 79th minute. But that was as close as Spurs got to making a comeback into the game as Arsenal held firm to secure the win.
2020 - Arsenal will end today above Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League table for the first time since October 25th 2020. Superiority. https://t.co/Lw5tYv6epQ
On that note, here are the hits and flops from a thoroughly entertaining game.
#1 Hit: Bukayo Saka
While all of Arsenal’s attackers looked virtually unplayable on the night, Saka was perhaps the pick of the bunch. The youngster showcased delightful trickery as well as a calm mind to dazzle a sub-par Spurs defense and wow the watching fans.
Bukayo Saka's game by numbers against Tottenham:
54 touches
14 duels contested
6 recoveries
3 chances created
3 tackles
2 fouls won
2 shots
2 shots on target
1 clearance
1 interception
1 goal
1 assist
Bringing the heat. 🌶 https://t.co/fEv7sNt2XQ
From the quick footwork that set up Arsenal’s opener to the excellent tenacity that saw him score their third, Saka’s performance had the lot. He was a real handful for Sergio Reguilon from start to finish, with the Spurs left-back struggling to contain the Arsenal winger.
#2 Flop: Harry Kane
The wait for his first league goal of the season goes on for Kane, who endured yet another frustrating outing. Largely starved of service, Kane was restricted to speculative long-range efforts as the Arsenal defense succeeded in keeping him quiet.
Chances that would normally fly into the net for Kane went wide or were blocked, further highlighting his struggles in front of goal. As such, Nuno Espirito Santo will be hoping that his star striker finds his shooting boots sooner rather than later.