Theo Walcott takes cheeky Tottenham dig after Arsenal's 2-0 North London derby win
Former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott has taken a sly dig at Tottenham Hotspur following the Gunners’ 2-0 win in the north London derby.
Mikel Arteta’s Premier League leaders took on Antonio Conte’s top-four aspirants at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday (January 15) afternoon. The visitors put in a stunning shift against the Lilywhites, securing a comfortable 2-0 win.
Hugo Lloris’ own goal gave Arsenal the lead in the 16th minute before Gunners captain Martin Odegaard doubled his team’s advantage with a clinical strike in the 38th. Spurs came charging out in the second half, but Aaron Ramsdale held firm to secure all three points for the Premier League leaders.
Southampton right winger Walcott left the Emirates in 2018, but with his latest Instagram post, he proved that he's still a Gunner through and through. In the aftermath of his former team’s win, Walcott posted an old image of himself, in which he was gesturing 2-0 with his hands while being stretchered out.
Understandably, Arsenal fans loved the post, with many dropping comments of encouragement and lauding his commitment to the club.
Walcott spent 12 long years on the red and white side of north London. He featured in 397 games for the club across competitions between 2006 and 2018, scoring 108 goals and claiming 80 assists. He won three FA Cups and two English Super Cups during his time with the Gunners.
Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte backs Arsenal to contend for Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte showed his accepting side following Sunday’s defeat at home.
He lauded Mikel Arteta and Co. for the resilience they showed and the intensity they played with. Conte also called them a difficult team to play against, adding that they are capable of putting up a fight for the Premier League title this season.
🤫 @Arsenal
This is OUR part of London! 🔴🤫 @Arsenal https://t.co/ozVQ8Te2H6
Speaking to Sky Sports, the Tottenham boss said:
“Arsenal are a difficult opponent now - like Manchester City. Both teams are going to be title contenders, and one will win the Premier League. We played against a strong team, but I'm not disappointed with the commitment. They showed desire to come back. In the past, we did this, but the goalkeeper was really good not to concede a goal."
He continued:
“I'm sure it wasn't easy for them to play against us in dealing with the atmosphere. They showed they have a great balance and to hit at the right moments. And then to suffer also in the second half as they suffered a lot and showed resilience. When a team can do this, that means they are ready to fight to win the title.”
Thanks to their win over Tottenham and City’s defeat to Manchester United, Arsenal are eight points ahead of the second-placed Cityzens atop the Premier League summit. They'll next be in action against the Red Devils on Sunday (January 22).