Depleted Arsenal heeded Mikel Arteta’s name to face up and show their title credentials with a steely 1-0 win at their fiercest rivals Tottenham, writes OLIVER HOLT

Most had stated it was a chance for Tottenham. That they had argued that, with Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice, their inspiration and their soul, out with damage and suspension, that Mikel Arteta’s aspect would by no means be extra weak. This North London derby was Spurs’ second.

However Arteta had disagreed. He had stated the sport represented a chance for Arsenal, a chance to show they may beat their fiercest rivals though they have been depleted, a chance to eschew the temptation to make excuses, a chance to face up.

Arsenal heeded Arteta’s name. They survived a busy, untidy first half when it felt they have been generally outperformed in central midfield they usually have been grateful to Spurs’ incapability to take a few wonderful probabilities that have been introduced to them.

After which, within the sixty fourth minute, Gabriel rose highest at a nook to move firmly previous Guglielmo Vicario and the sport was received. Spurs huffed and puffed for the remainder of the second half however they by no means regarded like getting an equaliser. North London, as soon as once more, was crimson.

The victory moved Arteta’s aspect to second within the desk and put behind them the hiccup of their draw with Brighton a fortnight in the past when Rice had been despatched off for a second yellow card he earned when delaying the restart.

Extra relevantly, it felt like an necessary restatement of their title credentials. They know from bitter expertise there will be no excuses and a naked minimal of dropped factors, whether or not that be at dwelling to Leicester Metropolis or away to Spurs, if they’re to have a prayer of dethroning Manchester Metropolis.

That was their mantra on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. No excuses. They didn’t search any and they didn’t want any. They may not fairly have been in a position to name themselves the higher staff as a result of there was not a lot to decide on between the 2. However Arsenal received and that was all that mattered. They received and now they need to preserve successful.

This win was additionally a morale-boosting triumph for the power of their squad. Jorginho and Gabriel Martinelli got here in for Rice and Odegaard and performed their half in offering the inspiration for the victory. Gabriel and William Saliba have been the very best gamers on the pitch.

It’s too quickly to speak about Ange Postecoglou being underneath any actual stress at Spurs although they’ve solely received one among their opening 4 video games. Their summer time signing Dominic Solanke missed their finest probability within the first half however they didn’t play badly. They’re adequate and bold sufficient that outcomes will begin to come.

Spurs had made a promising begin. Solanke, again after damage, used a run from Heung-Min Son as a decoy earlier than advancing down the left and passing the ball to the Spurs skipper. Son’s cut-back discovered Dejan Kulusevski and his shot was saved by David Raya.

Spurs ought to have taken the lead when their relentless excessive press compelled the Arsenal defence into what ought to have been a pricey mistake. Arsenal tried to cross their manner out from the again however when the ball was deflected into the trail of Solanke with solely Raya to beat, he hesitated and allowed time for a saving sort out.

Quickly after, Saliba was booked for delaying the restart after an Arsenal foul. After what befell Rice a fortnight in the past, you may need thought Arsenal would have discovered that lesson by now.

Progressively, Arsenal started to realize a foothold within the recreation. Vicario flung himself headlong to his left to push out a strong header from Kai Havertz and if Martinelli had squared a cross to Bukayo Saka as a substitute of making an attempt to attain himself a couple of minutes later, the guests would have been forward.

The sport flowed quick and fluently now. Son ran at Ben White and slipped a cross to James Maddison. Maddison curled it to the again put up the place Solanke compelled himself in entrance of his marker and looped a header throughout purpose that fell agonisingly huge.

Jurrien Timber was booked for a foul on Pedro Porro and Porro’s hysterical response helped create a melee that noticed Vicario cautioned for making an attempt to actual a type of retribution. It raised the temperature of an already febrile event.

There have been no targets earlier than half-time however there have been extra bookings. Micky van de Ven and Kulusevski have been cautioned in fast succession to convey the overall to seven, a Premier League report for the primary half. Postecoglou staggered round in his technical space together with his head in his arms as if he couldn’t imagine it.

The sport grew extra attritional after the break. There was even a breather within the bookings. Raya tried to repeat Manchester Metropolis’s ways on Saturday by bypassing the press with an extended ball up entrance. Metropolis had Erling Haaland to intention at however Raya may solely select Saka, who was marked by Van de Ven. It was no contest.

Saka quickly discovered one other strategy to make his mark. He curled in a nook halfway via the half that was hit with tempo into the six-yard-box. Gabriel shoved Romero because the ball was in flight after which rose unchallenged to energy his header previous Vicario from shut vary.

Arsenal have now scored 23 targets from set items because the begin of final season within the Premier League, probably the most of any aspect, and it had felt for a lot of the match as if it will be determined that manner right here, too.

Raheem Sterling got here on for Martinelli ten minutes from the top to make his Arsenal debut and remind everybody watching that Arsenal have made a latest behavior of constructing sensible signings to bolster their title problem.

This was a victory for the collective, the type of win that can add momentum and metal to a problem to a Metropolis staff that isn’t but exhibiting any indicators of cracking. That was why Arsenal’s win right here in enemy territory, and the steely method of it, was so necessary.