Gabriel Magalhães scored the decisive goal as Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory over Tottenham on Sunday, despite missing key midfielders Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard.
This win extends Arsenal’s dominance in the north London derby.
With Ødegaard sidelined due to an ankle injury sustained on international duty and Rice suspended following a red card against Brighton, Arsenal faced a challenging fixture at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
However, Mikel Arteta’s side rose to the occasion with a determined performance.
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The Premier League title contenders, demonstrating resilience and depth, benefited from Tottenham’s continued struggles in front of goal.
Gabriel’s header in the second half, his first goal since February, secured the win for Arsenal, marking their third victory in four league games as they pursue their first title since 2004.
Arsenal’s win at Tottenham marks their third consecutive triumph there and they have now lost just once in their last eight north London derbies, a defeat coming in May 2022.
Currently in second place, Arsenal trail Manchester City by two points. They will shift their focus to their Champions League opener against Atalanta on Thursday before facing Pep Guardiola’s side next weekend.
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The 196th north London derby highlighted Arsenal’s grit and spirit, though they also enjoyed some fortune as Tottenham squandered key opportunities.
Tottenham’s profligacy this season continued, with Ange Postecoglou’s side struggling to convert their dominance into goals.
Tottenham’s second successive defeat leaves them with only one win from their first four games, a disappointing start following their late-season collapse last term that cost them a top-four finish.
Arteta, without Rice and Ødegaard, relied on Jorginho and Gabriel Martinelli to step up. His team demonstrated the “resilience, depth, and hunger” he had called for, particularly during a dynamic start from Tottenham.
David Raya made crucial saves, including a remarkable stop from Dejan Kulusevski’s strike and another from Kulusevski’s cross.
William Saliba also played a key role, making a last-ditch tackle to deny Dominic Solanke.
Despite Tottenham’s pressure, Arsenal grew into the game and Kai Havertz’s header was superbly saved by Guglielmo Vicario, who also denied Martinelli’s curling effort.
The derby’s intensity boiled over with several aggressive challenges, leading to a melee after a tackle on Pedro Porro and a plastic bottle being thrown from the stands. By halftime, seven players had been booked, including five from Tottenham.
After the break, Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven tested Raya with a glancing header, but Arsenal delivered a decisive blow in the 64th minute.
An expertly executed set-piece saw Bukayo Saka’s corner reach Gabriel, who, despite a slight push on Cristian Romero, powered his header past Vicario from close range.
Tottenham pressed hard in the final minutes, but Arsenal held firm.
Kulusevski’s late shot went just over, and the Gunners emerged victorious, continuing their strong run in the derby.
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