LONDON – Gabriel Magalhaes scored a vital header in the second half, leading Arsenal to a 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in an intense north London derby on Sunday. This win allows Arsenal to remain competitive with early Premier League leaders Manchester City.
Tottenham started strong, forcing Arsenal’s goalkeeper David Raya to make several early saves, including a crucial stop against Dejan Kulusevski’s attempt and another challenging cross from the Swedish winger.
Dominic Solanke, making his home debut for Spurs, missed a significant opportunity in the 14th minute after Arsenal lost possession in their own half, giving William Saliba time to recover and avert danger.
Despite missing key players like captain Martin Odegaard due to injury and Declan Rice due to suspension, Arsenal displayed resilience with a weakened midfield. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta acknowledged the challenges of the previous losses but praised those who stepped up in the absence of regular starters.
Arsenal eventually found their rhythm, testing Spurs’ goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario with a header from Kai Havertz as Gabriel Martinelli failed to capitalize on a promising opportunity after being set up by Leandro Trossard, instead scuffing his shot.
In a contentious moment, Jurrien Timber avoided a red card for a dangerous challenge on Pedro Porro, as the referee and VAR determined it was not a serious foul, despite the discontent from the Spurs supporters.
The second half resumed with Spurs pushing forward, but Arsenal regained control. Midway through the half, they took advantage of a corner kick, reminiscent of their previous success against Spurs in a 3-2 win last season. Gabriel managed to break free from Cristian Romero’s marking and drove a powerful header past Vicario in the 64th minute.
Arsenal then defended solidly against Tottenham’s late pressure, who struggled to create clear chances and often resorted to long-range efforts, satisfied to maintain their one-goal advantage.
This win marks Arsenal’s third consecutive victory away to Tottenham, bringing their points tally to 10 from four matches, just two behind defending champions Manchester City before facing them next Sunday at the Etihad Stadium.
Arsenal will first clash with Atalanta away in the Champions League on Thursday, hoping that Bukayo Saka, substituted late in the game, recovers in time to contribute.
Meanwhile, Tottenham, who regrettably squandered opportunities, now have four points from four matches, their lowest return at this stage since the 2015/16 season. Head coach Ange Postecoglou expressed that while they missed chances, they need to improve their effectiveness in the attacking third and acknowledged that they were ultimately punished for a lapse during a set-piece situation.