Gabriel heads Arsenal to victory over Spurs in NLD

Gabriel Magalhaes headed Arsenal to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Tottenham in a fiery North London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Arsenal centre-back rose above Cristiano Romero to power home Bukayo Saka’s corner midway through the second half as Tottenham’s set-piece frailty proved costly again.

The goal came from one of few clear chances in a tense and dogged encounter which featured eight yellow cards, including seven in the first half, equalling a Premier League record.

Tottenham started the game strongly but couldn’t find a breakthrough as David Raya denied Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke sent a looping header just past the post.

Those first-half chances were as close as they came, bar a late, long-range effort from Kulusevski which flew narrowly over, with Arsenal, without the injured Martin Odegaard and the suspended Declan Rice, producing an outstanding defensive display, led by scorer Gabriel and his centre-back partner William Saliba.

The victory, their third in a row at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, ensures Mikel Arteta’s side remain within two points of champions Manchester City ahead of next Sunday’s blockbuster showdown at the Etihad Stadium, which is live on Sky Sports.

Ange Postecoglou’s side, meanwhile, are left with only four points from their first four Premier League games of the season, making it Tottenham’s worst start to a campaign since the 2015/16 season under Mauricio Pochettino.

Arteta lauds Arsenal’s resilience

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to Sky Sports:

“The resilience that we showed – we knew it would be a tough match and that made it easier. They create an unbelievable atmosphere. We should have done more in the first half, but we knew we were a bit threat on set plays and knew we could hurt them.

“We weren’t our best with the ball today, we did a lot of simple things wrong that didn’t allow us to have that continuity. They jump and press every single ball which makes it difficult. The way we defended was so strong.

“It’s a real compliment to the team. Any player in any area of the pitch is ready to do what a lot of people call ‘the ugly things’ and they enjoy to do that part of the game. Then you start to be a complete team to win in any context.

“I’m delighted, because the team over a season has to go over a lot of hurdles. It was difficult because we have lost a lot of important players for us. Those who waited for the chance trained and behaved in the right manner. This is the result.”

Analysis: Set-piece proves decisive

Sky Sports’ Nick Wright:

It was probably fitting that the game was decided by a set-piece. One of Arsenal’s biggest strengths remains a perplexing weakness for Postecoglou’s Spurs.

Gabriel’s header, powered home from inside the Spurs six-yard box from Saka’s inswinging delivery, was the 22nd set-piece goal Arsenal have scored in the Premier League since the start of last season, the most by any side in the division.

From Spurs’ perspective, it was the 16th set-piece goal they have conceded in the same timeframe. Even more damning is that, since the turn of the year, Postecoglou’s side have conceded 13 times from corners – the second-highest total in the division.

The writing had been on the wall, with Arsenal causing repeated problems from corners even before Gabriel made the breakthrough. A major weapon for Arteta’s side remains a fatal weakness for their north London rivals.

Three of Arsenal’s last four Premier League goals against rivals Tottenham have been from corners – the same number of corner goals they scored in the previous 88 North London derbies combined.

Redknapp: Timber lucky not to see red

One flashpoint in the first half saw Jurrien Timber only booked for a forceful challenge on Pedro Porro. Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp felt he was fortunate not to be sent off.

“It’s an unusual action because he definitely goes over the top of the ball, with his studs on it,” said Redknapp. “His foot then bounces on the ball.

“There was a tackle here last year with Curtis Jones getting sent off for tackling Yves Bissouma. It’s very similar.

“Timber is very, very lucky. Has he gone in with excessive force to do him like in the olden day? No, but he’s given the referee a decision to make.

“Other referees would have sent him off. He doesn’t need to go in like that. It’s excessive force he has gone in with, it’s an unusual action. I think he’s lucky.”

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