Arsenal clinch crucial 3-2 victory in North London derby against Spurs

Arsenal secured a potentially season-defining 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in a thrilling North London Derby.

The Gunners dominated the first half, racing to a 3-0 lead with a Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg own goal, a Bukayo Saka strike, and a Kai Havertz header. However, a series of errors threatened to undo their good work.

A David Raya howler in the 64th minute gifted Cristian Romero a goal for Spurs, followed by a Heung-Min Son penalty in the 87th minute. Despite the late pressure, Arsenal held on for a crucial win.

This victory temporarily put Arsenal four points clear at the top of the table, but Manchester City responded with a win later that day, closing the gap to a single point with a game in hand.

For Tottenham, the defeat compounded their struggles. They now sit seven points adrift of the Champions League qualification spots.

While Arsenal celebrated, Spurs will rue missed opportunities. Cristian Romero’s header against the post and a disallowed goal by Micky Van de Ven due to offside could have altered the course of the match. Two penalty shouts in quick succession, for Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison, were also denied, adding to Tottenham’s frustration. Arsenal capitalized on these moments of Spurs misfortune with a devastating counter-attack finished by Saka