Premier League

Player ratings as Gunners ease to derby win

Player ratings as Gunners ease to derby win

From Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – Arsenal moved eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a 2-0 win at Tottenham in the north London derby.

The Gunners picked up their first ever win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to extend their advantage atop the standings and pile further misery on Antonio Conte and Spurs.

Arsenal squandered a great chance to take a seventh-minute lead when Hugo Lloris and Clement Lenglet failed to clear when a move from the back went awry, allowing Eddie Nketiah a sight at goal, but the Spurs skipper redeemed himself with a fine save.

Mikel Arteta’s men didn’t have to wait too much longer to go in front, however. Bukayo Saka managed to isolate himself against Ryan Sessegnon, and he fired at Lloris’ near post from the byline, with the ball somehow inexplicably squirming through the goalkeeper and in.

Spurs looked to quickly bounce back and Sessegnon cleverly managed to pick out a neat reverse pass to Son Heung-min, only for Aaron Ramsdale to sprawl at his feet and deny him.

An Arsenal counter left Martin Odegaard free to take aim from 20 yards, with Lloris diving to his left to keep his fellow captain out.

A rocket from Thomas Partey crashed against the post as the home crowd began to grow restless only midway into the first half.

Spurs failed to read the warning signs as Odegaard’s strike from distance found the bottom corner and Arsenal doubled their lead.

Towards of the first half, a cross from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was nodded on by Harry Kane, but Ramsdale got down low to keep the header out.

From the resulting corner, Spurs were seemingly awarded a penalty when Hojbjerg’s leg was caught in the act of lashing a half-volley wide, only for the referee to reverse his decision and blow for half-time again.

On the other side of the break, Dejan Kulusevski managed to weave his way onto Gabriel’s weaker side, but his shot sailed over the top of the bar.

The Swede was finally finding his feet as he swivelled away from Granit Xhaka and set Kane racing away, only to be denied a fine goal by Ramsdale again.

Spurs’ onslaught continued as Sessegnon was next to force Ramsdale into a great save after being released by an unselfish Kane.

A cross-cum-shot from Kulusevski whistled past the post as Tottenham’s spirited second half went on without reward, while Cristian Romero somehow didn’t pick up a second booking when a flying challenge through Xhaka went unpunished.

Nketiah twice had shots from close range kept out by Lloris, while…

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