Hating Arsenal & ‘fragile foundations’

FROM TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM – Never before in the Premier League era has a set of home fans wanted their team to lose.

Tottenham knew that if they took anything off Manchester City then it would all but secure a first Premier League title in 20 years for rivals Arsenal.

The feeling among Spurs supporters was not universal that they actively preferred their side not to emerge victorious, but they were unanimous in their hatred of the Gunners. Most, therefore, were at least open-minded about a City win.

Leading to the game, Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou was fiercely critical of the notion that fans would actively root against their own team. He was proven wrong.

The first chants of the night were anti-Arsenal. For the first five minutes, they barely stopped. And then Spurs showed some promise.

That extra spark of ingenuity that was present in the first few months of the Postecoglou era but went AWOL thereafter suddenly returned. Maybe it was the sense that this was a free hit and the pressure was off, maybe City’s own game matched up perfectly with their style – Spurs did cause them some headaches in a 3-3 draw at the Etihad Stadium in December, after all.

Rodrigo Bentancur stung the palms of Ederson early on and suddenly it was tangible – Tottenham could help Arsenal.

Down the other end, a brain-fart from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg gifted an opening to Phil Foden, whose only blemish of the night was not converting the resulting volley.

After being so effusive in their hatred of Arsenal, Spurs fans didn’t know what to do now. The atmosphere became flatter, but not to the point where it completely died. Murmurs and rumblings filled the air, like the background sounds you pick up when watching matches on non-native broadcasts. White noise against a murky backdrop.

Tottenham conceded early in the first half, and the curiosity of what home supporters would do ended. Few actively cheered – some presumed fans in the home end were removed by stewards – but there was not a sense of anger or anguish. When Spurs won a corner, the ‘come on you Spurs’ cries were not wholehearted. When a player misstepped, the only angry person in the stadium was Postecoglou.

The chants continued. ‘Stand up if you hate Arsenal’. ‘F***ing hate Arsenal’. ‘Are you watching Arsenal?’

With 85 minutes on the clock, the season’s biggest sliding-doors moment arrived. Manuel Akanji dawdled. Brennan Johnson pounced. Son…