Tottenham 2-3 Arsenal: Player ratings as Gunners hold off Spurs fightback in derby thriller
FROM TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM — Arsenal moved four points clear at the top of the Premier League with a nervy 3-2 win at north London rivals Tottenham.
The Gunners raced into a three-goal lead before the break having weathered an early Spurs storm, but Ange Postecoglou's men rallied in the second half and came bitterly close to claiming an unlikely point.
Second-place Manchester City play later on Sunday and can reduce the gap on Arsenal back to one point with victory at Nottingham Forest, but it's job done for Mikel Arteta's side for now, clearing the hardest of their final hurdles to end the season.
Arsenal had the ball in the net after 13 minutes through Kai Havertz, but the flag went up for offside against Martin Odegaard in the build up.
But a couple of minutes later, the visitors took the lead from a corner. Bukayo Saka's delivery towards the near post was headed into his own net by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Soon after falling behind, Tottenham hit the post through Cristian Romero, whose header from a few yards out following a James Maddison corner could only find the upright.
On 22 minutes, Spurs thought they were level. Arsenal's clearance from a corner fell to Pedro Porro, who fired into a crowded box and the ball fell kindly for Micky van de Ven to sweep in beyond David Raya. However, after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was ruled out for the most marginal of offsides against the Dutchman.
Instead, Arsenal then went two up. Spurs were denied two penalty appeals at one end before the Gunners went down the other and scored, with Havertz picking out Saka with a wonderful ball over the top, and the winger cut inside Ben Davies before slotting home.
Before the break, Arsenal made it three, with Havertz getting in on the act,
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