Unai Emery's magic, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's unstoppable run and more: 5 things we learned from Arsenal vs Spurs

A feisty north London derby went the way of the hosts at the Emirates Stadium

Aubameyang scored twice as Arsenal rallied to beat Spurs (Getty Images)

Arsenal's second-half rally saw them beat arch rivals Tottenham 4-2 in a thoroughly entertaining north London derby at the Emirates Stadium.

Unai Emery's side came from 2-1 down to beat Spurs with second-half goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Lucas Torreira icing the fixture after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's second of the day had levelled things up.

Each side had a penalty given by Mike Dean, with Aubameyang converting his for the game's opener before Eric Dier equalised out of the blue with a glancing header.

Harry Kane then converted from the spot after Son Heung-Min went down in the box, handing Spurs a 2-1 lead at the break that they'd barely deserved and, in the end, failed to hold on to.

Here is what we learned....

1. This derby is not lacking in passion

People may complain about the Premier League sanitising football but it's certainly not killed the feisty nature of this north London derby, something that became apparent from early on and continued to spark throughout this engrossing fixture.

The biggest flashpoint came when Eric Dier celebrated his equalising header in the first half, with a brawl breaking out among Arsenal subs, Spurs players and then pretty much anyone else within 60 yards of the incident. Matteo Guendouzi ran fully 50 yards to add his thoughts to what was a heated discussion.

When Spurs were awarded a controversial penalty minutes later things got fiery again, with Moussa Sissoko and Shkodran Mustafi the unlikely beef-merchants.

Both teams have sparkly new stadiums (well, nearly) and have risen into the realms of the superclubs over the past decade or so but it was refreshing to see that it hasn't detracted from the passion that the fans feel, and that the players - even those with no prior link to the club - feel it too. Jan Vertonghen's red card might have come more from frustration than fire but it secured the customary dismissal you associate with these games.

2. Leno got Bernd on Spurs equaliser

Bernd Leno could have done better (AFP/Getty Images)

Arsenal's goalkeeping situation has been a point of discussion all season long and it may resurface after Bernd Leno's disappointing efforts to keep out Dier's header.

It's beyond a cliché to say that keepers should never be beaten at their near post, but Leno's inability to keep the ball out even after getting to Dier's glancing nod were fairly pathetic.

In the end it wouldn't cost his team but it'll give the coaching staff food for thought.

3. Ramsey shows he will be missed

There will be life after Aaron Ramsey at Arsenal, but the Welshman showed here exactly what the Gunners will be missing when he departs for free at the end of the season.

Trailing 2-1 at half-time, Unai Emery turned to Ramsey, who had started this derby as a substitute, having fallen so far down the pecking order in recent times that he actually started the mid-week Europa League fare against Vorskla in a team largely made up of reserve players.

And it was a typical Ramsey run, surging from midfield to break the Tottenham lines, which set up Arsenal's equaliser, as he squared for Aubameyang to finish precisely in the bottom corner. He pinched the ball to create Lacazette's clincher, too, albeit with a less than perfect pass.

Ramsey has now registered six assists this season, more than any other Premier League player. Here it was hard to know whether he was driven by the desire to beat Arsenal's fierce rivals or by the opportunity to put himself in the shop window with January approaching – perhaps a bit of both – but his cameo proved just how difficult he will be to replace.

4. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is unstoppable - the stats say so too

Aubameyang's brace was key in the victory (Action Images via Reuters)

Aubameyang scored twice for Arsenal - tucking away a penalty and then curling one home from the edge of the box - to underline how much his quality has improved the Gunners.

Alexandre Lacazette is a fine striker but the Gabon international has proven to be on a higher plane as a goalscorer. He didn't come cheap but his addition has been crucial in giving Arsenal more cutting edge and as he doubled his tally for the day, a remarkable stat emerged.

Aubameyang - or his shots, at least - have been literally unstoppable since the end of August. Every time he has found the target since then in the league, he has ended up finding the back of the net too and that is a huge upgrade for an Arsenal side that for so long lamented the imprecision and unpredictability of Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck.

5. Unai Emery's Arsenal are a good team

Arsenal are unbeaten since the second weekend of the season (Arsenal FC via Getty)

Because of a quirky fixture list in which Arsenal came up against two big-six rivals to start Emery's reign, it has been hard to truly measure how much progress Arsenal have made under their new Spanish coach. After those defeats to Manchester City and Chelsea they've not lost again.

Obviously the extended undefeated run and more visibly solid displays are not in doubt but to see the Gunners - so often limp in these clashes during the late-Wenger period - out-fight, out-play and out-think Spurs here was significant.

Emery in particular deserves praise for his match-winning substitutions and Arsenal can now be considered a contender for a Champions League place again. It won't be easy, but they clearly have a coach who has made them better and can lead them to wins against some of the Premier League's best. That in itself is a welcome return for Arsenal fans - especially when its the team they hate the most.