Tottenham vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result, final score & reaction as Son and Kane punish 10-man Gunners
Tottenham 3-0 Arsenal: Follow the reaction as Spurs thump Arsenal in a crucial battle for the top four
Harry Kane struck twice as Tottenham thrashed 10-man Arsenal 3-0 following Rob Holding’s red card to boost their hopes of a top-four finish.
Antonio Conte’s side have now closed the gap on the Gunners in the Premier League to just a point with two games remaining.
Cedric Soares’ clumsy challenge on Son Heung-min handed Spurs an early gift in the shape of a penalty, with Kane calmly dispatching it into the bottom right corner.
And Holding’s elbow to Son earned him a second yellow and an early bath, with Rodrigo Bentancur’s flick-on at a corner moments later allowing Kane to crouch low and head in a second.
Kane turned provider after the restart, dragging Gabriel Magalhaes inside the box with Son stabbing home the loose ball to pull within one of Mohamed Salah in the race for the golden boot.
Follow all the reaction from the north London derby as Tottenham beat the Gunners:
North London derby ‘special’ says Conte
Antonio Conte knows that derby matches are some of the most intense games to play and describes the rivalry between Arsenal and Tottenham as ‘special’. He said:
“The derby is always a difficult game. If you play Juventus-Torino, Milan-Inter, Roma-Lazio in Italy... in London, there are many derbies, and, for sure, the rivalry with Arsenal is very high.
“It’s a special derby. You have to try to give your best from the start until the end, to be focussed, great concentration, to enjoy the game as well, but you have to know that this derby is very important for us, and for the table.”
Tottenham vs Arsenal
Spurs are unbeaten in their last seven home league games against the Gunners, their longest run since they went nine without defeat at White Hart Lane between 1960 and 1968.
The Gunners could win three consecutive North London league derbies for the first time since a run of five from 1987 to 1989.
Martin Odegaard determined to help Arsenal reach ‘big goal’ of Champions League
Martin Odegaard has been limited to the role of Champions League spectator this season – but he wants to end that by leading Arsenal to victory at Tottenham on Thursday night.
A win for the Gunners would secure a return to Europe’s elite competition after a five-year absence.
Arsenal sit four points clear of Spurs heading to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and have their top-four destiny in their own hands – even if they lose for a third time in a row in N17.
Boss Mikel Arteta has called on his players to get the job done by completing a north London derby double for the season and Odegaard admits the squad have been keeping a watching brief as some memorable Champions League nights unfolded.
Martin Odegaard determined to help Arsenal reach ‘big goal’ of Champions League
The Gunners can secure fourth place with a win against Tottenham on Thursday night
‘It’s a massive game’ says Conte
Tottenham’s Antonio Conte says that tonight’s north London derby is ‘a massive game’ and that to make it this far into the season with the hopes of a top four finish still alive is an incredible achievement. He said:
“It’s a massive game. We are talking about a game with two important teams, Tottenham and Arsenal. It will be interesting to see the way we finish this game, for sure. Arsenal, they have the same idea, for sure, to try to get points and take a place in the Champions League, and they are doing very well.
“They have worked with this coach for many years, and they are going to improve year by year. At the same time, we’re on a good path with my team.
“We’ve improved a lot. To arrive at this point with three games to go, with the possibility to fight for a big achievement, we have to be proud, and try until the end to get the best possible result.”
Arteta on meeting expectations
In a press conference yesterday Arsenal boss, Mikel Arteta, elaborated on his aims to take the team forward and what it is like to live with the pressure and expectation of managing a club like Arsenal.
“It’s about excitement and opportunity,” he said, “and when you have that in football you have to go and deliver and do it. That’s the mindset we all have.
“It’s not about the pressure, it’s about having that inner belief that tomorrow is the day and tomorrow we want to achieve what we have earned.
“When you have the opportunity to achieve one of your objectives in the season, you just cannot wait to play the game because this is a job, and the work you have done throughout the season to try to earn it.”
Tottenham vs Arsenal
Tottenham can win three successive home North London derbies in all competitions for the first time since 1980 to 1982, and in the league for only the second time. They did so between 1960 and 1961.
Arsenal meanwhile are aiming to complete their first league double over Spurs since 2013-14.
Recent results for Spurs and Arsenal
Tottenham are unbeaten in three Premier League games after a 1-0 defeat at home to Brighton on the 16th April. They’ve picked up five points in this time having beaten Leicester City at home and drawn away to Brentford and Liverpool. If Spurs can pick up three points against the Gunners tonight they’ll have relatively easy fixtures against Burnley and Norwich to come as they push for a top four spot.
Arsenal are on a four game winning streak having beaten Chelsea, Manchester United and West Ham in that run. Last time out Eddie Nketiah scored a brace inside the opening 10 minutes against Leeds and the Gunners managed to hold onto their lead and win 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium. Still to come are Newcastle and Everton which could prove to be tricky opponents so manager Mikel Arteta will want to secure fourth place with a win tonight.
Tottenham vs Arsenal: Who has the best remaining fixtures in the top four run-in?
The race to qualify for next season’s Champions League has still not been decided ahead of one of the biggest north London derby’s in recent memory.
Arsenal are in pole position and can secure a top-four spot in the Premier League table with victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday evening.
Tottenham need some sort of result to keep their hopes alive but have drastically improved since the appointment of Antonio Conte.
With Chelsea’s place appearing secure after their victory over relegation-threatened Leeds, only one remaining spot is likely to be up for grabs.
The Independent has analysed both clubs’ remaining fixtures to see where the race could be won and lost.
Tottenham vs Arsenal: Who has the best run-in in top four race?
Tottenham and Arsenal meet in a north London derby that could decide the race for next season’s Champions League
Early team news for Tottenham vs Arsenal
Matt Doherty, Sergio Reguilon, Oliver Skipp and Japhet Tanganga will all miss the game for Spurs and coach Antonio Conte is expected to name the same starting XI that earned a draw against Liverpool at Anfield.
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and defender Ben White both face fitness tests ahead of the game but could feature according to manager Mikel Arteta but Thomas Partey and Kieran Tierney are definitely out.
Arteta on Champions League qualification
Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, says that the message to his players is clear if they beat Tottenham in the north London derby tonight they’ll qualify for the Champions League. Speaking ahead of the match he said:
“The message is clear, if we win against them we are in the Champions League next season.
“You don’t need any motivation or to tell them anything more than that. The opportunity is there, we are going to play and go for it like we always do It’s how we have got into this position, and it’s how we are going to approach it.”
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