Tottenham v Arsenal LIVE: Result and final score as Gabriel wins fierce north London derby
Arsenal won the first north London derby of the season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Gabriel’s second-half header earned Arsenal a crucial 1-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur in a feisty north London derby on Sunday to keep pace with early Premier League leaders Manchester City.
Spurs started sharper, and David Raya was forced into early saves before Arsenal fought their way into the contest, although Jurrien Timber was perhaps fortunate to avoid a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Pedro Porro in the first half.
The game was breathless but low on quality in front of goal until Arsenal punished Spurs from a corner, Gabriel escaping from Cristian Romero and powering a header past Guglielmo Vicario from close range in the 64th minute.
Arsenal withstood some late pressure from Spurs to secure the win, which puts them on 10 points, two behind champions City ahead of their trip to the Etihad next Sunday, while Spurs have four points from four games.
Tottenham vs Arsenal LIVE
The two teams are emerging from the tunnel at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the atmosphere is electric in the capital.
We’re moments from kick-off.
Destiny Udogie is the Spurs player in front of the pre-match cameras, and he says that “it is a big game and as a derby we want to win”.
“As a derby we want to win and we hope it goes well.
“Today is important to win to build the momentum and positivity and we have to start today.
“I think I prepare well, the team prepare well and it is important for us to give our best performance and we hope it goes well.”
Havertz speaks to Sky
Kai Havertz has gone in front of the Sky Sports cameras before kick-off, and he says that Arsenal “are all pumped up”.
“We all know the history of this game and at the end it is about three points, but we want to win the game and we are going to give everything for that,” he said.
“We miss two or three players but we have a big squad and players that can competed for different positions. We have to change a bit. We hope to play fluent and we have trained a lot for that.
“It’s massive for us. It is very important that we keep on going and win games. It would be nice to kick off the week with a win and that’s why we came here and hopefully that’s what we are going to do.”
Is Tottenham vs Arsenal on TV today? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch Premier League fixture
A reminder of how you can watch today’s fixture – we’re around 20 minutes from kick-off in north London.
When is Tottenham vs Arsenal?
Tottenham vs Arsenal kicks off at 2pm BST today, Sunday 15 September, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage starting at 1pm on the latter. Subscribers will also be able to watch on NOW TV online and on the app.
Arsenal match stats
Arsenal have won nine of their last 10 away league matches, drawing the other, while keeping eight clean sheets. They have equalled their longest away winning streak of five games under Mikel Arteta.
Bukayo Saka scored home and away goals against Tottenham in the Premier League last season, and he could become the third Arsenal player to score in three consecutive north London derby appearances, after Emmanuel Adebayor and Robert Pires.
Kai Havertz has been directly involved in 18 goals in 21 Premier League appearances in 2024, scoring 11 and setting up seven.
This match has seen the most penalties awarded (26) and scored (24) in Premier League history.
Spurs match facts
Spurs could lose more than one of their opening four matches of a top-flight season for the first time since 2011-12 under Harry Redknapp.
Postecoglou’s side have lost six of their past 10 Premier League fixtures (W3, D1).
Spurs have conceded an own goal in each of their last three league meetings with the Gunners: Hugo Lloris in January 2023, Cristian Romero in September 2023 and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg last April. No team has ever put through in their own net in four consecutive Premier League meetings with an opponent.
Son Heung-min needs one goal to move into the top 20 of the all-time leading Premier League goalscorers, with 122 goals. Dwight Yorke and Raheem Sterling both have 123, and sit joint-19th on the list.
Head-to-head
There have been 195 North London derbies in all competitions – Tottenham have won 61, Arsenal have won 82, and there have been 52 draws.
The first match between the two dates back to 1896 – a 2-1 win for the team then named Woolwich Arsenal.
Arsenal won 3-2 away last season after a 2-2 draw at the Emirates, and the Gunners have won five of the lat seven meetings between the two. Spurs’ only victory in the past seven meetings was a 3-0 win at home in May 2022.
The key difference between Ange Postecoglou and Mikel Arteta that will decide the north London derby
They’re the sort of problems Mikel Arteta enjoys figuring out, even if he hates the reason he has to do it. With the Arsenal manager potentially missing his entire first-choice midfield on Sunday, he and his staff have been assessing the data on how long it would take Tottenham Hotspur to get up the pitch if the ball is lost in a certain area. They’re now conscious of the power of Ange Postecoglou’s own midfield. Those who know Arteta say this is an underappreciated aspect of his approach to football. He sees a lot of it in terms of pure maths. If space is left in one area, it’s about the speed with which the opposition can use it. The different numbers influence formation shape, down to where a midfielder sits.
They also influence numbers of a more simple kind, which may frame this north London derby. That is both managers’ approach to keeping goals out. Sunday will be last season’s best defence against one that is distinctly mid-table, a mere 29 goals conceded against a massive 61. For all the focus on midfields, this match may well come down to different interpretations of how you defend.
That difference is all the more striking since both Arteta and Postecoglou have been significantly shaped by the same broader ideology. They both apply principles of the Pep Guardiola Dutch-Spanish approach that has come to dominate modern football, and has been so fully integrated by City Football Group.
The difference between Ange Postecoglou and Mikel Arteta that will decide the derby
With Arsenal facing a midfield crisis, how does Arteta shut down Spurs’ big threat?
Mikel Arteta says Arsenal will have ‘unbelievable energy’ against Tottenham
“That game sets the tone in many moments in the season when you play those big matches, big stages, and there’s a lot at stake,” he admitted.
“It’s a very emotional game as well. When you are able to perform, able to deliver and win those games, it’s a huge boost, we know that and that’s why we’re going to try so hard.
“We have certain limitations that we know about. There are certain things that we cannot control and what happened in the last two weeks is extremely unlucky. We have to face it, but hopefully during the season it will be very different.
“I want to have the energy, the enthusiasm for the next day, the next game and prepare that in the best possible way and that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to go to Spurs with unbelievable energy and believe that we’re going to go there to be ourselves and try to win the game.” said Arteta.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments