Harry Kane’s towering header was the difference at rainy Wembley.
Updated
Sat 10 Feb 2018 09.29 EST
First published on Sat 10 Feb 2018 06.26 EST
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FULL TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Arsenal
That’s that! The whistle blows, and Tottenham Hotspur are deserved winners of the 195th north London derby thanks to Harry Kane’s towering header! A livid Wilshere tries to lock horns with a smiling Lamela, but the two are pulled apart quickly enough, and everyone soon departs for a hot bath after 90 rain-soaked minutes. It wasn’t much of a first half, but Spurs were by some distance the better team in the second, even if Arsenal had a couple of chances to snatch something right at the end. Tottenham go into third place, seven points clear of their bitter rivals, who stay stuck in sixth. A top-four finish for Arsenal isn’t a pipe dream yet - it’s still only February - but they’ll need to keep going in the Europa League, just in case.
90 min +5: A long ball by Arsenal. Welbeck brings it down to the left of the D. Dembele hangs out a leg. Welbeck doesn’t need asking twice. He goes over it. Free kick. Ozil takes, but blasts it straight into the wall! Arsenal have had their chances to equalise in injury time, but that is surely that!
90 min +3: Arsenal so nearly snatch a draw! Iwobi, from deep, slides a pass down the inside-right for Lacazette, who zips past a confused Sanchez and into the box. He enters the area and beats Lloris with his low shot, but the ball squeaks past the left-hand post and out for a goal kick! What a chance that was!
90 min +2: Space for Aubameyang out on the left. He’s got Lacazette and Welbeck in the box, but slices his cross behind for a goal kick.
90 min +1: Bellerin romps down the right and loops long. The ball’s dropping perfectly for Lacazette, in the box to the left of goal, 12 yards out. A great chance, but he balloons a dreadful volley over the bar. Not the easiest chance, but not the hardest to get at least on target for a striker of his quality.
90 min: There will be four added minutes.
89 min: Lamela is set free down the inside-left channel by a simple long ball from Davies. He looked offside, but there’s no flag, and he’s clear in the box! But from a tight angle, he drags his shot across the face of goal. Spurs have wasted some chances since going ahead.
88 min: It’s still pelting down at Wembley. Ozil tries to set Monreal away into space down the left, but the ball skids off the turf and out for a goal kick.
86 min: Arsenal are really going for it now: Welbeck comes on for Xhaka. And then Aubameyang wins a corner for the Gunners down the left. A rare chance to worry Spurs. But Trippier heads the set piece clear. Wilshere tries to release Welbeck by returning the ball down the left; sadly for the visitors, Welbeck can’t sort his feet out to trap, and the pass trundles through to Lloris.
85 min: Before it can be taken, Alli is replaced by Wanyama. Alli doesn’t rush off, making his sweet way in the professional style. The corner comes to nothing.
84 min: Kane bothers Monreal down the Spurs right, and earns a corner he had no right to win.
82 min: Ozil drops deep and slips a pass down the left for Aubameyang, who opens his legs and tears goalwards. The flag goes up again, and this time there’s absolutely no debate: he’s offside.
80 min: Some space for Lacazette down the right. He’s flagged for offside, having been far too eager. He shakes his head sadly. Arsenal will fall seven points behind Tottenham if they fail to get it together in the next ten minutes or so.
79 min: Lamela is booked for a clip on Wilshere’s ankles. He looks incensed at the decision, but the referee had little choice: it was a clumsy sliding tackle, and late.
77 min: A little bit of possession in the middle of the park for Arsenal. It steadies the ship - Spurs aren’t attacking - but time’s not on their side. They need to step it up a bit, and quickly.
75 min: Arsenal are doing nothing up front, despite all their attackers. Spurs are the only ones who look like scoring. Eriksen dances down the left. He scoops a cross to the far post, where Tripper is racing in at speed. He meets the ball ten yards out, and batters a fine shot goalwards. But while Cech’s kicking has left a lot to be desired, he’s making some fine saves, and here’s another. He’s keeping Arsenal in this, almost single-handedly.
73 min: The resulting corner comes to nought. Mustafi has been booked, meanwhile, for bothering Vertonghen in the physical style.
72 min: Lamela dances down the right and shoots from a tight angle. Cech does very well to turn it around the post. How many chances are Spurs going to turn down? Having said that, the Arsenal goal is leading a very charmed life right now.
71 min: Cech really needs to get rid of the clown boots he’s recently started wearing. He pings a pass to his right, intended for Mustafi. It goes straight to Alli, who very nearly takes it under control. Not quite: the ball breaks out for a goal kick. And then Arsenal overplay in defence again, Lamela picking up possession and releasing Alli down the middle with a clever flick. Alli nips it past the advancing Cech, but the ball bounces wide right of the empty net.
70 min: Alli sashays in from the right and rolls a pass towards Son on the left-hand edge of the Arsenal D. Son looks to curl one into the top right, a first-time effort. It’s wild, wide, high, and his last input into today’s story. He’s replaced by Lamela.
68 min: And now a reminder that, for all Tottenham’s dominance, there’s still only one goal in it. Wilshere takes a touch on the edge of the Spurs D, and turning to his left, swishes a magnificent shot towards the top left. Lloris gets behind it, saving wonderfully. Great football all round.
67 min: Kane sends a pass towards Son down the left. Son can’t take the ball with him as he tears down the channel. Had he managed to do so, Arsenal were in a heap of trouble.
65 min: Wenger rolls the dice. Iwobi and Lacazette come on; Elneny and Mkhitaryan make way. Arsenal are going for it. Lacazette’s first act is to be caught offside while fiddling with his socks!
64 min: Xhaka clears the corner. But Arsenal can’t continue like this. It’s attack versus defence at the moment.
63 min: Cech punches the corner clear, then catches the ball as Eriksen sends it in the box once more. Arsenal are holding on a little here. They’ve done nothing of note since the break. And it looks like there’s movement on the bench. But first, another Spurs corner, this time from the right.
62 min: Eriksen takes. Son, at the near post, tries to back-flick an effort into the bottom left. Spurs make do with the corner.
61 min: Arsenal desperately need something. A top-four finish is increasingly looking like a pipe dream. They can’t afford to fall seven points behind Spurs, who are moving into third spot this afternoon if they can keep a hold of their lead. Out on the Spurs left, Mustafi clips Alli to the ground. A pointless foul, as Alli was going nowhere. And it’s a chance for the home side to load the box.
59 min: Apparently Wenger was claiming Kane fouled Koscielny as he Nat Lofthoused that header into the net. But replays suggest it was a fair aerial battle. Wembley is bursting with noise, incidentally. The home fans are enjoying this.
57 min: Eriksen curls powerfully over the Arsenal wall and towards the top left. It’s heading in, so that’s a fine save by Cech, who fingertips over at full stretch. The corner from the left is sent deep, and Vertonghen heads wide right from close range. Chance.
56 min: Son is brought down to the left of the D by a hectic lunge from Bellerin. This is a dangerous free kick in Eriksen Country.
54 min: The corner is no use. But Spurs have come out for the second half flying. They’ve enjoyed 72% possession since the goal.
53 min: Mkhitaryan is flagged offside down the Arsenal left. Spurs take the free kick quickly, and storm up the other end. Tripper makes himself space down the right, and scoops a cross into the middle. On the edge of the box: Mr Harry Kane, who meets the dropping ball with a screeching volley. It’s straight at Cech, who parries well. The rebound nearly falls for Son, but Spurs will have to make do with a corner.
51 min: And it’s nearly two. Dier loops in from the right. Kane, on the penalty spot, heads down towards the bottom left. It’s inches wide! He should have scored, if we’re being harsh. But the header for the goal was so good, Spurs fans will forgive him everything.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Arsenal (Kane 49)
This is really simple. Davies romps down the left and curls in. Kane, on the penalty spot, rises above Koscielny and plants a header past a flat-footed Cech and into the bottom left. But what a cross. And what a header! Perfectly placed. Cech had no chance. Majestic.
48 min: Cech, the ball at his feet, drops a shoulder and very nearly replicates his Swansea mistake. Kane very nearly nicks the ball off him, but Cech somehow gets out of the pocket and hacks clear.
46 min: Spurs like to start quickly - just ask Manchester United - and they nearly catch Arsenal cold here. Alli should probably shoot from the edge of the box - he’s got time and space - but opts to slip the ball left for Son, with a snoozing Arsenal light at the back. Bellerin gets over to hassle Son, though, and the chance to work Cech is gone.
And we’re off again! According to the good folk of BT Sport, there’s only been one goalless draw in the last 46 matches between these two sides. So here’s hoping. Spurs get the second half underway.
Live action in lieu of football:
HALF TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Arsenal
And that’s that for a half in which Aubameyang was harshly flagged offside when through on goal, and Kane missed a very good chance. Otherwise, not a great deal to report. Never mind, there’s another 45 minutes to come!
44 min: Dembele comes through the back of Wilshere. But lightly, and gets away with it. A free kick in the midfield, nothing more, though you’ve seen yellow cards awarded.
42 min: Mustafi rakes a long ball down the right, in the hope of releasing Ozil towards the penalty area. Cech gathers. This half is petering out.
40 min: Bellerin has a dig from 25 yards on the right. Not quite. But it’s worth a shot. The keepers haven’t had much to do.
39 min: Ozil, dribbling down the inside right, scoops left for Monreal, who looks for Aubameyang in the middle. But his cross is cut out by Sanchez, who miscues his clearance but somehow gets the ball back to Lloris in the end.
38 min: Mustafi tries to hoick the ball upfield along the Arsenal right, but only manages to handle it. Free kick, and a chance for Tottenham to load the box. Eriksen curls it into the mixer. Mustafi makes good by winning the clearing header, and Kane had roamed offside anyway.
37 min: Eriksen tries to release Son down the left, but his pass along the channel skims off the turf and flies out for a goal kick. It’s becoming that sort of game.