Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Arsenal
Now, that was dramatic!
A point apiece in the Premier League North London derby, as well as a missed (or saved) penalty and a sending-off – and the latter two, were in stoppage time alone!
Juventus-bound Aaron Ramsey had given the Gunners a first-half lead before Harry Kane continued his superb record in this fixture with a leveller from the spot.
These were just more Premier League 2019 highlights between these two arch-rivals, and the Premier League 2019 betting odds on who will claim a top-four finish gets no easier to predict for SBOBET fans.
Highlights of the game
Whether it is true or not, the mood in the home camp would not have been helped with the claim before kick-off that skipper Kane is said to be considering his future at the club.
Spurs were desperate to return to winning ways on the back of consecutive Premier League defeats to Burnley and Chelsea, while Arsenal had the incentive of knowing victory would keep them in fourth position and move them within a point of their neighbours.
After Alexander Lacazette scuffed wide early on, Arsenal made the breakthrough as the ball went from one box to the other very quickly.
Arsenal cleared as Kane took an extra touch before shaping to shoot, Davinson Sanchez misjudged his header, and Lacazette released Ramsey who raced clear from the halfway line and expertly rounded Hugo Lloris before rolling the ball into an empty net.
At this stage, Unai Emery’s team may have sensed weakness in the home ranks and came close to a second when Alex Iwobi cut inside in from the left, ghosted past Kieran Trippier, and Lloris pushed away his shot.
It took a superb double save from the ever-improving Bernd Leno just before the break to keep them in front.
Christian Eriksen was denied from Kane’s cross, and the German then intervened to keep out Moussa Sissoko after the grounded keeper managed to throw out his left hand to divert the ball to safety.
Spurs, vying to register three consecutive top-flight home wins against Arsenal for the first time since 1961, had to improve but were nearly further behind shortly after the restart when Iwobi played in the unmarked Nacho Monreal whose cutback was fired wide by the waiting Lacazette.
It was Spurs’ chance to go close moments later when Toby Alderweireld lashed a volley into the side netting from Eriksen’s free-kick.
There were 17 minutes remaining when Eriksen tried to find Kane with a free-kick, but Shkodran Mustafi bundled over the England striker and he made no mistake from the resulting penalty.
Replays later showed Kane was marginally offside when Eriksen’s free-kick was played into the danger zone.
As if that was not controversial enough, 90 minutes were on the clock when substitute Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang went down in the box under pressure from Sanchez and referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot.
However, the drama wasn’t over as Lloris, at fault for at least one of the goals Spurs conceded in midweek, redeemed himself by pushing away Aubameyang’s spot-kick.
It was also worth noting that Jan Vertonghen put in an incredible challenge to block Aubameyang’s follow-up.
As Spurs aim for a fourth consecutive top-four finish, it was clear that on fine margins can crucial league positions be determined.
After that, there was still time for Lucas Torreira to be shown a red card as he slid late into Danny Rose.
So, all square in the third meeting between the two clubs this term.
Spurs won at the Emirates in December in the League Cup, a modicum of consolation after they threw away a two-goal lead weeks earlier when Arsenal won a thriller.
Aubameyang was the hero on that day when Vertonghen was sent off. Perhaps this time it was a role reversal.
Key statistics
Kane (nine) is now the outright leading scorer in Premier League north London derbies, overtaking Emmanuel Adebayor who scored eight.
Arsenal’s only away league victory in this fixture in the past 11 attempts came in March 2014.
This ended Spurs’ Premier League record of 32 consecutive fixtures without a draw which stretched back to April last year. It was the longest top-flight run since Portsmouth’s 38-game streak in 1928-29.
Mauricio Pochettino has never lost a Premier League home game against Arsenal, winning three and drawing three.
Arsenal are winless in 22 Premier League away fixtures against other established top-six teams since beating Manchester City 2-0 in January 2015 (drawn eight, lost 14).
They are the only club not to have kept a Premier League away clean sheet in 2018-19.
What’s next?
It’s all away days now for Spurs for the rest of the month.
They travel to Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday with a healthy advantage in the second leg of their Champions League tie.
It’s then a trip to the south coast next weekend to face Southampton in the Premier League and, after a free week followed by a break for internationals, visit Anfield on March 31 to take on league leaders Liverpool.
Arsenal have a more hectic schedule over the next 12 days.
They now meet Rennes, midtable in Ligue 1, twice in a week in the Europa League with another big Premier League clash, against Manchester United, in between.
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