Arsenal fans produce intense Emirates atmopshere as unbeaten run takes on new significance

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James Olley2 December 2018

Arsenal came from behind to beat 10-man Tottenham in a heated north London derby as the Gunners moved ahead of their neighbours and into the Premier League top-four.

A fiery atmosphere inside the Emirates Stadium was echoed on the pitch as quickfire goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Lucas Torreira settled the contest 4-2 in favour of the hosts.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had given Arsenal the lead from the penalty spot before drawing them level after an Eric Dier header and a controversial Harry Kane spot-kick had turned the game around.

Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen, having conceded the first penalty, was dismissed in the latter stages after picking up a second booking for a foul on Lacazette.

Standard Sport's James Olley was at the Emirates to assess the key talking points...

Unbeaten run has an important addition

Arsenal are 19 games unbeaten
AFP/Getty Images

Critics of Arsenal unbeaten run highlighted the modest opposition they have largely faced but that question was emphatically answered here as they came from behind to beat Tottenham 4-2 in a pulsating north London derby. The Gunners overpowered one of their top four rivals for the first time under Unai Emery and climbed above Spurs on goal difference into fourth place, extending their form to 19 games without defeat. Wednesday’s visit to Manchester United will be another test of their resilience but they should head to Old Trafford with new-found self-belief after this.

Emirates Stadium comes alive

Arsenal fans produced an intense atmosphere
REUTERS

Derby days often made the fault lines in a divided club all the more visible towards the end of Arsene Wenger’s reign. But there were signs against Liverpool that Unai Emery’s fresh approach has helped galvanise the club and the intense atmosphere Arsenal supporters produced that night was replicated here in a north London derby to rival the very best among the 196 games played between the two. Arsenal were magnificent for 30 minutes and then undone by a one-two sucker punch during a five-minute spell in which they lost their composure. Yet they still came back in stunning fashion as Aubameyang, Lacazette and Torreira fired Arsenal to victory against a decibel backdrop not seen in these parts for some time. Emery is only in the formative stages of his work with the Gunners but overhauling the big-game atmosphere through a mixture of greater pressing and an upturn in results is a significant achievement.

Aubameyang’s clinical touch continues

Aubameyang is the Premier League's leading scorer
AFP/Getty Images

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s Sunday service is more reliable than your local church. His 10th-minute penalty makes him the Premier League’s topscorer and extended a remarkable record of scoring from his last nine shots on target in the competition. He improved that run to ten with a sumptuous second-half equaliser which left Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris rooted to the spot. Moreover, he has six goals in six appearances against Tottenham and – partly as a result of Arsenal’s Europa League engagements since his time at the club – 16 goals from 17 games played on a Sunday.

Torreira makes his presence felt

Torreira capped the win with his maiden Arsenal goal
Action Images via Reuters

Few players have improved Arsenal on their own as Lucas Torreira. He is the defensive-minded midfielder the Gunners lacked for years under Wenger, providing vital protection for the back-line while also having an eye for an early forward pass to help with Arsenal’s attacking transition. And it turns out, he has an eye for goal, too. Torreira burst into the box to fire low past Lloris in the 77th-minute and spark pandemonium among gleeful Arsenal fans revelling in a Tottenham collapse. Granit Xhaka has spoken in glowing terms about his central-midfield partner and making a difference in big games like this so early in his Gunners career is a huge positive for Emery.

Ozil’s absence raises further questions

Ozil was left out with back spasms
Action Images via Reuters

Mesut Ozil’s absence here was explained by the club as a result of back spasms he was suffering in the build-up to the game. His return date was unclear but regardless there are questions over how central Ozil will be in Emery’s thinking, especially if he perseveres with a 3-4-2-1 system. The Spaniard prioritises physicality and dynamism in the two advanced attacking midfield positions and suggested those attributes were not necessarily Ozil’s strengths when leaving him out of last weekend’s win at Bournemouth. It is the lot of a player earning £350,000-a-week that he is subjected to more scrutiny than most – sometimes unfairly – but at the very least Emery appears to be sending the message that Ozil will not receive any special treatment. If anything, this result only strengthens Emery’s hand.

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