Arsenal fight back for derby win
Gunners come out tops in six-goal thriller
A FURIOUS second-half comeback gave Arsenal a 4-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur in an exciting north London derby yesterday.
Goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Lucas Torreira after the break were the difference in a game in which both sides held the lead.
Arsenal are now unbeaten in 19 games in all competitions and move above Tottenham into fourth in the Premier League on goal difference.
“At half-time we were confident,” Aubameyang, who scored twice, told Sky Sports.
“We knew would could do it in the second half, come back, and we did it.”
Arsenal came out flying at the Emirates Stadium and went in front in the 10th minute thanks to Aubameyang’s penalty after Jan Vertonghen’s handball.
Tottenham then stunned the Gunners twice in a four-minute span to take the lead before half-time.
Eric Dier equalized by heading Christian Eriksen’s free-kick between keeper Bernd Leno and the post.
Tempers flared after as Dier ran over to celebrate in front of the home fans, provoking a skirmish with Arsenal players warming up in the area.
Spurs struck again moments later with Harry Kane’s penalty after Rob Holding needlessly took down Son Heung Min.
Lacazette and Aaron Ramsey came on to start the second half and the latter set up Aubameyang to equalize with a curling shot in the 56th minute.
The two substitutes then combined to put the Gunners in front as Ramsey took the ball from Juan Foyth and played in Lacazette, whose shot from outside the area deflected in off Dier.
Torreira then delivered the knockout blow by firing a shot past Hugo Lloris into the far corner.
Vertonghen’s day then got worse as he was sent off for a second yellow card after a lunging challenge on Lacazette with five minutes left.
Manchester City extended their Premier League lead on Saturday while another lacklustre performance dropped Manchester United further behind their neighbours.
City beat Bournemouth 3-1 to go five points clear of Liverpool, who host Everton on Sunday.
Bernardo Silva, Raheem Sterling and Ilkay Guendogan scored for the champions, who had to work for their sixth straight league win.
“People think it’s easy for us but that is not the truth so I like to win in this way,” manager Pep Guardiola told the BBC.
“Sometimes it happens. It is a lesson we have to learn, how to win when we are tired.” | DPA