KARANKA AXED BY STRUGGLING BLUES
FROM Rabona to red card, Erik Lamela went from magnificent to madness.
Lamela scored one of the greatest goals this fixture has ever seen with the most outrageous piece of skill to leave even his Tottenham team-mates holding their heads in disbelief.
But rather in keeping with the rest of his team, Lamela lost control and got himself sent off for two yellow cards in the space of five ill-disciplined, crazy, second-half minutes.
Arsenal went from 1-0 down, to 2-1 up like they used to against Tottenham back in the 1980s and ’90s – winning a madcap, brilliantly entertaining and incidentpacked North London derby.
Ultimately, it was won by Alexandre Lacazette’s secondhalf penalty.
And it was no more than the Gunners deserved as they were the better team and showed more pride and fight.
The biggest disappointment for Arsenal was the lack of fans inside the Emirates to enjoy Mikel Arteta’s first win over Tottenham since taking charge in December 2019.
Arteta took a big decision by dropping captain and top scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after he turned up late for a team meeting.
And it was as if Tottenham turned up late themselves. Jose Mourinho will be pulling his hair out after a limp display.
Spurs were left fuming at the penalty which won the game – but they were so poor in the first half an hour that it set the tone for their performance.
Tottenham were supposed to be chasing a top-four spot, with Arsenal really only playing for pride.
But that is what showed in abundance.
It was Emile Smith Rowe and Kieran Tierney down Arsenal’s left who were the driving force while Martin Odegaard had a terrific game and scored the leveller.
They showed too much for they
Tottenham and it was a precious win. Smith Rowe hit the bar early on and set up a great chance for Lacazette, who skewed horribly wide.
Tottenham lost Heung-min Son (below) to injury and on came Lamela, who provided his piece of magic in the 33rd minute with his now trademark Rabona kick. The things Lamela will do to get out of using his right foot.
Lamela, who scored a similar effort in the Europa League in 2014, somehow wrapped his left leg around his right, kicking the ball through Thomas Partey’s legs and into the far corner of the net.
It was an all-time classic from this fixture up with Liam Brady’s effort which is always shown as the best from Arsenal’s win at Tottenham in 1978 – and so outrageous that Sergio Reguilon put his hands on his head in disbelief.
Arsenal were so unlucky to be behind. Cedric Soares hit the post and then Tierney set up Odegaard for the leveller as the Norway midfielder swept home via a deflection from Toby Alderweireld.
Now it was Arsenal’s game. And their moment came after 64 minutes. Nicolas Pepe played in Lacazette, Davinson Sanchez scythed him down... but after the ball had gone.
Referee Michael Oliver gave a spot-kick, VAR did not deem it an error and Lacazette did the honours.
Then came Lamela’s two yellow cards as first he caught Partey before leaving a flailing arm on Tierney. His day ruined, he will remember it for the wrong reasons.
Tottenham actually found a second wind with 10 men and enjoyed their best period.
Harry Kane smashed a freekick against the post and the follow-up shot from Sanchez was somehow headed off the line by defender Gabriel.
But Arsenal held on and at the final whistle Arteta clenched his fists and savoured the moment.
His big decision to drop Aubameyang was fully vindicated by a huge, moraleboosting win.
SPURS have lost nine league games this season, the joint-most Jose Mourinho has ever suffered in a single campaign in his career (also nine in 2015-16 with Chelsea). SPURS have conceded seven penalties in the league this season, the most by a Mourinho team in a single campaign. ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE is the first Arsenal player to score in three consecutive home league games against Spurs since Emmanuel Adebayor in October 2008.
ERIK LAMELA became just the fifth substitute in PL history to score and be sent off in the same game, after David Lee (1993), Bobby Zamora (2007), Ivan Klasnic (2010) and Hal RobsonKanu (2017).
AITOR KARANKA has parted company with relegation-threatened Birmingham.
Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat to Bristol City sparked a boardroom inquest, and confirmation the Spaniard has left as boss is expected today. Karanka (below) insisted post match there was “no chance” he would quit.
But the club’s Far East owners are furious at City’s plight and chief executive Xuandong Ren could exit too. Ren is unpopular with fans and presided over a nine-point deduction for breaching EFL financial rules.
Blues are just three points above the drop zone, with 22nd-placed Rotherham – one spot below them – having four games in hand. Since taking over the club in 2016, Trillion Trophy Asia have parted company with Gary Rowett, Gianfranco Zola, Harry Redknapp, Steve Cotterill, Garry Monk, Pep Clotet and now Karanka.