SPURS SUPERSTAR’S SEVENTH GOAL IN SEVEN GAMES AGAINST THE GUNNERS LEAVES WENGER ADMITTING FOURTH SPOT MAY BE SLIPPING AWAY

HARRY KANE must hold a grudge against Arsenal – well, they did release him when he was eight!

Sixteen years later, the Tottenham goal machine is still making them pay.

His winner yesterday was his seventh goal in as many Premier League appearances against the Gunners.

It gave Spurs a deserved victory and moved them seven points ahead of Arsenal, who for once failed to deliver at Wembley.

The Gunners had won their previous nine matches at the national stadium, which this season is Tottenham’s temporary home.

Yesterday, it housed the biggest crowd in Premier League history – 83,222.

After his 101st Premier League goal, England striker Kane said: “These North London derbies get me up – I look forward to them.

“It’s always nice to score. I had a few headers, but one went in. We had a few clear-cut chances and should have finished it off.

“It was a nervy finish but we’ll take 1-0. We’ve just had to play Manchester United, Liverpool away and Arsenal and knew it was going to be a difficult period.

“But we’ve taken seven points from those matches. That’s what we needed and we’ve moved up to third in the table.”

Arsenal went into the 195th North London derby – in all competitions – without Aaron Ramsey, their hat-trick hero in the 5-1 win against Everton. The Wales midfielder was sidelined by a groin injury.

And the only player who threatened to have a scoring touch in the opening quarter of the match was another Gunner – and that was at the wrong end!

Shkodran Mustafi almost diverted the ball into his own net but Arsenal keeper Petr Cech rescued his team mate with a save.

Cech’s next stop was comfortable – a catch from a Christian Eriksen header, which looked like looping over the Gunners stopper.

But as Spurs stepped up the pace, chances were created – and squandered.

Kane headed over from a good position following a delivery from the left by Eriksen.

Then Eric Dier mis-kicked from close range after another fluffed effort – from Mousa Dembele – broke to the England midfielder.

The first half was littered with misplaced passes as both teams looked edgy.

Arsenal did not have a shot of note until the 40th minute, when right-back Hector Bellerin was a shade too high with an effort which at least demonstrated some enterprise.

But Spurs made a positive start to the second half and broke through in the 49th minute through Kane. Who else?

Ben Davies produced a fine cross from the left and the striker climbed highest to head down and in to the corner of the net.

Within another five minutes, Kane could have completed a hat-trick. He glanced a header wide from a Dier cross, then Cech beat out a powerfully struck effort.

The Gunners goalkeeper also saved superbly from a beautifully hit Eriksen free kick.

Dominant Tottenham then had a succession of chances to kill off the game but a combination of poor finishing and fine goalkeeping by Cech kept Arsenal in the hunt.

Dele Alli stabbed wide when in the clear and Cech denied substitute Erik Lamela and Kieran Trippier.

The Gunners rarely threatened, but at least Jack Wilshere pressed Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris into a save.

In the closing minutes, two subs had chances.

But Lamela could only shoot across the face of the goal for Spurs then Alexandre Lacazette hit a volley high over the bar for Arsenal, to the obvious frustration of manager Arsene Wenger.

And there was more agony for the Gunners boss when, with seconds left, Lacazette again failed to hit the target from a very promising position.

But an equaliser would have been more than Arsenal deserved. The result saw Wenger concede it is looking difficult for Arsenal to now qualify for the Champions League through a top-four finish.

Yesterday’s defeat left them seven points behind Spurs, who are now third. Arsenal remain in sixth place and Wenger said: “We couldn’t afford to lose this match. “It makes reaching the top four much more difficult. But we have to fight while there is a mathematical chance.”

It could be that Arsenal have to do what Manchester United did last season and qualify for the Champions League through winning the Europa League. Wenger added: “We lost to a goal scored by a super striker in Harry Kane – one of the best in the world.

“But our away record is very poor.

“The game, though, should have been finished at half-time but we missed our opportunities on the counter. “We were really destabilised by their goal but we should have come back to 1-1.

“If you don’t take chances that come along in games like this then you are going to suffer.”