Spurs let 10-man Gunners off the hook in thriller
ALEXIS Sanchez salvaged a point for 10-man Arsenal after a pulsating north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur ended in a 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane yesterday.
Aaron Ramsey’s first-half goal put Arsene Wenger’s side ahead, but the dismissal of Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin in the 55th minute shifted the game in Spurs’ favour, with Toby Alderweireld and Harry Kane putting the hosts ahead. But the visitors showed impressive determination to recover through Sanchez’s 76th-minute effort to revive their faltering title challenge. It was leaders Leicester City who were the main beneficiaries, though, with Spurs now two points behind Claudio Ranieri’s side, who faced Watford later yesterday, while the draw left Arsenal five points off the top.
In midfield Wenger introduced Mohamed Elneny for a first Premier League start, while Wenger’s frustrations at his side’s recent efforts up front prompted his decision to start with Danny Welbeck.
Tottenham had also gone into the game on the back of a defeat — the 1-0 loss at West Ham United that prevented them moving to the head of the table — but there had been no suggestion of a growing crisis at White Hart Lane.
And with Mousa Dembele and Dele Alli restored to the lineup after injury, the home side started with more confidence, quickly taking control of the game. Arsenal had offered little as an attacking force but still managed to force the lead with their first meaningful attempt on goal in the 39th minute. Welbeck benefited from a fortunate deflection that freed him down the left but the forward showed great awareness to delay his cross before picking out the run of Hector Bellerin. The rightback’s pass towards the centre of goal found Ramsey and the Wales midfielder was on hand to direct the ball past Hugo Lloris with a clever back-heel.
Wenger’s men should have found themselves two up moments later when Welbeck directed a header too close to Lloris from Sanchez’s cross. Spurs were stunned at finding themselves behind but were given a helping hand in their efforts to get back into the game when French midfielder Coquelin collected a second yellow card for an ill-judged sliding tackle on Kane after being booked for handball in the first half.
The dismissal was always like- ly to prove costly and within five minutes Tottenham were level when Alderweireld finished from close range after a corner.
Spurs were on a high and their renewed confidence was illustrated by Kane’s spectacular effort that put them ahead two minutes later. Alli worked hard to keep the ball from going out for a goal-kick before Kane picked up possession near the by-line and curled a 20-yard shot beyond Ospina from a tight angle. Arsenal’s cause seemed lost, but to their credit, they continued to pursue an equaliser despite being a man down. It came in the 76th minute when Sanchez collected Bellerin’s pass and send a shot across Lloris inside the post.
Coquelin collected a second yellow card for an illjudged sliding tackle on Kane