We’re better equipped to win title this Season, says Arteta
Leaders’ boss warns his men to keep their feet on the ground after surviving hosts’ fightback
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IKEL ARTETA believes Arsenal’s frantic derby win at Tottenham shows they are better equipped to win the Premier League this season – but warned his players not to get carried away.
The Gunners had raced into a three-goal first-half lead at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as PierreEmile Hojbjerg’s own goal was added to by a Bukayo Saka strike and Kai Havertz header.
The hosts had seen a Micky van de Ven leveller ruled out by a marginal offside VAR call but rallied after the break, pulling one back as Cristian Romero took full advantage of a David Raya mistake before a late Son Heungmin penalty set up a grandstand finish.
Arsenal survived to complete a north London derby double for the season and ensure they would remain top of the Premier League table until at least next Saturday.
Having led the way for so long last term before being caught and passed by a Manchester City side en route to winning the treble, Arteta feels this win and the likes of a 5-0 thrashing of Chelsea in midweek, proves Arsenal have learned from the experience.
“I think so,” the Spaniard replied when asked if Arsenal are better equipped this time around. “When you win it’s always the case. Last season we didn’t because we went to West Ham and we missed a penalty and against Liverpool we conceded in the 91st minute and then you’re not capable.
“At the end the judgment is going to be based on that outcome. If they got the goal in the last minute to make it 3-3 then we say ‘wouldn’t have been ready’. The margins are so small. Don’t get carried away with yourself. We want to be better. There are margins for improvement. Go again against Bournemouth because it’s going to be really tough.”
Despite being responsible for one of Tottenham’s goals, Arteta singled out goalkeeper Raya for special praise.
“We are lucky to have the keeper we have. He made an individual error but after, the way he played was outstanding. He was magnificent.
“It was an unbelievable atmosphere. We were super-efficient, we were really organised, and we were in total control of the game. We could have scored the fourth one, but then an individual error and we concede a goal. You could feel it and it was game on.
“From there you have to dig in, manage the game and have a little bit of luck at times when you need to.
“We conceded the second one from another mistake, which is a bit unusual, and then you pray and defend your box. To win big things you have to go through these moments.”
Arteta also revealed he was hoping for divine intervention in the closing stages, adding: “I was praying. There were so many Spurs players in the box. It was a really emotional game. We had to dig in and suffer and react. I’m very pleased with the way the team has done it.”
Saka was also relieved they got over the line.
“That last 20 minutes wasn’t nice but it was worth it,” he told Sky Sports. “We know it’s a big derby and they don’t want to lose 3-0 at home.
“Once they got one the crowd was up and the momentum shifted their way, but we fought to the end and we got the three points.
“Everything was quite frantic but we showed our level heads at the end and I’m proud of everyone to get the win. We know this is a massive win for us, we’ve got three to go and we’re going to give it everything and see where it leaves us.”
Defeat for Tottenham damages their hopes of a top-four finish, with boss Ange Postecoglou left frustrated by the officiating. Dejan Kulusevski saw a penalty shout waved away just seconds before Arsenal broke and Havertz fed Saka to double the lead.
The fact a VAR intervention was then required to award Tottenham’s second-half spot-kick after Declan Rice kicked Ben Davies only added to the complaint.
“It doesn’t matter how I saw it,” said Postecoglou. “What matters is what I’ve said all along, games are not refereed in the stadium any more. They are refereed somewhere else and no one will convince me otherwise.
“It’s not even re-refereed, it’s refereed somewhere else. That’s why I don’t celebrate goals any more. I wait for somebody down the road. I just don’t think referees in the stadium any more have that authority they used to to make decisions.
“They just go ‘you know what, I’ll just wait and see what the bloke down the road thinks’. It’s a shame. I don’t like it but it’s here to stay and I’ve got to accept it like everyone else.”
Postecoglou, though, was pleased with Romero’s display – the Argentinian defender having rattled a post with a first-half header before reducing the arrears after Raya passed the ball straight to him.
“Yes, he was outstanding,” he added. “He’s a World Cup winner and I’ve just got to get some of what’s in him into some of the others.”
Postecoglou blamed the defeat on “unacceptable” defending.
“We allowed them way too easy access to our goals, they got there three or four times and scored three goals in the first half. It’s unacceptable at this level and we paid a price for it against a very good team.”
On Tottenham’s second-half fightback, Postecoglou said: “We showed resilience, we fought back. We had to because there’s no other choice.
“We couldn’t come out in the second half and not give our supporters a little bit of hope. We did that, but still very disappointing.”
A white-hot atmosphere had greeted the Gunners, which they briefly silenced when Havertz fired home after 13 minutes, but it was ruled out for offside.
It had been an even start and yet Arsenal claimed the decisive opener two minutes later. Saka’s corner to the near post was headed into his own net by the recalled Hojbjerg.
Spurs responded and thought they had equalised in the 22nd minute. Pedro Porro’s deflected effort ballooned into the path of Van de Ven, who smashed the ball past Raya, but home celebrations were cut short when the Dutch defender was adjudged to be fractionally offside by VAR Jarred Gillett.
Tottenham’s next attack ended with Kulusevski going down in the area after the slightest contact by Leandro Trossard, but referee Michael Oliver waved play on and Arsenal produced a devastating counter-attack.Havertz spotted Saka in space on the right and found the England inter-national, who cut inside and curled the ball into the bottom corner.
Things went from bad to worse in the 38th minute. Another set-piece proved Tottenham’s undoing as an inswinging corner by Rice was headed in from close range by Havertz.
But after the break, Arsenal gifted the hosts a lifeline. Romero was rewarded for being the one-man press when Raya inexplicably chipped the ball straight to the Spurs centre-back, who side-footed into the corner.
Just when the visitors appeared to have weathered the storm, Davies beat Rice to a loose ball in the Arsenal penalty area and after VAR told referee Oliver to review the incident, he pointed to the spot.
Son drilled past Raya with three minutes left but the hosts could not muster an equaliser.
I was praying. It was a really emotional game. We had to dig in and suffer and react. I’m very pleased with the way the team has done it