Tottenham 1-0 Arsenal: Unstoppable Harry Kane the difference again for Spurs
Harry Kane was the match-winner as Tottenham Hotspur beat fierce rivals Arsenal to tighten their grip on qualification for next season’s Champions League.
The England striker headed home Ben Davies’ cross for his 23rd Premier League goal of the campaign, just after half-time.
Spurs deserved to win the match – and Kane perhaps should have added to his tally – although substitute Alexandre Lacazette squandered two late opportunities to snatch a point for the Gunners.
Victory moved Tottenham above Chelsea and into fourth spot in the table but crucially, their advantage over sixth-placed Arsenal now stands at seven points.
Having missed out on the top four last season, the Gunners face another uphill battle following their third successive away defeat.
Here are three talking points from an enthralling north London derby…
Dominant Spurs show their mettle
During a tricky spell of results, doubts were cast over Tottenham’s top-four credentials. They have surely now been banished.
Runs of fixtures don’t come much trickier than Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal.
Not only did Spurs come through unscathed with seven points from a possible nine, but the football they played showed they are more than a match for any Premier League team – and arguably the best suited to challenge the supremacy of Manchester City.
The margin of victory over Arsenal may have been only a single goal, but Mauricio Pochettino’s men were dominant in every department.
They peppered Petr Cech’s goal and the ingenuity and creativity of Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen perfectly complemented Kane’s ruthlessness.
Defensively, they are very sound and the depth of the squad was highlighted by the options Pochettino had on his bench.
Now nine games unbeaten, Spurs are peaking at the right time.
Arsenal’s top-four hopes suffer hammer blow
From the positivity that emerged from Arsenal’s thumping of Everton last weekend, this was a reality check.
The big trio of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan were in the starting XI once again, but they couldn’t have the influence that tore the Toffees to shreds seven days earlier.
With 11 games remaining, the Gunners are somewhat cut adrift in the race for the top four.
There is no denying this defeat was a hammer blow to their ambitions.
Arsenal missed out on Champions League qualification last season for the first time since Arsene Wenger took the reins and revolutionised the club.
Despite the investment made during the summer and in January, it looks like the same fate will befall them this campaign.
Success in the Europa League – mirroring Manchester United last season – increasingly appears to be their most likely route back into Europe’s showpiece competition.
Unstoppable Kane is the difference once again
It feels like every time Spurs win, Kane is the man they have to thank.
The 24-year-old moved to 101 Premier League goals and decided the outcome of this derby with a towering header that gave Cech no chance.
Is there no stopping this prolific goalscorer, who continues to go from strength to strength?
In truth, Kane could have walked away with a hat-trick, but his seventh goal in as many north London derbies was sufficient to claim the three points.
Kane is not just a traditional number nine – his all-round game is mightily impressive.
This was a man-of-the-match display in which he showed off all facets to his game.
From spraying 40-yard passes, holding up the ball and pulling defenders out of position, to possessing an unerring ability to find himself in space, this was a complete performance by a remarkable player.
Keeping Kane at the club could well be the biggest challenge Tottenham face this summer, if suitors come calling.
