Arsenal secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Tottenham in the highly anticipated North London Derby. The match started slowly for the Gunners, largely due to the absence of key players Martin Ødegaard and Declan Rice, which had a noticeable impact on their control in midfield. Tottenham, sensing the vulnerability, created several chances through Dejan Kulusevski, Cristian Romero, and Dominic Solanke, but Arsenal’s goalkeeper David Raya was a commanding presence, making crucial saves to keep the game level.
Without their usual midfield dominance, Arsenal found themselves relying on quick counter-attacks, and both Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz came close to opening the scoring. The game itself was a tense and physical battle, with the first half marked by seven yellow cards, underscoring the high stakes and intensity of the rivalry.
As the second half progressed, the match remained evenly poised. However, it was Arsenal who eventually broke the deadlock. Bukayo Saka delivered a perfectly placed corner, allowing Gabriel Magalhães to rise above the defense and score with a powerful header, putting Arsenal ahead in what was proving to be a very tight contest.
David Raya, on his 29th birthday, was instrumental in Arsenal’s victory. He made several key saves early on to keep the score at 0-0, showing impressive focus as Tottenham launched attack after attack. His performance further justified his inclusion, once again proving his value to the team.
Ben White, however, had a challenging afternoon. Up against Tottenham’s star forward Son Heung-min, White struggled to keep up, often being beaten in one-on-one situations. He also made a few careless errors in possession, and his performance lacked the sharpness Arsenal fans have come to expect.
William Saliba experienced some difficulties when facing Dominic Solanke but, overall, put in a solid defensive shift. As usual, Saliba was composed on the ball and contributed to Arsenal’s efforts to maintain possession.
Gabriel Magalhães shone as one of the standout performers. In addition to making several critical blocks during periods when Arsenal were under pressure, he thrived in the deep defensive duties required in such a high-stakes match. His decisive contribution came when he made a strong run into the box to score the winning goal from Saka’s corner.
Jurrien Timber’s performance was filled with determination. Though there were early suggestions that he could have been sent off, Timber remained composed and showed the fight needed in a fiercely competitive derby. He rarely allowed Tottenham’s Johnson to get the better of him throughout the match.
Thomas Partey delivered a steady performance in midfield, particularly in playing out from the back. However, without Declan Rice beside him, Partey’s lack of mobility was somewhat exposed, making it harder for Arsenal to assert control in the middle of the park.
Jorginho, filling in for Rice, struggled at times, particularly when Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski turned him too easily on several occasions. Jorginho’s lack of pace and physicality was noticeable, especially when asked to press high, a task that doesn’t suit his playing style. While he did his best to contribute to the team, it was evident that he is better suited to playing as a lone defensive midfielder rather than in a more advanced role.
Bukayo Saka once again showed why he is one of Arsenal’s most important players. With either a goal or an assist in every game he’s played this season, Saka was the difference-maker in this match, delivering the inch-perfect corner that led to Gabriel’s winning goal.
Gabriel Martinelli posed a threat down the left side with his dynamic running, though his decision-making at crucial moments still leaves room for improvement. He delivered a fantastic cross to Havertz, which on another day could have resulted in an assist, but overall, he struggled to make a decisive impact.
Kai Havertz impressed with his ability to hold up the ball under pressure as Arsenal looked for ways to relieve Tottenham’s persistent attacks. He was composed on the ball in the final third and contributed to maintaining possession when the Gunners needed it most.
Leandro Trossard, meanwhile, had a quieter game than usual. He appeared a little slow on the ball at times and was not as sharp or decisive in the final third as he typically is. However, Trossard did show moments of quality during the buildup, using the ball effectively when Arsenal needed to retain possession.
In the end, Arsenal’s resilience and defensive solidity paid off, and the Gunners were able to claim an important victory in a high-pressure match against their North London rivals.