Arsenal rekindle title fight after Trossard completes comeback against Spurs | first division

Arsenal could feel the heat. Consecutive defeats at home in the national cups had seen to that. One of them has taken them to the brink of elimination in the Carabao Cup, before the second leg of the semi-finals in Newcastle. The other on penalties against Manchester United in the FA Cup was terminal.

Mikel Arteta's team could also sense an opportunity. Liverpool's draw at Nottingham Forest had seen to that. And then the equation became quite clear. Manage the occasion against the team you love to hate the most. And win to be four points behind Liverpool at the top, even though they have played one more game.

There would be a problem when Tottenham, whose recent first division The form is a disgrace, came forward through the captain, Son Heung-min. What a tonic it was for them, and for him, as he negotiates a personally difficult season.

But the general momentum of things was that Arsenal stuck out their chests and won. They would take control with a devastating double before the break. First they forced an own goal from Dominic Solanke off a corner; number 27 in the league since the start of last season, tenth of the current campaign. And then Leandro Trossard found a way through the hands of Antonin Kinsky; A nightmare moment for the new Spurs goalkeeper.

The Spurs simply didn't do enough in the second half; They barely threatened the path to another league defeat: their sixth in nine games. Ange Postecoglou continues explaining them. Arsenal look up.

It was quite a scene before the start of the match, the fireworks exploded and the Arsenal support displayed a giant tifo: London is red. The home team attacked the Spurs from the first whistle, refusing to give them an inch, forcing very high turnovers. And win corners and fouls in wide areas. Kinsky was subjected to a demanding initial test.

For the Spurs, it was about weathering the early storm. They had to risk their bodies. Arsenal's intensity was truly spectacular. Spurs wanted to build from the back, as always, but it was difficult to connect their movements up and out. Kinsky had a couple of dangerous moments with the ball, Kai Havertz robbed him on one occasion before the goalkeeper pounced on him.

The first 22 minutes were all Arsenal; The Spurs barely crossed the halfway point. And yet, when they did, the game would change. The visitors left their mark strongly. First, Djed Spence almost found Dominic Solanke with a cross from outside the goal; Gabriel Magalhães made a crucial intervention. From the corner, when Dejan Kulusevski beat Declan Rice, he had a clear chance to shoot. David Raya made a good block.

When Spurs won another corner, they took advantage. Arsenal could only half clear the edge of the area where Son was lurking and did well to keep the volley down. His fortune would be diverted by William Saliba, which was too much for Raya.

What had Arsenal clearly created during the first half of the first half? Only Rice's touch for Trossard, which led to a brave intervention by Radu Dragusin. The crowd was feeling nervous as halftime approached. Raheem Sterling, a surprise pick ahead of Gabriel Martinelli, couldn't get anything done. Spence had her number.

Then he turned again, just as abruptly. It was a corner for Arsenal, of course it was; Controversially awarded because the last touch seemed to have been Trossard's and not Pedro Porro's. As Rice stooped, Magalhães jumped with Dragusin beyond the far post, the ball appearing to come off the Spurs defender before moving away from Solanke and in.

Arsenal completed the comeback before half-time when Thomas Partey stole from Yves Bissouma and got Arsenal ahead through Martin Ødegaard. It was another quick transition. Ødegaard went at Trossard, who fired low into the far corner, which Kinsky appeared to have blocked. He lowered his arm and crossed it at the same time. The ball simply bounced and went over the top. Kinsky buried his face in the grass. He knew it.

Postecoglou shuffled his creative options for the second half; a rare luxury given their current selection crisis. They were just the nine players who were not available here. James Maddison and Brennan Johnson entered; Dejan Kulusevski entered from the right. Arteta had been left without six players, the most painful missing being Bukayo Saka, who was here, leaning on his crutches. Thomas Tuchel, England's new manager, was another interested spectator. Myles Lewis-Skelly for the problematic left-back position?

Arsenal continued to press after the restart. Havertz came close with a header off a corner kick and directed another straight at Kinsky, although the offside flag was raised. There was a flash from Sterling, who never threatened to amount to anything, and a touch and then a kick in the air from Trossard. As long as the ball was in Spurs' court, the Arsenal crowd could breathe easy.

Kinsky was one of four Spurs starters age 22 or younger; These players are learning in an incredibly pressured situation. He got into trouble with a heavy touch just after the hour mark before getting out of trouble with a Cruyff-style move. It's called personality.

The Spurs couldn't get it done in the second period; Solanke had a shot blocked and Porro went close from a tight angle late on, but it was Arsenal who had the better chances. Rice hit Kinsky directly while Ødegaard went a little wide of the post when he was gloriously placed.