Jorginho blunder helps Spurs rescue derby draw at Arsenal, Liverpool cut City's lead
24th September 2023
The game ended 2-2 after Spurs twice came from behind to earn a point.
- Maddison dispossessed the careless Jorginho in midfield before teeing up Son's second goal that salvaged a 2-2 draw.
- Tottenham trailed twice courtesy of Cristian Romero's first half own goal and Bukayo Saka's penalty.
- Tottenham now sit in fourth place, above fifth placed Arsenal on goal difference.
Tottenham came from behind twice to rescue
a pulsating 2-2 draw against Arsenal thanks to Son Heung-min's double in
Sunday's north London derby.
Ange Postecoglou's side trailed to Cristian
Romero's first half own goal before South Korea forward Son hauled them level
at the Emirates Stadium.
Bukayo Saka restored Arsenal's lead with a
second half penalty, but Son capiatlized on a Jorginho error to score the second goal for goal as the
two rivals both extended their unbeaten starts to the
Premier League season.
Although Tottenham have now won just one of
their last 31 league trips to Arsenal and remain without a victory on
enemy territory since 2010, there was much to admire from Postecoglou's team.
Not only did they show impressive character
to twice hit back from Arsenal's goals, but they did it with the kind of
eye-catching play that was so rarely seen during Antonio Conte's reign.
For Arsenal, it was a frustrating afternoon
as they lost ground on leaders Manchester City, who stand four points above
them in the title race.
Arsenal tested Tottenham's mettle in a
blistering start as Saka scooped a pin-point cross to the far post, where Gabriel
Jesus' half-volley drew a fine save from Guglielmo Vicario.
If that was a well-crafted chance,
Arsenal's second opportunity came gift-wrapped by Tottenham defender Destiny
Udogie.
Udogie's woeful backpass was intercepted by
Eddie Nketiah for a fierce strike that Vicario repelled at his near post.
Arsenal's pressure was mounting and they
took the lead in the 26th minute, albeit in the most fortuitous fashion
possible.
As Tottenham's defenders backed off too
far, Saka advanced into the area and curled in a shot that took a huge
deflection off Romero's out-stretched leg as it flashed past the wrong-footed
Vicario.
Rubbing salt into Tottenham's wounds, Saka
copied James Maddison's goal celebration as the dejected midfielder trudged
back to the centre circle.
Arsenal keeper David Raya, starting his
third successive match instead of Aaron Ramsdale, made an outstanding save to
keep out Brennan Johnson's strike late in the first half.
But, with Tottenham gradually turning the
tide, Raya was guilty of misjudging a cross in the attack that led to the
visitors' 42nd minute equaliser.
After Raya weakly palmed the ball away
rather than catching it, he managed to save Johnson's effort, but Tottenham
still recycled possession to Maddison.
Exacting revenge on Saka for his earlier
taunt, Maddison adroitly evaded the winger and cut a low cross towards Son, who
deftly flicked his shot past Raya from six yards.
Arteta had to send on Jorginho for the
injured Declan Rice at half-time but Arsenal quickly regained the lead in the
54th minute.
The hapless Romero blocked Ben White's
close-range shot with his hand, conceding a penalty that referee Robert Jones
awarded after checking the pitchside monitor.
Saka calmly stroked the spot-kick past
Vicario before passing up more mockery of Maddison as he celebrated with a
gleeful knee slide this time.
Remarkably, Arsenal's advantage lasted just
seconds as Tottenham snatched a 55th minute leveller.
Maddison was the instigator again,
dispossessing the careless Jorginho in midfield before teeing up Son for a
clinical finish into the far corner.
In a dramatic finale, Son nearly won it
when he fired into the side-netting before Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhaes nodded
inches wide and Saka's drive forced a fine save from Vicario.
Tottenham now sit in fourth place, above fifth placed Arsenal on goal difference, after a hard-fought clash offered more evidence that Postecoglou has revived a club in turmoil when he arrived from Celtic in the close-season.
In another match, Liverpool cut Manchester City's lead at the top to two points as Jurgen
Klopp's men showed more promising signs of getting back to their best.
Mohamed Salah opened the scoring from the penalty spot after he was
upended in the box by Nayef Aguerd.
West Ham's only previous defeat this season came at home to City last
weekend and they bounced back to fully merit their equaliser before half-time
when Jarrod Bowen's diving header found the far corner.
However, the Hammers were undone by a moment of magic when Alexis Mac
Allister's inch-perfect chip picked out Darwin Nunez, who volleyed into the far
corner.
Diogo Jota then came off the bench to make it 3-1 five minutes from
time.
Elsewhere, Chelsea's disastrous start to Pochettino's reign goes on as the
toothless Blues failed to score for a third consecutive game.
Malo Gusto's straight red card for a lunge on Lucas Digne on the hour
mark gave the home side a mountain to climb at Stamford Bridge and Villa made their man
advantage count when Ollie Watkins' powerful strike beat Robert Sanchez from a
narrow angle.
Despite spending more than any other Premier League club in the summer
transfer window, Chelsea have taken just five points from Pochettino's first
six league games in charge.
© Agence France-Presse