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First-half goals from Son Heung-Min and Harry Kane were enough for Tottenham Hotspur to claim a 2-0 win over local rivals Arsenal as Jose Mourinho’s men reclaimed the top spot in the 2020-21 Premier League table.
The hosts’ clinical counter-attacking display saw them take the lead in the 13th minute with Son running on to a pass from Kane before unleashing a curling effort from 30 yards out that gave a diving Bernd Leno no chance in the Arsenal goal.
The South Korean then turned provider just before half time, slipping the ball through for Kane to smash home from close range to finish off another counter-attack, dashing Arsenal’s hopes of making a comeback as the visitors had just started to enjoy a sustained spell of possession in the opposition half.
Although Arsenal gave a much better account of themselves after the break, the damage had already been done, as Hugo Lloris was never unduly troubled and the home side remained a threat on the counter.
The 2-0 win sees Jose Mourinho’s men return to the summit of the Premier League table in style, with the victory made all the sweeter by a vociferous crowd of 2,000 socially-distanced fans that Spurs were able to welcome into the stadium.
On that note, let’s take a look at the hits and flops as Spurs claim the spoils in the latest edition of the North London derby.
#5 Hit: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
While most of the headlines surrounding Spurs have centered around their dazzling array of attackers, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has quietly become one of the most effective midfield enforcers in the Premier League.
Having established himself as a tough-tackling, ball-winning midfielder during his time in Germany and in England at Southampton, Hojbjerg showed exactly why Jose Mourinho was keen to bring him in by putting in an excellent display in the heart of the Spurs midfield.
Since his arrival, Hojbjerg has wasted no time in striking up an excellent partnership with Moussa Sissoko, one which gives Spurs a solid platform from which the likes of Son and Kane can launch a series of potent attacks.
The Danish international not just tenacious and dogged in his tackling but also extremely alert in his positioning, enabling him to win possession back for his side on a number of occasions, halting numerous Arsenal attacking moves in the process.
Notably, Hojbjerg was also one of the most vocal players on the pitch, constantly marshaling his teammates and ensuring that his side maintained their shape on and off the ball, another reason for Spurs’ success on the night and in the season in general.
#4 Flop: Alexandre Lacazette
Having lost out on the center-forward spot to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in recent fixtures, Lacazette was rewarded by Mikel Arteta for his excellent goal in midweek for Arsenal with a return to the starting lineup in the Premier League.
Unfortunately for Arsenal, Lacazette was unable to find his goal-scoring touch and had a largely unenjoyable time leading the line as he was effectively marked out of the game by Toby Alderweireld and Eric Dier.
The Frenchman’s struggles up top were further compounded by a lack of service to him from his teammates, resulting in him having to drop deeper and deeper to pick up the ball and have an impact on the proceedings.
As such, when Lacazette got on the ball, it was mostly in and around the halfway line, with little movement in and around him. In fact, one could argue that he contributed more defensively, nipping in at vital moments to stop a few possible Spurs counter-attacks.
His defensive contributions notwithstanding, Arteta and Arsenal would be justified in expecting more by way of goalscoring from one of their star attackers, something that the side as a whole has been lacking of late.
#3 Hit: Son Heung-Min
Since his arrival from Germany, Son has established himself as one of the Premier League’s most potent attackers, using his electric pace and excellent shooting ability to great effect during his time with Spurs.
Under Jose Mourinho, the South Korean’s strike partnership with Harry Kane has hit new heights, with the duo having combined to breach the opposition defense on a number of occasions already this season.
The same partnership was in effect in this game as well, with Son opening the scoring in spectacular fashion early on before returning the favor for Kane to double his side’s lead just before half time.
Son was a threat for Arsenal throughout, showcasing his seemingly inexhaustible energy and spatial awareness by constantly running at the visitors’ defense from all angles, cleverly popping up on the wing and in the middle as he drew defenders this way and that.
#2 Flop: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
After being in the running for the Golden Boot last season, Aubameyang was handed a new contract by his side ahead of the current season, with a view to recreating his goalscoring heroics for a few more years to come.
Unfortunately for the Gunners, their talismanic attacker has struggled to find his shooting boots this season and once again looked far from threatening against Spurs.
Having had a run of games being played through the middle for Arsenal, Aubameyang was once again moved out to the left wing to accommodate Alexandre Lacazette, where he was well-marshaled by Serge Aurier throughout.
Even a change in formation that saw him move inside in the second half could not bring about a change in fortunes, with the Arsenal skipper struggling to get into goal scoring positions.
Like with Lacazette, Arsenal will be looking to Aubameyang to step up and provide goals in a much more consistent fashion if Arsenal are to oversee an improvement in what has been an underwhelming Premier League season thus far.
#1 Hit: Harry Kane
If there was ever any doubt remaining as to whether Harry Kane would go down as a bona fide Spurs legend, it was expelled in an excellent first-half display that saw him become the all-time leading goal scorer in North London derbies.
Having claimed the assist for Son’s opener, Kane scored on the stroke of half time to double his side’s lead, notching up his 11th goal against his side’s bitter London rivals, the 250th of his career, en route to helping Spurs register another impressive win.
In addition to the goal and the assist, Kane found enough time to show off his defensive capabilities as well, regularly popping up with clearing headers in his own box as Arsenal sent in a series of hopeful crosses in an effort to mount a comeback.
While all is going according to plan for Jose Mourinho’s men, the hope will be that both Son and Kane are able to avoid long-term injuries this season, something that the pair have been susceptible to in the past.
If Mourinho is able to call upon a fully fit Harry Kane throughout the season, there can be no denying that Spurs will be one of the biggest challengers for Liverpool’s Premier League crown this time around.
