Sunday February 26, 2012 Day 26 Finished Emirates Stadium

Arsenal 5 - 2 Tottenham Hotspur

  • Sagna 40’
  • van Persie 43’
  • Rosický 51’
  • Walcott 65’, 68’
  • Saha 4’
  • Adebayor 34’ (pen.)

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  1. Arsenal hit five in derby triumph

    Arsenal hit five in derby triumph

    Arsenal staged a remarkable fightback to beat Tottenham 5-2 in a dramatic North London derby at the Emirates. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Arsenal
    • Tottenham Hotspur
    • - Don't forget you can watch highlights of this match, along with every Premier League game, from 00:01 on Monday morning (UK only).
    • 90+3' FULL-TIME! Arsenal stage a remarkable fightback to beat Tottenham 5-2 in a dramatic North London derby at the Emirates. The victory takes Arsenal back into fourth, seven points behind Harry Redknapp's side whose slim title hopes were dealt a potentially fatal blow as they trail leaders Manchester City by 10 points.
    • 90+2' Admist the European and FA Cup disappointments, it should not be forgotten that this will be Arsenal's third consecutive League win.
    • 90' Three minutes of added time to be played.
    • 89' Sagna looks to put some extra icing on the cake but his drive is over the top.
    • 88' Gervinho on for the impressive Benayoun.
    • 87' And that means Parker will miss next week's big home game against Manchester United.
    • 86' Spurs' misery is compounded as Parker is dismissed. A second yellow for a late tackle on Vermaelen.
    • 84' Some oles from the home fans now, a stark contrast to the mood after 35 minutes.
    • 82' Michael Dawson is on for King.
    • 81' Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain replaces Walcott who receives a standing ovation.
    • 80' Arteta finds Van Persie in the penalty area but the Dutchman treads on the ball.
    • 79' The last win by three goals or more in a North London derby was in October 2009 when Arsenal won 3-0 at home.
    • 78' Parker tries his luck from distance but over the top.
    • 77' Adebayor has a sight of goal but a key toe from Koscielny means only a corner.
    • 76' Rosicky has been superb in the second-half, he exchanges passes with Walcott and curls the ball marginally past the far post.
    • 75' Carl Jenkinson is on for Gibbs.
    • 73' Holes everywhere and Van Persie can run at King and Kaboul but he dallies too long and the chance is lost.
    • 72' Spurs have lost their shape somewhat with Sandro almost playing as a support striker.
    • 70' Another Spurs corner and Sandro's shot is well held by Szczesny.
    • 69' A shellshocked Spurs win their second corner but Arsenal smuggle clear.
    • 68' The last time Spurs lost a Premier League match after leading by 2+ goals was away to Burnley on 9 May 2010 (4-2).
    • 67' GOAL! And now it is 5-2. A superb chip over the top by Song, Kaboul is looking for offside and Walcott is clear on goal and he finishes confidently and emphatically.
    • 66' Walcott scores his 22nd Premier League goal for Arsenal.
    • 65' GOAL! It is 4-2 to Arsenal, incredible. A classic counter-attack and van Persie holds off Kaboul and King and squares to Walcott whose first touch is terrible but his second is delightful as he dinks the ball over Friedel and into the net.
    • 63' Benoit Assou-Ekotto gets to the by-line but his teasing cross is headed clear.
    • 62' Modric has already been booked and is treading a tightrope after a cynical trip on Arteta.
    • 61' And now Sandro is booked for a foul on van Persie.
    • 60' Sandro and Arteta have a little confrontation after a clumsy foul by the Brazilian sub.
    • 59' This could be the first time this season a team wins after trailing by 2+ goals. The last time it happened was in Wigan Athletic - West Ham United (15 May 2011) 3-2.
    • 58' Arsenal have had 13 attempts on goal, Spurs six.
    • 57' Rosicky finds Walcott down the inside right channel and he scampers clear but his drive is narrowly past the far post.
    • 56' The ball falls to Van Persie in the penalty area but this time his shot with the wonder left-foot from an acute angle is high, wide and not very handsome.
    • 55' That was Rosicky's first Premier League goal since January 2010 when he scored at the Emirates against WBA.
    • 54' Kaboul finds space at the corner but takes too long to get the ball under control and a decent shooting chance is spurned.
    • 53' Spurs have been slow out of the blocks in the second-half but Bale wins a corner.
    • 52' Arsenal have never come back and taken a point against Spurs in a North London derby in the Premier League after being two goals or more down.
    • 51' GOAL! Rosicky gives Arsenal the lead! The Czech feeds Sagna, who has made a great overlapping run, and the Czech continues his run and deftly flicks the cross over Friedel from close range.
    • 50' Walker hurt an ankle in training on Friday and is hobbling badly after being caught by Benayoun.
    • 49' Another great save by Friedel. Arteta finds Benayoun in space in the penalty area, the Israeli looks to steer the ball into the far corner but the American dives full length and gets a fingertip to the ball that pushes it past the post.
    • 48' Gibbs beats Walker and gets to the by-line but his cross is cut out.
    • 47' Harry Redknapp looking to tighten up things in midfield where he will play a tight three with Sandro, Parker and Modric with van der Vaart and Bale on either flank in support of Adebayor.
    • 46' Double change for Tottenham with Sandro and Rafael van der Vaart on for Kranjcar and Saha.
    • 45+3' The end of a frenetic opening half. Spurs have scored two scrappy goals, one controversially so, but Arsenal have replied and Van Persie could have had four in the opening 45 minutes. 2-2 game on!
    • 45+1' Walker almost gifts the ball to Walcott in his own penalty area. Some of the defending from both sides has been little short of shambolic.
    • 45' Adebayor needs treatment and a predictably hostile reception from the home fans.
    • 44' What a game we have here!
    • 43' GOAL!! Arsenal back on level terms thanks to a wonderful strike from Robin van Persie. The Dutch maestro picks up the ball on the edge of the penalty area, buys himself a yard of space when surrounded by white shirts and then curls a delightful shot past Friedel with that wand of a left foot.
    • 42' Arteta booked for a foul on Bale.
    • 41' Just Sagna's third Premier League goal.
    • 40' GOAL!! Arsenal back in it nd it is Bacary Sagna who meets Mikel Arteta's cross and plants a precise header past Friedel. The Gunners kept the ball alive after hitting the woodwork and the full-back caught Bale napping with a well-timed run.
    • 39' Van Persie hits the post! A neat flick from Walcott and the captain's shot from 12 yards hits the outside of the far post with Friedel beaten.
    • 38' Harry Redknapp has asked a steward to have an abusive fan removed from the stadium after a comment to the Spurs manager.
    • 37' Szczesny gets down low to his right to smother Bale's shot.
    • 36' More pathetic decision making from Walcott who races clear down the right and with not a Spurs player in sight opts to play an early pass to Van Persie who is surrounded by four white shirts.
    • 34' Referee Dean has somewhat second guessed himself, having given the penalty - that he shouldn't -not to send off, or even book, Szczesny is somewhat inconsistent.
    • 33' GOAL! Adebayor calmly slots away the penalty in the left corner, past Szczesny's dive and the Togo striker simply turns his back to the Arsenal fans as he is mobbed by his team-mates.
    • 32' A great pass from Modric and Bale is through on goal. The Welshman goes down and Dean awards a penalty. But replays indicate there was no contact as the flying winger went over Szczesny's outstretched hand.
    • 31' Laurent Koscielny booked for clumsily bumping into Kranjcar. He was off-balance, not sure how much the Frenchman knew about it.
    • 30' Arteta's free-kick is charged down by Parker and an acrobatic clearance from Modric.
    • 29' Van Persie goes down on the edge of the area and Parker is booked for the clumsy lunge. Modric also cautioned for kicking the ball away.
    • 28' Spurs deal with the corner. Arsenal winning the corner count 3-0.
    • 27' Sagna's cross is met by Yossi Benayoun at the back post but his header loops off Walker and goes for a corner.
    • 25' Saha’s goal was in the fourth minute, the fastest Tottenham goal in this fixture in the PL era together with Darren Anderton’s goal on November 8, 2003 at Highbury.
    • 24' Arsenal exposed again at the back. 3 on 3 and Vermaelen does just enough to limit Adebayor to a poke at goal which Szczesny smothers but the ball falls to Walker whose fierce drive is just over the bar.
    • 23' A decent response from Arsenal who have now had three decent chances.
    • 22' Rosicky meets Van Persie's corner at the near post with a flicked header but a superb one handed save from Brad Friedel. The veteran American custodian palming the ball over the bar.
    • 21' Another moment of quality from Van Persie who lets Sagna's throw-in run across him which buys him a yard and his 20-yard shot deflects off Kaboul and goes just wide.
    • 20' Ledley King is playing his 16th North London derby, more than than any other current player. He has won only twice.
    • 19' Walcott's pass is too strong for the marauding Bacary Sagna. Ineffective thus far.
    • 18' Another probing run and cross from Bale but Kranjcar's header loops over the bar.
    • 16' Adebayor celebrates his 28th birthday today. If he scores he will be the first player to score on his birthday this season.
    • 15' Van Persie spurns a great chance to equalise. He takes down a ball from the right and his intial shot on the turn strikes Younes Kaboul but it falls nicely for the Dutchman but he pokes wide with his weaker right foot from 10 yards.
    • 14' Arsenal almost caught napping by a quick free-kick, some chaotic defending ends with Alex Song eventually clearing.
    • 13' Walker's dangerous cross from the right is dealt with by Vermaelen.
    • 12' Modric swings over a free-kick which Szczesny fails to deal with but the Gunners smuggle the ball clear.
    • 11' Arsenal have come from behind to win this fixture on three occasions in the Premier League era but only once at home. In November 2003 they went 1-0 down to a Darren Anderton goal before Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg scored the goals to win it.
    • 10' Better from Arsenal and another penalty appeal but the ball clearly bounces off the chest of Scott Parker after Rosicky's shot is blocked by King.
    • 9' Robin van Persie wins Arsenal's first corner which Tomas Rosicky unintentionally flicks away from goal at the near post.
    • 8' Theo Walcott's reverse ball is cut out and then Kieran Gibbs goes down, looking for a penalty, but nothing from Mr Dean.
    • 7' Saha's goal was his third in as many League matches for Tottenham.
    • 6' Great cross by Gareth Bale and Adebayor meets it at the near post but his header, under pressure from Vermaelen, goes wide.
    • 5' GOAL! Tottenham break at pace and Louis Saha gives the visitors the lead. Arsenal wide open at the back and Adebayor finds Saha whose shot deflects off Vermaelen and leaves Wojciech Szczesny wrong footed.
    • 4' Spurs are dominating early possession.
    • 3' Niko Kranjcar bursts into the area but a slightly heavy touch and Thomas Vermaelen makes an important tackle in his own area.
    • 2' Benoit Assou-Ekotto swings over an early free-kick into the Arsenal box but it is headed clear.
    • 1' And Spurs kick-off!
    • 13:25 Today's referee is Mike Dean from The Wirral as the teams prepare to come out.
    • 13:20 Adebayor was plucked from obscurity at Monaco by Wenger in 2006 but has endured a poor relationship with the Gunners since leaving to join Manchester City in a multi-million pound move two-and-a-half years ago. The Togo striker - who joined Spurs on loan from City following a spell at Real Madrid - was the target of abuse during the first meeting between the sides at White Hart Lane in October.
    • 13:15 Arsene Wenger has urged Arsenal fans to show respect towards former striker Emmanuel Adebayor who is 28 today. He said: "We want to respect everybody. Respect Tottenham players on Sunday and we want our players and supporters to be respected as well."
    • 13:10 Rafael van der Vaart is only on the bench after struggling with a calf problem this week. Benoit Assou-Ekotto (groin) and Luka Modric (illness) return after missing last week's FA Cup game. Ledley King (knee) is fit to captain the side but William Gallas (calf) and Tom Huddlestone (ankle) are long-term absentees.
    • 13:05 Arsenal defenders Laurent Koscielny (knee) and Kieran Gibbs (groin) have won their fitness races. Midfielder Aaron Ramsey (ankle), defender Francis Coquelin (hamstring) and centre-half Sebastien Squillaci (groin) are all sidelined while centre-back Per Mertesacker (ankle), full-back Andre Santos (ankle) and midfielders Abou Diaby (hamstring) and Jack Wilshere (ankle) are long-term absentees.
    • 13:00 TEAMS: Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Song, Arteta, Walcott, Rosicky, Benayoun, van Persie. Subs: Fabianski, Park, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jenkinson, Gervinho, Chamakh, Miquel /// Tottenham: Friedel, Walker, Kaboul, King, Assou-Ekotto, Kranjcar, Parker, Modric, Bale, Adebayor, Saha. Subs: Cudicini, Lennon, Van der Vaart, Defoe, Dawson, Rose, Sandro
    • 12:55 In today's programme, Robin van Persie has confirmed that contract talks with Arsenal are on hold until the summer. The in-form Holland international, 28, has been the subject of recent speculation linking him with a move away from the Emirates Stadium with his current deal expiring in 2013. "There's nothing complicated or sinister - the club and I have both agreed to speak at the end of the season and see how things stand. The boss, Ivan Gazidis and I are all comfortable with it," he said.
    • 12:50 Third-placed Tottenham Hotspur can stay in the title race and move 13 points clear of local rivals Arsenal with a win at The Emirates.
    • 12:45 Good afternoon. I'm Lee Walker and welcome to live coverage of the North London derby. Follow all the action here and feel free to leave me messages in the commments box below or on Twitter: @Lee_Eurosport

  • Summary

    • 86' Spurs' misery is compounded as Parker is dismissed. A second yellow for a late tackle on Vermaelen.
    • 67' GOAL! And now it is 5-2. A superb chip over the top by Song, Kaboul is looking for offside and Walcott is clear on goal and he finishes confidently and emphatically.
    • 65' GOAL! It is 4-2 to Arsenal, incredible. A classic counter-attack and van Persie holds off Kaboul and King and squares to Walcott whose first touch is terrible but his second is delightful as he dinks the ball over Friedel and into the net.
    • 57' Rosicky finds Walcott down the inside right channel and he scampers clear but his drive is narrowly past the far post.
    • 51' GOAL! Rosicky gives Arsenal the lead! The Czech feeds Sagna, who has made a great overlapping run, and the Czech continues his run and deftly flicks the cross over Friedel from close range.
    • 49' Another great save by Friedel. Arteta finds Benayoun in space in the penalty area, the Israeli looks to steer the ball into the far corner but the American dives full length and gets a fingertip to the ball that pushes it past the post.
    • 43' GOAL!! Arsenal back on level terms thanks to a wonderful strike from Robin van Persie. The Dutch maestro picks up the ball on the edge of the penalty area, buys himself a yard of space when surrounded by white shirts and then curls a delightful shot past Friedel with that wand of a left foot.
    • 40' GOAL!! Arsenal back in it nd it is Bacary Sagna who meets Mikel Arteta's cross and plants a precise header past Friedel. The Gunners kept the ball alive after hitting the woodwork and the full-back caught Bale napping with a well-timed run.
    • 39' Van Persie hits the post! A neat flick from Walcott and the captain's shot from 12 yards hits the outside of the far post with Friedel beaten.
    • 33' GOAL! Adebayor calmly slots away the penalty in the left corner, past Szczesny's dive and the Togo striker simply turns his back to the Arsenal fans as he is mobbed by his team-mates.
    • 32' A great pass from Modric and Bale is through on goal. The Welshman goes down and Dean awards a penalty. But replays indicate there was no contact as the flying winger went over Szczesny's outstretched hand.
    • 24' Arsenal exposed again at the back. 3 on 3 and Vermaelen does just enough to limit Adebayor to a poke at goal which Szczesny smothers but the ball falls to Walker whose fierce drive is just over the bar.
    • 22' Rosicky meets Van Persie's corner at the near post with a flicked header but a superb one handed save from Brad Friedel. The veteran American custodian palming the ball over the bar.
    • 21' Another moment of quality from Van Persie who lets Sagna's throw-in run across him which buys him a yard and his 20-yard shot deflects off Kaboul and goes just wide.
    • 15' Van Persie spurns a great chance to equalise. He takes down a ball from the right and his intial shot on the turn strikes Younes Kaboul but it falls nicely for the Dutchman but he pokes wide with his weaker right foot from 10 yards.
    • 5' GOAL! Tottenham break at pace and Louis Saha gives the visitors the lead. Arsenal wide open at the back and Adebayor finds Saha whose shot deflects off Vermaelen and leaves Wojciech Szczesny wrong footed.
    • 13:00 TEAMS: Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Song, Arteta, Walcott, Rosicky, Benayoun, van Persie. Subs: Fabianski, Park, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jenkinson, Gervinho, Chamakh, Miquel /// Tottenham: Friedel, Walker, Kaboul, King, Assou-Ekotto, Kranjcar, Parker, Modric, Bale, Adebayor, Saha. Subs: Cudicini, Lennon, Van der Vaart, Defoe, Dawson, Rose, Sandro

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      6.5 7
      Defenders
      Goal 7.3 8
      Yellow Card 6.4 6
      6.7 6
      Substitution Out75′ 6.4 6
      Midfielders
      7 7
      Yellow Card 6.9 7
      Goal 7.7 9
      Strikers
      Goals ×2 Substitution Out82′ 7.4 7
      Substitution Out88′ 6.8 7
      Goal Yellow Card 8.4 8
      Subs
      Substitution In88′ 6.9 6
      Substitution In82′ 7.2 6
      Substitution In75′ 7.1 6
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      5.4 7
      Defenders
      4.9 6
      4.3 5
      Substitution Out82′ 4.3 5
      4.5 6
      Midfielders
      Red Card 4.7 5
      Yellow Card 5.3 6
      Substitution Out45′ 4.8 5
      5.7 6
      Strikers
      Goal Substitution Out45′ 5.6 6
      Goal 5.4 6
      Subs
      Substitution In45′ 3.8 5
      Substitution In82′ 3.8 6
      Substitution In45′ Yellow Card 3 4

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