Arsenal continued their dominance in the north London derby as Gabriel Magalhaes’ second-half header secured a 1-0 win against Tottenham on Sunday.
Despite the absence of key midfielders Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, the Gunners displayed grit and determination to seal an important victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Mikel Arteta’s side went into the clash without their captain Odegaard, who was sidelined with an ankle injury sustained during international duty, while Rice was suspended after receiving a red card in the previous match against Brighton.
The absence of such influential figures seemed to pose a challenge for the Premier League title contenders, especially against their fierce local rivals.
However, Arsenal dug deep with a combative display, taking advantage of Tottenham’s wasteful finishing before Gabriel rose highest to head home the only goal of the game in the second half.
It was the Brazilian defender’s first goal since February, extending Arsenal’s unbeaten start to the season.
With this win, Arsenal made it three victories in their last four Premier League games and continued their strong form in the derby, having now won on their last three visits to Tottenham. The Gunners have lost only once in their last eight meetings with Spurs, further solidifying their recent dominance in the fixture.
Arsenal, who are chasing their first Premier League title since 2004 after two successive second-place finishes, are now just two points behind leaders Manchester City.
The Gunners will shift focus to their Champions League opener against Atalanta on Thursday before facing City in a highly anticipated clash next weekend.