Gunners stay in hunt as Sherwood’s strife grows

This was not the performance of a side sweeping all before them — Tottenham dominated possession, particularly in the second half, without finding a way to cancel out Tomas Rosicky’s second minute match-winning goal — but it was certainly the performance of a team determined not to allow a chance of victory to slip away.

Wenger’s side drew on their reserves of determination to hold on for victory.

Significantly their outstanding performers in this win were the central defensive pair Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny, who continue to grow as a partnership.

In front of them, Mikel Arteta and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain helped protect the back four and while the Gunners also benefited from Nacer Chadli’s inability to make more of two clear chances at the start of the second half, they succeeded in negating the majority of Tottenham’s attacking moves.

It was a vital response to the disappointment exit of the Champions League last week and the frustration of defeat at Stoke in their last Premier League outing.

A trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea awaits next Saturday while Man City are at Emirates Stadium on March 29. Victories in those two games and Arsenal’s status as least fancied of the four contenders will need revision.

Tottenham’s status is also under revision, although not in the manner Tim Sherwood would like. A third defeat in eight days leaves Spurs with virtually no hope ofthe top four while Thursday’s home loss to Benfica means they are also outsiders to progress in the Europa League.

Sherwood had made no attempt to downplay the importance of this game and, having criticised his players for displaying a lack of character in the wake of last weekend’s humiliating 4-0 defeat at Chelsea, demanded “blood and thunder” from his side.

Within seconds of the start, it became clear he would have been better advised to urge his team to add some composure to that combustible mix.

Tottenham needed a period of stability to revive confidence but Rosicky’s strike ensured that period lasted just 71 seconds and, perhaps predictably given recent troubles, Sherwood’s side played a big part in their own downfall, Sandro losing possession in the Arsenal half, allowing Rosicky kick-start the move he ended so emphatically.

The Czech Republic international broke down the right-hand flank and played the ball inside to the supporting Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. There was an element of luck in the way the ball was returned to Rosicky but there was nothing fortunate about the midfielder’s finish, a powerful angled shot caught on the full that flew across Hugo Lloris and inside the far post.

The timing and the quality of the strike combined to stun the stadium. But reality quickly kicked in, forcing Spurs to contemplate the possibility of another humiliating loss while Arsenal were provided with the perfect boost at the start of a must-win game.

Tottenham survived the rest of the half without further mishap, although that was more a result of Arsenal’s wayward finishing, with Oxlade-Chamberlain hurrying two good opportunities.

The balance of the game shifted after the break, with Spurs on the front foot and Chadli should have equalised when Wojciech Szczesny spilled Kyle Naughton’s cross but instead shot straight at Koscielny, who reacted well to close down the space.

The Belgian had a second opportunity when he failed to connect with Andros Townsend’s driven, low cross, a miss that summed up the narrow margins by which Spurs continued to fall short.

Arsenal were never comfortable until the final whistle — and by then Sherwood’s emotions got the better of him, involved in a minor spat with Bacary Sagna, having earlier tossed his jacket to the ground in frustration — but when victory was assured, Arsenal’s bare-chested celebrations were those of a team that knew it had taken a significant step forward.

TOTTENHAM (4-1-4-1): Lloris 8; Naughton 6, Kaboul 6, Vertonghen 5, Rose 7; Sandro 5 (Paulinho 67,6); Townsend 8, Chadli 4 (Sigurdsson 67,6), Bentaleb 7, Eriksen 5 (Soldado 82,6); Adebayor 8.

ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Szczesny 5; Sagna 6, Koscielny 8, Mertesacker 9, Gibbs 6; Arteta 8, Oxlade-Chamberlain 7 (Vermaelen 85,6); Rosicky 7 (Flamini 67,6), Podolski 6 (Monreal 77,6), Cazorla 6; Giroud 5.

Referee: Mike Dean.