Arteta: Derby win is psychologically and emotionally important
HUGS ALL ROUND: Arsenal's Bukayo Saka (left) celebrates with manager Mikel Arteta. Pic: Nick Potts/PA Wire.
NOT even a match ending with his goalkeeper being attacked by a Tottenham fan could wipe the smile off the face of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
Tottenham substitute Richarlison had been showing a celebrating Aaron Ramsdale before he was kicked in the back as he went to collect his glove bag to the side of the goal after a victory that sent Arsenal eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table and a huge 14 ahead of their local rivals.
“We will deal with that,” Arteta said. “There’s nothing we can do right now. I don’t want that taking 0.0001% of the enjoyment and satisfaction that we have at this moment.”
Tottenham coach Antonio Conte said, “for sure I did not like it,” as an FA spokesperson stated: "This is wholly unacceptable behaviour and we will work together with the police, the relevant authorities and the clubs to ensure the appropriate action is taken.”
Tottenham were quick to release a statement that read: “We are appalled by the behaviour of a supporter that attempted to attack Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale at the end of today’s match. Violence in any form has no place in football.
“The Club has reviewed its CCTV footage to identify the supporter and will be working with the Met Police, Arsenal and Aaron Ramsdale to take the strongest possible action, including an immediate ban from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.”
Arteta was right, though, as potentially serious as the incident could have been it passed in a flash, Ramsdale was unhurt and the only thing to really suffer was Tottenham's already tattered reputation.
Ramsdale, for one, brushed it off. He commented: “The Spurs fans gave me some stick throughout the game. I was giving some back. The people I did give it to greeted it in sportsmanlike terms but one fan tried to give me a little punch on the back.
“It is a shame as it is just a game of football at the end of the day. Both sets of players tried to bring me away but thankfully nothing too drastic happened. It is a sour taste but I’m sure we will enjoy it when we go back into the dressing room.”
The party must have been a cracker as this thoroughly convincing victory also marked the first time Arsenal have beaten their north London neighbours home and away in almost a decade.
The season is only at the halfway mark and it is only three points for a win, but this felt hugely significant to an Arsenal side humiliated here at the end of last season when they blew their unlikely opportunity to secure a top-four finish.
Arteta, who could have been smarting from seeing Chelsea's mega-bucks snatch away transfer target Mikhailo Mudryk pre-match, for once did not underplay the significance of such a statement victory.
He said: “Psychologically and emotionally it is important. This obviously has a big emotional attachment because obviously there is a big history between the two clubs and it means so much for our people to win this game.
“It’s a great position to be in (eight points clear). Let’s enjoy the moment and keep focusing. The enjoyment is going to come if we keep focusing on what we have to do.
“I saw a team with a lot of courage, determination, quality and that really wanted it today to come here and win.
“We have a job where we are really privileged to make people happy and when you have this opportunity you have to really try and do it.
“So the enjoyment and sharing the victory with our fans it was a great feeling and all the suffering that we do it makes a lot of sense in moments like this.
“It’s great and going in the dressing room and just feeling the joy and the togetherness around the team and how much it meant for them is special.
“We know that we are here because of the way we play and the way that we are and the way that we live together and the unity that we have.
“We must not forget that because tomorrow we have to do the same and we have to do exactly the same to carry on the form that we have at the moment.”
Arsenal next face Manchester United at home this Sunday in a match that could now be said to be between two title contenders.
Tottenham coach Conte disagreed, however, and said: “Arsenal are a very strong team and deserve to be top of the league. We have to recover to play Manchester City – the only other team that can win the title.”
Conte also defended his “world class” goalkeeper Hugo Lloris afterwards but it was an all too familiar error by his French World Cup winner that gifted Arsenal their deserved 14th minute opening goal as he deflected a Bukayo Saka cross into his own net.
Ramsdale denied Heung-Min Son a great chance to equalise soon after, but Arsenal could and should have been further ahead before Arsenal's leading scorer Martin Odegaard struck his eighth of the season with a sweet left foot strike from distance.
Harry Kane spearheaded a spirited Tottenham fightback in the second half, but it was far too little and far too late.
Lloris 3, Doherty 5 (Richarlison 71) , Hojbjerg 5, Son 5, Kane 7, Dier 5, Romero 5,m Sessegnon 5 (Perisic 76), Kulusevski 5 (Gil 88), Sarr 6 (Bissouma76), Lenglet 4 (Davies 88).
Forster, Skipp, Sanchez, Royal
Ramsdale 8, White 6, Saliba 6, Gabriel 7, Zinchenko 8 (Tomiyasu 86), Partey 8, Xhaka 7, Odegaard 9 (Vieira 90), Saka 7, Martinelli 7 (Tierney 79), Nketiah 6 (Smith Rowe 90).
Turner, Holding, Lokonga, Marquinhos, Smith.
Craig Pawson 6
61,870
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