Nothing stirs a Gooner’s emotions more than a visit from Tottenham Hotspur, with victories over our arch-rivals going down as some of our supporters’ most memorable moments following the club.
There have been plenty to choose from down the years, and to get you excited ahead of the latest north London derby at Emirates Stadium, we have selected five of the best from the last four decades.
Sit back and enjoy these successes over Spurs:
November 24, 1996
Arsenal 3-1 Tottenham
In just his sixth game in charge, Arsene Wenger quickly discovered the passion and fever around derby day. Spurs arrived having won six of their last seven, while we were on a run of one victory in six, but we turned the form book upside down. Ian Wright handed us a 28th-minute lead from the penalty spot but Andy Sinton equalised with a bobbling long-range effort just before the hour mark.
A disappointing draw looked on the cards until the 88th minute when Tony Adams slammed us back into the lead, and better was to come when Dennis Bergkamp brilliantly controlled a Wright cross, escaped the attentions of Stephen Carr and set himself perfectly to fire past Ian Walker to secure a first win over our rivals in nearly five years, and score one of the fixture’s greatest goals.
November 16, 2002
Arsenal 3-0 Tottenham
However, perhaps the best-ever goal scored in the north London derby arrived six years later when Thierry Henry single-handedly sliced his way through the Spurs side to produce a moment worth immortalising in bronze outside Emirates Stadium years later.
Just 13 minutes in, there seemed little danger when the Frenchman picked the ball up midway inside his own half, but he surged past Matthew Etherington and Carr to reach the edge of the Tottenham area, and fired into the net before performing a famous knee slide in front of the travelling support. Further strikes from Freddie Ljungberg and Sylvain Wiltord sealed a comfortable win, but Henry’s brilliance was the abiding memory.
February 26, 2012
Arsenal 5-2 Tottenham
Goals are never in short supply in north London derbies, and this particular encounter was packed full of them. It looked as though our neighbours were on course to record successive wins at our home for the first time in 86 years when Louis Saha and ex-Gunner Emmanuel Adebayor netted, but we would come roaring back when Bacary Sagna headed in a Mikel Arteta cross before a superb strike from Robin van Persie levelled matters before half-time.
Our momentum carried on into the second half when Tomas Rosicky edged us ahead six minutes after the restart, and then Theo Walcott would stamp his authority on the game by racing through to score twice in three minutes to stun our opponents and complete a fine victory.
November 17, 2012
Arsenal 5-2 Tottenham
Incredibly, the same unusual scoreline was recorded at the same venue just nine months later as we again managed to recover from falling behind to net five times. Things weren’t going to plan when Adebayor haunted us again, but his 17th-minute dismissal proved pivotal as a Per Mertesacker header, Lukas Podolski’s scuffed shot and an Olivier Giroud finish handed us a healthy lead before half-time.
A goal from the scintillating Santi Cazorla seemed to have secured the points on the hour, but Gareth Bale restored Tottenham’s toe-hold shortly afterwards. However the final word was left to Walcott again who restored our three-goal cushion in stoppage-time to ensure history repeated itself.
October 1, 2022
Arsenal 3-1 Tottenham
Last season saw Spurs head to Emirates Stadium looking to leapfrog us into top spot in the Premier League, but a fine display from Arteta’s team ensured we instead strengthened our lead. Thomas Partey’s wonderful strike from distance set us on our way, but a Harry Kane penalty meant the sides went in all-square at the break.
However a poacher’s effort from Gabriel Jesus restored our lead four minutes into the second half, and Emerson Royal’s red card saw things turn in our favour even more. Needing one more goal to clinch the points, Granit Xhaka drove in a third to secure a third straight home victory in this fixture for the first time since 2013.
Watch many more famous home wins over our neighbours, including some Hale End heroics and Cesc Fabregas scoring straight from a Spurs kick-off, in our playlist of classic north London derbies.
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