Title triumphs and fantastic fightbacks: The five best North London derbies
Title triumphs and fantastic fightbacks: The five best North London derbies
Tottenham at home. It's the one all fans look out for perhaps above any other when the fixtures come out – and the latest instalment arrives tomorrow.
As with many derbies, the build-up is arguably better than the match itself, which is often watched through fingers as the nerves take over.
This has been particularly true in recent years as the balance of power has shifted in North London.
Bragging rights have been harder to come by and Mikel Arteta goes into Sunday's contest searching for his first win over Spurs since taking charge.
But before the action gets underway at the Emirates, let's remind ourselves of some of the most memorable clashes this derby has thrown up in the Premier League era…
Arsenal 3-1 Tottenham – 26 November 1996
This was Arsene Wenger's first taste of a North London derby and he laid down a marker against opponents he would go on to enjoy doing battle with.
Ian Wright blasted the hosts in front from the penalty spot but Andy Sinton's strike squirmed in off the post to level matters just shy of the hour mark.
It remained all square until the 88th minute, when two moments of magic sent Highbury into raptures.
Dennis Bergkamp's clever flick was volleyed home by the talismanic Tony Adams to put Arsenal in front before the mercurial Dutchman fired in a third in stoppage time to put the icing on the cake.
Tottenham 2-2 Arsenal – 25 April 2004
It doesn't get much sweeter than securing the title at the home of your biggest rivals and this day remains etched in the memories of Arsenal fans everywhere.
Patrick Vieira and Robert Pires had the fat lady warming up her vocal chords with first-half goals and even though Spurs fought back to gain a point in the second half, it wasn't enough to prevent the Gunners securing the Premier League crown.
Arsenal, of course, went on to complete an invincible season while Spurs languished in 14th. Glory days indeed.
Tottenham 4-5 Arsenal – 13 November 2004
Derbies can often be cagey affairs, with both sides taking time to suss each other out and petrified of making costly mistakes. This game was anything but.
At half-time, there was little sign of the madness to come, with Thierry Henry's superb control and finish cancelling out Noureddine Naybet's opener.
From then on, it was a goal frenzy. Lauren and Patrick Vieira opened up a cushion only for Jermain Defoe to reduce the deficit within a minute of the Frenchman's emphatic finish.
The pattern continued as the game became a free-for-all, with Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires notching for the visitors either side of Spurs strikes – and only when the final whistle blew did heart rates return to somewhere approaching normal.
Arsenal 5-2 Tottenham – 26 February 2012
Just past the half-hour mark, this one looked set to be filed under derby day nightmares.
Louis Saha's early goal had put Spurs in front before pantomime villain Emmanuel Adebayor doubled the lead from the spot.
What followed was extraordinary. Bacary Sagna and Robin van Persie had Arsenal level by the break and the momentum continued into the second half, with Tomas Rosicky putting the hosts in front before Theo Walcott's quickfire brace.
From 2-0 down to 5-2 up in the space of 34 minutes either side of half-time, this goes down as one of Arsenal's best comebacks – and Scott Parker's late red card just added to the carnival atmosphere.
Arsenal 4-2 Tottenham – 2 December 2018
Another second-half comeback, another Spurs sending off and another three points in the derby.
Unai Emery's side trailed 2-1 at the break but Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang's second of the afternoon restored parity on 56 minutes.
It was anyone's game going into the final quarter of an hour but it was Arsenal who seized the initiative with two goals in three minutes from Alexandre Lacazette and Lucas Torreira, who slotted home his first for the club.
Jan Vertonghen saw red late on to complete a memorable afternoon but this was the last time the Gunners won a derby – tomorrow is the time to put that right.
