Saturday, November 17, 2012

North London derby - the best of recent history

By Paul Hirst

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Arsenal host Tottenham in one of the most eagerly-anticipated fixtures in the domestic calendar tomorrow - the north London derby. It rarely disappoints.

Since Tottenham ended a run of more than a decade without a win against their fierce rivals, no-one has managed to lay claim to being the dominant force.

And you can almost always guarantee goals, goals, goals. IN the last two seasons alone, there have been 26 goals spread across five meetings, and in two of those the team who led 2-0 went on to lose.

So Sportmail cast their mind back over the last 20 years and picks out the most memorable North London derbies. And we don't even have space the not-so-memorable but enormously significant meeting at White Hart Lane in 2004, when Arsenal secured the point needed to claim the title.

February 26, 2012 - Arsenal 5 Tottenham 2

Where better to start than last season's clash at the Emirates Stadium.

Bragging rights: Arsenal produced a stunning comeback in the last meeting

Bragging rights: Arsenal produced a stunning comeback in the last meeting

Bragging rights: Arsenal produced a stunning comeback in the last meeting

Bragging rights: Arsenal produced a stunning comeback in the last meeting

Tottenham, brimming with confidence after a run of excellent form under Harry Redknapp, swaggered on to the pitch and went 2-0 up thanks to a deflected Louis Saha strike and penalty from former Gunner Emmanuel Adebayor.

Things soon started to unravel for Redknapp's men, however. Bacary Sagna and Robin van Persie took just eight minutes to make it 2-2 and the floodgates then opened in the second half.

Tomas Rosicky's strike and a brace from Theo Walcott gave the Gunners a three-goal cushion and Spurs were lucky that the margin of defeat remained at three as Arsenal romped home to victory.

Cup kings: Paul Gascoigne orchestrated a stunning FA Cup semi-final win at Wembley

Cup kings: Paul Gascoigne orchestrated a stunning FA Cup semi-final win at Wembley

April 14, 1991 - Tottenham 3 Arsenal 1

Already crowned champions after losing just one match all season, Arsenal went in to the first FA Cup semi-final between the two teams as clear favourites.

Paul Gascoigne had other ideas, however. Despite having just undergone a double hernia operation, the midfielder put on one of the most outstanding performances of his glittering career. He clipped a wonderful 30-yard free-kick beyond David Seaman to put Spurs ahead before Gary Lineker doubled the lead.

Alan Smith pulled Arsenal back in the game but Lineker scored again to seal Tottenham's progress to the final, which they won after beating Nottingham Forest in extra-time.

November 20, 2010 - Arsenal 2-3 Tottenham

Spurs had failed to win at Arsenal for 17 years, but the away team that turned up at the Emirates two years ago were clearly cut from a different cloth.

Fresh from having trounced Inter Milan at White Hart Lane, Tottenham headed in to the meeting in Islington full of confidence, but they soon found themselves 2-0 down, with Marouane Chamakh and Samir Nasri both on target.

Comeback: Younes Kaboul scored the winning goal in Tottenham's first win over the Gunners in N5 for more than 17 years

Comeback: Younes Kaboul scored the winning goal in Tottenham's first win over the Gunners in N5 for more than 17 years

Redknapp's words of wisdom ensured that Spurs came out a completely different team in the second half, however. Gareth Bale's fine finish put Tottenham on the path to recovery and Rafael van der Vaart scored from the penalty spot after Cesc Fabregas' handball.

Then with five minutes to go Younes Kaboul glanced home Van der Vaart's free-kick to give Tottenham the spoils.

October 29, 2008 - Arsenal 4-4 Tottenham

Having inherited a team in the relegation zone, Redknapp may have expected a drubbing in his first game in charge, but his team took the lead with one of the greatest goals in the history of the derby - a 35-yard looping volley from David Bentley.

Arsenal hit back with a vengeance, with William Gallas, Emmanuel Adebayor and Mikael Silvestre all finding the target to give the hosts a two-goal cushion. The game was not over for Redknapp's men, though as Jermaine Jenas and Aaron Lennon scored in the final two minutes to level the scores.

Stunner: David Bentley scored one of the best North London derby goals

Stunner: David Bentley scored one of the best North London derby goals

November 13, 2004 - Tottenham 4-5 Arsenal

Martin Jol was probably wondering what he got himself in for after this - his first league game since taking over from Jacques Santini.

The highest-scoring north London derby in history began with Noureddine Naybet scoring his first - and last - goal in a Spurs shirt, but Thierry Henry equalised on the stroke of half-time.

Lauren's penalty and Patrick Vieira's strike put the Gunners ahead, only for Jermain Defoe to pull one back for the hosts.

Freddie Ljungberg and Ledley King were both on target before Freddie Kanoute set up a tense finale by scoring two minutes from time. Spurs threw everything at the visitors, but they could not find an equaliser and Arsenal claimed victory.

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Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2234076/North-London-derby--best-recent-history.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

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