In their intense north London derby, Arsenal and Tottenham square off once more, and the Gunners are struggling.

Before Saka gave the visitors a two-goal lead, Pierre Emile Hojbjerg’s own goal put the Gunners ahead. Now it’s three thanks to Kai Havertz’s rise above the rest.

However, the home team has now recovered goals thanks to Christian Romero and Heung-min Son.

Arsenal defeated Tottenham 3-2 to maintain the top spot in the Premier League after round 35.

Arsenal is the team that attacks with the best set-piece situations in the Premier League this season. The Gunners’ forte is the key factor that helped them defeat Tottenham in round 35.

Playing at home in a situation where they must win to compete for the Champions League, Tottenham pressed the field with the mobility of Son Heung-min, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski. However, in terms of efficiency, Arsenal did better.

Tottenham pressed the field but Arsenal was more effective in the first half. (Photo: Reuters)

The away team’s ball control rate in the first half was less than 30%. They only launched 4 shots (2 on target) but scored 3 goals, including 2 corner kicks.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s own goal in the 15th minute signaled that the match was not going well for Tottenham. The home team attacked aggressively. Not long after Cristian Romero’s header hit the post, the home team regretted it when Micky van de Ven’s goal was canceled for offside.

All 9 of Tottenham’s shots in the first half did not hit the target. Meanwhile, Arsenal scored every time they hit the goal. Bukayo Saka finished off a quick counterattack in the 27th minute to increase the score to 2-0. Kai Havertz widened the gap on a corner kick in the 38th minute.

Tottenham and Arsenal created a tense match from start to finish. (Photo: Reuters)

Entering the second half, Tottenham no longer dominated as Arsenal actively kept the ball. However, in a difficult match, the home team suddenly scored a goal to shorten the score thanks to their opponent’s mistake. Midfielder Romero – the player with the most dangerous opportunities for Tottenham in this match – blocked a bad pass from the away team’s goalkeeper and calmly scored.

Arsenal generally still controlled the match, but the away team made mistakes. Declan Rice’s careless clearance caused the “Gunners” to receive a penalty. Son Heung-min successfully kicked a kick from 11 meters away to give Tottenham hope, making the final minutes of the match even more tense.

Arsenal faces enormous pressure. However, Tottenham could not get more goals. Arsenal won 3-2 and retained the top spot in the group after round 35.