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Arsenal 3 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur
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Quickfire Gunners blitz Spurs


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Cesc Fabregas nets Arsenal's second goal after waltzing through a sleeping Spurs defence
Scoring Summary
Arsenal Tottenham Hotspur
Robin Van Persie (42)
Cesc Fábregas (43)
Robin Van Persie (60)

Match Stats
Arsenal Tottenham Hotspur
Shots (on Goal) 18(8) 10(4)
Fouls 14 11
Corner Kicks 6 2
Offsides 4 3
Time of Possession 52% 48%
Yellow Cards 1 1
Red Cards 0 0
Saves 4 5

Match Information
Stadium: Emirates Stadium, England
Attendance: 60,103
Match Time: 12:45 UK
Official(s):
Mark Clattenburg (Referee)



Teams
Arsenal Tottenham Hotspur
1 Manuel Almunia 1 Gomes
5 Thomas Vermaelen 19 Sebastien Bassong
10 William Gallas 26 Ledley King
22 Gaël Clichy 32 Benoit Assou-Ekotto
3 Bacary Sagna 22 Vedran Corluka
17 Alexandre Song Billong 12 Wilson Palacios
4 Cesc Fábregas 6 Tom Huddlestone
11 Robin Van Persie 8 Jermaine Jenas
2 Abou Diaby 10 Robbie Keane
23 Andrei Arshavin 5 David Bentley
52 Nicklas Bendtner 15 Peter Crouch
Substitutes
6 Philippe Senderos Jonathan Woodgate 39
27 Emmanuel Eboue Michael Dawson 20
9 Eduardo Niko Kranjcar 21
8 Samir Nasri Alan Hutton 2
24 Vito Mannone Roman Pavlyuchenko 9
16 Aaron Ramsey Gareth Bale 3
28 Kieran Gibbs David Button 35
Substitutions
Eduardo for Nicklas Bendtner (37)
Gareth Bale for Tom Huddlestone (56)

Emmanuel Eboue for Andrei Arshavin (78)
Roman Pavlyuchenko for Robbie Keane (65)

Aaron Ramsey for Robin Van Persie (86)
Alan Hutton for Vedran Corluka (86)

Yellow Cards
Thomas Vermaelen (78)
Peter Crouch (62)

· Club Squads: Arsenal | Tottenham Hotspur
Updated: October 31, 2009, 7:48 AM UK

Arsenal forward Robin van Persie struck twice to earn his side bragging rights in north London and put a question mark over whether rivals Tottenham can sustain a top-four challenge in the Premier League.
• Wenger talks up title chances
• Kevin Palmer at the Emirates


Spurs have not won a league game against Arsenal since 1999, and they fell away after Van Persie opened the scoring at the Emirates Stadium and Cesc Fabregas added the second after winning possession straight from the kick-off.

Both sides went into the weekend level on points, albeit with Spurs playing a game extra, but talk of the gap between the clubs being closed was well and truly ended when Van Persie tapped in the third after the break.

''It's difficult to judge just how good this Tottenham team is but they certainly have potential and they have a big, talented squad,'' wrote Gunners boss Arsene Wenger in his programme notes.

Unfortunately for Harry Redknapp, three of his most attacking talents were unavailable as Luka Modric and Aaron Lennon were injured and Jermain Defoe suspended - so the Spurs boss chose to match Arsenal's formation and play Peter Crouch up front on his own and Robbie Keane on the left.

The plan worked well initially, with the home fans starting to get restless in frustration until the two goals in as many minutes just before the interval.

Spurs did not create much themselves but limited their rivals to half-chances, aside from when Ledley King's tackle on Andrey Arshavin fell for Fabregas with most of the goal to aim for. Even then Heurelho Gomes threw himself to his left to save the effort and grab the rebound from Nicklas Bendtner's toes.

Keane's pre-match comments suggested Spurs' squad was as good as Arsenal's, although their gameplan relied on stifling Wenger's side through hard work and punting the ball forward to Crouch.

Former Arsenal winger David Bentley, predictably jeered throughout, typified the work ethic. He snapped at heels on the right flank and was fortunate not to receive a booking when he cynically tripped Thomas Vermaelen, with referee Mark Clattenburg happy to keep his cards in his pocket during a feisty opening.

Clattenburg was referee during Arsenal's last defeat, seven weeks ago at Manchester City when Emmanuel Adebayor kicked Van Persie. Despite dropping points since, Arsenal have shown massive improvement since that match and eventually they came good against Spurs.

The match totally turned just before the break, with Van Persie firstly giving Spurs a warning after Benoit Assou-Ekotto's error. The Cameroon full-back gifted possession to Fabregas on the edge of the area, with the Arsenal skipper weighting a pass through to Van Persie, who had Gomes to beat but scuffed his finish wide.

Arshavin then had an effort deflected over by Vedran Corluka after cutting in from the right - but the hosts were not made to wait long for the opener.

Bacary Sagna's cross from the right, after being allowed time to steady himself, was met by Van Persie and crept in at Gomes' near post after the Dutchman got across King.

The second came 11 seconds after Spurs kicked off. Wilson Palacios tripped over himself and Fabregas took charge, bursting through challenges from the Honduras international and Tom Huddlestone. The Arsenal skipper then skipped around King and planted his finish coolly past Gomes.

It emerged during the interval that the Spurs bench complained to stewards about the behaviour of Arsenal fans near the dug-out.

In the second half Arsenal looked to extend their lead. Eduardo, a replacement after Nicklas Bendtner picked up an apparent groin injury, was sent through by Fabregas and Gomes stood up well to save.

Sebastien Bassong cleared off the line from Abou Diaby, then the third came after an intelligent advantage played by Clattenburg.

Eduardo had been floored by Assou-Ekotto, the assistant referee flagged for a foul but Clattenburg allowed Sagna to continue after most had stopped. Sagna's cross went through the barrier formed by Gomes and King, with Van Persie tapping in.

All Spurs had to show for their efforts was a Bentley free-kick which was saved, while Crouch was booked for throwing the ball away in frustration.

Eduardo should have added another when he broke the offside trap but his finish went just wide. Bassong picked up a hamstring injury in stoppage-time as Arsenal counter-attacked.


Wenger talks up title chances

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger talked up his team's Premier League title chances after brushing aside Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium and denting their rivals' hopes of sustaining a top-four challenge.

''Do we have enough? I say yes,'' the Frenchman said. ''I've said that since the first day of the season and it won't change now. We want to show consistency and intelligence and that is not easy. I believe we have the opportunity and it will be down to our attitude.''

Robbie Keane suggested earlier in the week that Spurs' squad had a greater strength in depth, although the defeat puts a question mark over whether they will compete with the traditional heavyweights.

''We have to see over a longer period,'' Wenger said. ''I am positive for us because we have the minimum points with the performances we have produced. Will Tottenham be up there? I don't know. It's too early. It is not about opinion, it is about performance on the pitch. That is what is important.''

Robin Van Persie's 42nd-minute opener crept in at the near post from Bacary Sagna's cross, then Wilson Palacios lost the ball from the kick-off and Fabregas brushed past the Honduras international and Tom Huddlestone before skipping around Ledley King and finishing.

Van Persie said: ''They played with the right attitude and a good spirit, it was tight and tough to start with but they died after our first goal.''

Wenger also saw the period before half-time as crucial.

''We took advantage of the shock of the first goal and in the second half we always played a little restricted,'' he said. ''After the third there wasn't the impression that Spurs would come back.''

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp added: ''The two quick goals we gave away turned the whole game upside down. I thought they were edgy, they were giving the ball away, the crowd was moaning at every mistake. I thought we were going to come in at half-time in great shape. There is no gap between the clubs in my opinion. I think two mistakes turned the game upside down.''

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Saturday, October 31, 2009
Arsenal 3
Tottenham Hotspur 0 FT

Bolton Wanderers 0
Chelsea 4 FT

Burnley 2
Hull City 0 FT

Everton 1
Aston Villa 1 FT

Fulham 3
Liverpool 1 FT

Portsmouth 4
Wigan Athletic 0 FT

Stoke City 2
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 FT

Sunderland 2
West Ham United 2 FT

Manchester United 0
Blackburn Rovers 0 17:30 UK