Arsenal’s 4-1 victory in the north London derby wasn’t just about superior talent — it was a calculated dismantling of Tottenham’s tactical setup.

Arsenal’s 4-1 victory in the north London derby wasn’t just about superior talent — it was a calculated dismantling of Tottenham’s tactical setup.

While the scoreline ultimately reflected the gulf in quality, the Gunners’ real edge came from how intelligently they targeted the weaknesses in Spurs’ new system under Igor Tudor.

Right flank dominance set the tone

Operating in a 3-5-2 shape and trying to be front-footed at home, Tottenham Hotspur left spaces that Arsenal were quick to exploit — particularly down their right side.

The partnership of Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber proved decisive. Their movement, timing and understanding repeatedly stretched Spurs’ defensive structure.

Timber’s varied attacking runs — overlapping, underlapping and drifting inside — combined with Saka’s direct threat to create constant overloads. Even when the contest was still tight in the first half, this was clearly Arsenal’s most dangerous route.

Spurs forced into reactive defending

Tottenham struggled not just because of individual matchups but because of the distances their players had to cover defensively.

To support wing-back Djed Spence, Spurs repeatedly had to pull players out of position. At different moments:

• Xavi Simons dropped deep from his second-striker role

• Pape Matar Sarr shuffled across from midfield

  

• Micky van de Ven stepped out from centre-back

That constant reshuffling created confusion and mismatches — most notably when Sarr was isolated against Saka in the build-up to Arsenal’s opener.

Against a side of Arsenal’s attacking quality, that kind of uncertainty was always likely to be punished.

Timber’s freedom proved costly

As the half wore on, Arsenal increasingly found joy down that right channel. Spurs’ structure often left Timber with time and space to pick his passes — including the delivery that set up Viktor Gyokeres for the second goal.

It highlighted a key issue: Tottenham’s shape looked organised on paper but became stretched once Arsenal began rotating and combining at speed.

Arsenal refused to retreat

Spurs competed well early on and the game remained competitive at the break, but the second half exposed their fatigue — particularly given injury absences.

What stood out from Arsenal, though, was their mentality once ahead.

After being pegged back in a recent match against Wolverhampton Wanderers, there had been questions about their game management. Here, Mikel Arteta’s side showed a different mindset.

Rather than protecting a 2-1 lead, they kept pushing forward and effectively killed the contest.

Eze and Rice drove the midfield battle

In central areas, Eberechi Eze delivered one of his strongest displays in recent weeks. Operating as a number 10, he consistently found pockets of space that occupied Spurs’ midfield and created further problems.

His influence, combined with the energy of Declan Rice, gave Arsenal multiple attacking routes.

Rice, in particular, responded impressively after being involved in Tottenham’s equaliser. Instead of fading, he increased his intensity — driving forward, supporting attacks and simplifying his defensive distribution when required.

It was a performance that underlined both his physical presence and mental resilience.

Arsenal attacking from every angle

There have been matches this season where stopping Saka and Martin Odegaard has been enough to blunt Arsenal.

Not this time.

With Eze finding space centrally and Gyokeres stretching the back line, Spurs were being asked questions across the entire pitch.

Gyokeres, who has faced some scrutiny this season, produced one of his most convincing displays in an Arsenal shirt. His movement — particularly working the left channel against Radu Dragusin — created separation and ultimately goals.

Scoring twice in a north London derby could prove a turning point for the striker’s confidence and his relationship with supporters.

Title race pressure maintained

Beyond the bragging rights, the performance mattered because it showed Arsenal returning to the high level they have sustained for much of the campaign.

Clinical in key moments, aggressive when ahead, and tactically sharp — this was a display that suggests the title race still has plenty of life left in it.

If Arsenal maintain this blend of control and cutting edge, they will remain extremely difficult to stop in the run-in.