Tottenham Vs Arsenal: Arsenal run out 4-1 winners as Spurs’ flaws are ruthlessly exposed

The north London clash labelled in the build-up as tottenham vs arsenal ended 4-1 as Arsenal’s quality and tactical nous unpicked Tottenham’s fragile setup, leaving Spurs in 16th and just four points above the relegation zone with 11 games to go.

Arsenal’s right flank repeatedly carved Spurs open

Arsenal’s superiority showed most visibly down their right-hand side, where Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber dominated early on and forced Spurs into reactive defending rather than proactive adjustments. Timber’s ability to mix runs — supporting, overlapping and cutting inside — gave him time to pick passes, and he found Viktor Gyokeres to set up Arsenal’s second goal. Saka, cited as having had recent questions over his form, was back to a confident best against Spurs.

Tottenham Vs Arsenal: how Spurs’ 3-5-2 left space to exploit

Tottenham lined up in a 3-5-2 shape under new boss Igor Tudor and did not simply sit in, a setup that left forward areas exposed for Arsenal to exploit on Sunday. The system often left Xavi Simons and Pape Matar Sarr covering long distances to recover — Simons, playing as a second striker, was sometimes forced to run back to the left-back position to help, while Sarr had to come across from midfield. Sarr was left one-on-one with Saka for the cross that led to Arsenal’s first goal and could not stop it.

Arsenal created far more and could have won by more

Arsenal outplayed Tottenham for long periods, producing 20 chances to Spurs’ six and winning 4-1 in a game they could easily have extended further. At half-time the teams were level, a reminder that Arsenal have recently conceded within 10 minutes of scoring — the third league game in a row and the fourth time in the past six — yet still managed to impose themselves as the stronger side overall.

Spurs’ personnel problems and mounting league peril

Tottenham’s squad problems compounded tactical weaknesses. The club had 11 players unavailable, more than any other Premier League side, and captain Cristian Romero was suspended for the derby. Long-term absences for Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison were highlighted as contributors to an underwhelming attacking output, and Mohammed Kudus and Wilson Odobert were also missing. Spurs have not won any of their last nine top-flight games and have taken just seven points across their past dozen matches — the worst form in the division — leaving them 16th and four points clear of the relegation zone.

Atmosphere, narrative and what it says about Tottenham

Pre-match on-pitch announcer Paul Coyte tried to stoke belief by asking fans to turn "a small flame" into "a roaring fire, " helping create a raucous early atmosphere. Yet the match underscored a familiar narrative: Spurs’ moments of profound carelessness and lingering quirks. One weekend silver lining for Tudor was that West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Leeds did not win, but the gap to the relegation zone remains just four points.

Key moments and faces on the night

Jurrien Timber was singled out for clever attacking work and for finding Viktor Gyokeres for the second goal; elsewhere Arsenal’s Viktor Gyökeres had the decisive effect of making it 4-1, a moment after which home fans poured out. Declan Rice featured in an emotional sequence — gesturing to teammates to stay switched on and later waving after a giveaway that led to Spurs’ equaliser — underlining the personal intensity inside the game.

Tottenham must now juggle a Champions League knockout bid alongside a perilous league run. With 11 Premier League games remaining, Spurs’ final two fixtures of the campaign are a trip to Chelsea followed by a home game with Everton; those matches are already framed as potentially decisive for their season.