Spurs 2-1 Arsenal: ‘Hurry-Kane’ Rocks Gunners Boat

Harry Kane’s heroic handed Tottenham Hotspur their 50th Premier League victory over Arsenal in Saturday’s lunchtime kickoff.

Olivier Giroud deflected Danny Welbeck’s cross for Mesut Ozil to volley home the opener from 6 yards out, but Kane popped up at the back post to tap in a rebound from close range early on in the second half.

The 21-year-old completed Spurs turnaround with an outstanding header to go joint fourth on the goalscorers’ chart with Alexis Sanchez, who has yet to fully recover from injury in time for the derby.

Harry Kane Celebrates His 12th Premier League Goal of the Season Against Arsenal at the White Hart Lane. Image: Getty.
Harry Kane Celebrates His 12th Premier League Goal of the Season Against Arsenal at the White Hart Lane. Image: Getty.

The win saw Mauricio Pochettino’s men move up fourth above their closest neighbours and Southampton, who will face Queens Park Rangers later in the day.

Nabil Bentaleb’s duties with Algeria at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) were over and the midfielder returned to Spurs lineup in place of Paulinho. Eric Dier was the only other change from the 3-0 win at West Brom.

Arsene Wenger made one change from the 5-0 mauling of Aston Villa with Welbeck replacing Theo Walcott.

The 156th north London derby marked Wenger’s 700th game in the English top flight. Argentine boss Pochettino is far from those crunching numbers but the desire to leapfrog their neighbours in the table could not have edged closer.

Since Wenger’s era, Arsenal have had a fine record against the ‘Lilly Whites’, but the tide looked likely to turn in the opening quarter of play at White Hart Lane.

And who else but the dreaded Kane quickly threatened to upset the traveling supporters, when he curled a right-footed shot toward the bottom corner of goal, but goalkeeper David Ospina turned it round the post.

Spurs continued to press high up the park with Danny Rose in dazzling form down the left flank. Against the run of play, Welbeck outplayed the English left-back to set off the first goal.

Arsenal Celebrate Mesut Ozil Goal at White hart Lane. Image: Getty.
Arsenal Celebrate Mesut Ozil Goal at White hart Lane. Image: Getty.

The ex-Manchester United forward picked out Giroud, who miscued on his shot only for Ozil to pounce on the loose ball and volley home his third goal in as many matches.

The hosts almost responded immediately as Rose, this time, drove forward on the left but ended at the mercy of an inspired Ospina, who once more produced a good save.

A compact Arsenal defence- marshaled by Per Mertesacker and Laurient Koscielny- continued to thwart a dominant Spurs attack and while Ospina was thick in the middle of Kane and Christian Eriksen’s prodding, Hugo Lloris was at relative ease, yet once had to pick the ball out of the net.

Ryan Mason almost drew the hosts level on the hour mark with a fine long-range effort which Ospina kept out again.

Referee Martin Atkinson was not sharing any of Spurs’ penalty call as Ospina appeared to impede Kane in an attempt to collect a high ball into the area. Pochettino’s men came up with a good response to Ozil’s goal but trailed at the break.

The home team were right back at it on restart but, however they attempt to demobilise a congested Gunners defence; it was the latter who looked to double their lead on the counter. And when they poured forward on 50 minutes, Lloris stooped down to tip Santi Cazorla’s low curling shot wide.

Fresh from signing a new contract extension, Kane came up with a superb 56th-minute leveler to celebrate his penmanship. The in-form forward sidefooted in at the far post after a corner had been flicked on by Mousa Dembele.

The England Under-21 almost pulled Spurs ahead few minutes later but failed to guide a rebound of another Dembele shot into an empty net.

Lloris turned Welbeck’s shot off target and Ospina made a fine double save to, first deny Bentaleb’s low shot and then Kane’s follow up- though from an offside position- with proceedings evenly poised and opened up.

Tottenham continued to play with intensity and vibrancy on to the closing 15 minutes, while Arsenal defended brilliantly.

An Arsenal penalty call fell on Atkinson’s deaf ears this time as Arsenal attempted to switch play and regain lead.

Another moment of Kane’s brilliance sealed victory for Spurs as the striker rose above his marker to plant a delightful header past across Ospina- the 600th goal of the current league season.