Tottenham blow chance to dent Arsenal’s dream and they only have themselves to blame

As the seconds ticked down and Arsenal fell deeper and deeper into their own box, Mikel Arteta’s side were finally in a north London derby. When Arteta hugged his coaching staff at full-time and Arsenal’s players ran to the far corner, bathed in sunlight, Tottenham were left to wonder where they had been.

It is not just Arsenal fans who will look back on those final moments if the Gunners go on to win the Premier League for the first time in 20 years. If Spurs are to be the kingmakers in the title race, it will now be down to beating Manchester City in the final week of the season. As such a result would likely win Arsenal the title, it would be as unpopular a victory as you could imagine in the white half of north London.

This, though, was Tottenham’s chance to spoil Arsenal’s hopes, one they squandered while losing further ground on Aston Villa in the race for fourth and the final Champions League place. A late fight-back came after Ange Postecoglou gradually rectified his starting line-up, replacing the midfield duo Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur, adding the chaos of Richarlison and Cristian Romero as a makeshift forward.

By then, Arsenal were on the retreat, as David Raya and then Declan Rice gifted Spurs an opportunity that looked beyond them by the break. Yet Tottenham can only blame themselves as they fell to back-to-back home defeats to Arsenal, who despite their late fragility controlled the occasion far better than Spurs managed. Arteta’s side scored immediately after Tottenham had an equaliser disallowed and penalty appeals waved away, the opener coming via Hojbjerg.

It was one of two set-piece goals Tottenham conceded, the Gunners using their strength to punish a Spurs weakness. Postecoglou said his players lost focus when appealing after Dejan Kulusevski toppled over in the box. Moments later, Kai Havertz put Bukayo Saka through to double Arsenal’s lead. Arteta’s side sensed those moments and Postecoglou was left to consider how far ahead Arsenal are.

With it, a slump continued. In falling behind, Tottenham crumpled, the blows landing in quick succession – just as they did in the 4-0 defeat at Newcastle two weeks before. Arsenal had played four times since then, yet Tottenham have not managed to take advantage of a lighter schedule, even with their squad back to full strength. The new ideas and spirit Tottenham played with in the opening weeks of the season disappeared in the game Spurs want to win above any other. “Disappointing day for us,” Postecoglou grumbled. “Big game for the club and the fans and we didn’t get the outcome we wanted.”

Though Postecoglou’s selections have come into focus, too. At the start of the season, a 2-2 draw at the Emirates signalled the rebirth, a new dawn. Spurs come from behind, twice! There was movement and rotations, the exuberance of full-backs coming into play as No 10s and centre-midfielders pulling out wide. Tottenham were “loving Big Ange instead” as the Australian brought the feel-good vibes and led a squad of new players on the beginnings of a new journey.

But here, Spurs went back in time. Postecoglou started with the Antonio Conte midfield of Hojbjerg and Bentancur. With Destiny Udogie, who was so impressive against Saka in the reverse fixture, ruled out for the rest of the season, it was Ben Davies who dropped into the half-spaces. Arsenal were not required to play like title contenders to cruise into a three-goal lead at half-time. There were grumblings, groans, the howls of frustration.

Hojbjerg’s own goal signalled the start of a bleak afternoon, yet Spurs managed to spare themselves further embarrassment with the makings of a spirited comeback. The Hojbjerg and Bentancur pairing was abandoned by the second half, Postecoglou reverting to Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma. James Maddison looked off it and was an early substitute.

Son Heung-min scored from the penalty spot but was lacking his usually razor sharp finishing from open play, wasting several chances. Without that, niether Timo Werner, Brennan Johnson, Richarlison or Kulusevski have been able to step up and produce a more consistent output. Romero carried more threat in his late cameo as a forward than the abundance of options now at Postecoglou’s disposal.

Tottenham may still decide the title race. They may need to take points off Pep Guardiola’s side in their penultimate game of the season to beat Villa into fourth. But even without that, if Arsenal go on to win the league, Spurs will be left to consider the chance that slipped away.