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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Toby Alderweireld in action during Arsenal v Tottenham

Arsenal 2-2 Tottenham report, highlights & stats: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang secures draw for Gunners who come from 2-0 down to draw at the Emirates

By Sporting Life

Football

Sun September 01, 2019 · 5y ago

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang rescued a point for Arsenal as they fought back from two goals behind to draw at home to Tottenham in the first north London derby of the season.

Spurs have not won a league game at the Emirates Stadium since November 2010 and were pegged back to draw 2-2 here having appeared on course to break that duck after Christian Eriksen's 50th Premier League goal and Harry Kane's penalty - his 10th goal in his last 10 games against Arsenal - put them in prime position to do so.

But, after mistakes from Bernd Leno and Granit Xhaka had left them vulnerable, Unai Emery's Gunners fought back, Alexandre Lacazette pulling one back in first-half stoppage time before Aubameyang equalised in a frenetic second half.

Neither side had a particularly good day defensively, despite Jan Vertonghen making his first appearance of the campaign for Spurs, with boss Mauricio Pochettino shifting Davinson Sanchez to right-back after last weekend's shock defeat at home to Newcastle.

Arsenal also went into the game on the back of a loss, at Liverpool, and Emery responded by starting Aubameyang, Lacazette and big-money summer signing Nicolas Pepe together for the first time, but their real problem was at the back were mistakes again cost them dearly.

Arsenal comeback in brilliant North London derby | Arsenal 2-2 Tottenham | Premier League Highlights

Spurs ahead early

Tottenham were ahead from their first genuine attack as Eriksen was on hand to tap home from point-blank range after Leno could only push Erik Lamela's shot into the feet of the Dane, who has been heavily linked with a move away from Spurs before Monday's European transfer deadline.

The visitors were close to doubling their lead before the half-hour mark, David Luiz allowing Son Heung-min to run through at goal and unleash a curling effort which Leno did brilliantly to tip behind.

🤦‍♂️Leno....#NorthLondonDerby #ARSTOT pic.twitter.com/k3ZQpdWkzm
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) September 1, 2019

As he did with his error for the goal, Leno soon made amends as he dived full stretch to save an Eriksen free-kick, but there was nothing he could do moments later when Spurs were awarded a penalty - Xhaka steaming in recklessly and diving in to challenge Son after the ball had gone.

Kane stepped up and continued his fine goalscoring record in the derby by smashing the spot-kick home to double the lead and bag his tenth goal against the old enemy.

Lloris saved from Pepe but could do nothing as Lacazette, quiet by his standards in the opening 45 minutes, lashed home from six yards to half the deficit on the stroke of half-time.

Second half battle

Arsenal again started the half on top but were reliant on a fine, low save from Leno to deny Son, with Lloris equalling his counterpart to push a Matteo Guendouzi strike behind.

In an end-to-end contest, Kane rattled the inside of the post with a fine bending effort - but Aubameyang then drew Arsenal level with 20 minutes remaining as he prodded home Guendouzi's perfectly weighted through ball.

The equaliser sent the home fans into raptures and Lloris had to be at his best to keep out a long-range Xhaka shot, with the Tottenham defence reeling.

🤔 So then, Harry Kane here - dive or penalty??#NorthLondonDerby #THFC #ARSTOT pic.twitter.com/rUMFEOIRs8
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) September 1, 2019

Pepe lashed high and wide as a corner broke to Arsenal's club-record signing just inside the Tottenham penalty area before Sokratis Papastathopoulos thought he had bundled home a third only to see it ruled out for an offside against Kolasinac in the build-up.

With both sides chasing a late winner, Kane - for the second time in a week - was denied a penalty as referee Martin Atkinson adjudged he had not been fouled by Sokratis as he broke into the Arsenal box.

Arsenal 2–2 Tottenham Hotspur Opta stats

Tottenham have dropped 42 points from winning positions in the Premier League against Arsenal; 11 more than any against any other side in the competition.
Arsenal have lost just one of their last 27 Premier League home games against Tottenham (W15 D11 L1), a 2-3 loss in November 2010 after being two goals ahead.
Tottenham are winless in their last eight away league games (D2 L6), last enduring such a run on the road between December 2011-April 2012 (also eight games).
Since his Premier League debut in August 2016, no player has conceded more penalties in the competition than Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka (5).
Since Mauricio Pochettino took over ahead of the 2014-15 season, Spurs have only won three of their 27 Premier League away games against fellow “Big Six” opponents (W3 D9 L15), including none of their last six (D2 L4).
No player has scored more goals in games between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in all competitions than Spurs’ Harry Kane (10 - joint-most with Emmanuel Adebayor and Bobby Smith).
Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored in seven successive Premier League starts at the Emirates; only Thierry Henry in October 2000 went on a longer run at home for the Gunners in the competition (nine at Highbury).
Harry Kane's penalty was the 19th scored in games between Arsenal and Tottenham in the Premier League; the most in a single fixture in the competition's history.
Arsenal have recorded 13 errors leading to goals in the Premier League since the start of last season; the most of any club in the competition. In fact, Bernd Leno has more errors than any other player in this period (6).
Spurs’ Christian Eriksen has now scored 50 Premier League goals – the first Danish player to reach this landmark – whilst also becoming the first Spurs player to register both 50+ goals and assists for the club in the competition.