Having lost key players to Injury, Kieran Gibbs rose up to the occasion, pulled up his sleeve and stepped off the bench to snatch a point in the north London derby at the Emirates.
Tottenham were the better side for large parts and took a deserved lead during the first-half when Harry Kane raced on to Danny Rose's fine pass before beating Petr Cech.
The visitors had chances to extend their lead while Olivier Giroud went close on multiple occasions for Arsenal. And they finally made the breakthrough when Gibbs bundled home at the back post from Mesut Ozil's cross.
Here are five things we learned.
Arsenal are showing a mental resolve
They’ve always been brilliant to watch at their free-flowing best. They have always had the touch of class about them. The big question has surrounded whether they could maintain the mentality that has put them into title contention.
In the past they have proven fragile and cracked under pressure.
This season they have followed up their win over Manchester United with a 3-0 victory at Watford.Their home win over Everton was backed up by a 3-0 win at Swansea. And when the chips were down here and let’s not kid ourselves Spurs bossed this for long periods, they found a way to grab a share of the points. Even before last season had ended the England striker had haters claiming he would struggle to produce anything like it this time around.
This is now six goals in four games with finishes to suggest he is finding his stride again. He didn’t get lucky last season and he hasn’t been found out. He is a quality striker.
Spurs are a force to be reckoned with
You could have picked any number of the Argentine’s team as candidates for Man of the Match.Dele Alli was outstanding. Eric Dier worked his socks off. Erik Lamela produced a performance unlike anything else he has come up with during his Tottenham career and, of course, Kane provided that quality finish after refusing to be worried out of it by Petr Cech.They worked harder, they created more chances and for large parts of the game you wondered whose house this was.
Ozil silences critics with quiet efficiency
He isn’t as flamboyant as some or as loud as other but he continues to load the bullets for the Arsenal front men to fill their boots.Ever since he arrived at the Emirates Ozil has failed to impress so many who feel he flatters to deceive when the chips are down. Here he kept his head to ensure Spurs lost theirs as Kieran Gibbs stepped off the bench to convert the winner.
Alli cementing place in Spurs team
The former MK Dons man showed once again he is thriving at this level. He picked passes and pockets as if he was shelling peas.He threw himself into some tackles, he side-stepped others and he was part of the midfield triumvirate that saw off Santi Cazorla at half time.Roy Hodgson was in the stand watching here at the Emirates. He’ll have been pleased with what he saw.
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