EYES ON THE prize.
In the moment that mattered, the one that decided this North London derby, Arsenal’s Gabriel never lost sight of what he had to do.
As Bukayo Saka prepared to take the 64th-minute corner, he stood facing Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero just to the left of the penalty spot.
From that point on only one man had control of the situation.
Gabriel’s movement was simple, Romero’s reaction baffling.
The Arsenal centre back jinked to the left and Romero turned his back having initially been side on. He was attracted to a ball that was never on his flight path.
Saka delivered and by the time he did so there were 11 men in the six-yard box. Four were bunched in front of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, preventing him from coming more than a couple of feet off his line.
No wonder Spurs conceded 16 goals from set-pieces last season.
Crucially, they also allowed 26 headed efforts from inside the six-yard box.
A new season brings similar problems under Ange Postecoglou.
What really mattered in this moment happened between Gabriel and Romero. The latter drifted towards the edge of the smaller area without any purpose. Gabriel shadowed him before the slightest of nudges in the back as if to let him know he was changing course.
There was daylight and glory to be savoured.
The Brazilian peeled to the middle of the goal and with a stunning header he also dragged this game away from the hosts, delivering a crucial victory for the visitors.
Not just in terms of staying in touch with Manchester City – yes, even in mid September – but for increasing belief that even without the suspended Declan Rice and captain Martin Odegaard this is an Arsenal squad capable of once again challenging for the Premier League title.
This time last season everything was new and exciting for Spurs. They were unbeaten after five games with four wins and a draw.
They set up with a defensive line so high it was halfway up the Seven Sisters Road whenever they played at home – had there not been a net in goal Gabriel’s powerful header may have found its way up there too.
Harry Kane was gone but Big Ange had arrived.
Robbie Williams serenaded him with a reworked version of Angels. Spurs were smiling and confidence was high.
They didn’t lose a game until 6 November but already they have lost twice this term.
This defeat will leave a sting that will not be easily soothed.
There were seven bookings – five to Spurs – in the first half but other than one Jurrien Timber tackle on Pedro Porro it was hard to think of a challenge that warranted one.
VAR checked the incident between the two full backs and cleared the Arsenal defender after he went over the top of the ball just after the half hour mark.
Things has simmered until that point, with a lack of attacking quality in both boxes ensuring tension slowly built as opportunities passed each side by.
There was more than enough time for those in Stockley Park to assess the situation between Timber and Porro just after the half hour mark given a melee ensued on the back of the force used. Vicario was also cautioned for his part in that after confronting the Arsenal man and getting a yellow for his troubles.
If there was one passage of play to sum up the wild and kind-of-wonderful nature of those opening 45 minutes, it came just seven minutes before things boiled over.
William Saliba made a fine block tackle on the edge of his own box to prevent a Spurs overload to his left.
The centre back drove forward, picked out a pass to his right and carried on his run as if he was Declan Rice – absent through suspension – surging to support.
But the return was misplaced, intercepted by Micky van de Ven who decided to use his momentum and continue into Arsenal’s half. He played the ball into space down the left and Spurs were in behind.
Arsenal regrouped but James Maddison still had time to whip a cross to the back post where Dominick Solanke looped a header wide. It was a far tougher chance than the one that presented itself to him earlier when Ben White’s pass out was intercepted by Son Heung-min into the striker’s path.
He took two touches to set himself just inside the box but none of them allowed him to get a shot away. In a flash the chance was gone and it was the best one Spurs had all afternoon.
Salbia had been quickest to react in that moment to get the better of Solanke.
But it was his centre back partner who made the most telling impact of all with his power play in the box.
Arsenal, who scored 22 times from set-pieces last season, most certainly have their eyes on the prize again.
