Tottenham vs. Arsenal final score: Premier League result, stats as Gabriel header downs Spurs in North London derby

Joe Wright

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Tottenham vs. Arsenal final score: Premier League result, stats as Gabriel header downs Spurs in North London derby image

"One-nil to the Arsenal," was a popular refrain among fans in the late 1980s and early 1990s, before the Premier League era and Arsene Wenger heralded a different sort of football. Tony Adams was the rock at the heart of that team and, before today, he was the last Arsenal player to win his first three away league games against Tottenham.

To Adams 1987-1988, we must add Ben White and William Saliba 2021-2024. Another defender, Gabriel, scored the only goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Mikel Arteta's team came through the first test of a hugely challenging week that includes a UEFA Champions League match with Atalanta and a visit to Manchester City.

Perhaps the highest praise for Arteta and this Arsenal side is that they combine some of the best qualities of those teams from the late 80s and early 2000s. They can be exciting and entertaining to watch, and excruciating to play against. As soon as Gabriel powered in a header from point-blank range, a collective resignation rippled around the stadium, from the stands to the pitch to the dugout. Spurs seemed to know the game was over, that the remaining half-hour was obsolete. So it proved.

MORE: All the latest Arsenal news | Premier League schedule for 2024/25 | Latest Premier League top scorer rankings

Tottenham vs. Arsenal score

 FTGoalscorers
Tottenham0 
Arsenal1Gabriel 64'

Confirmed lineups:

Tottenham (4-3-3, right to left): 1. Guglielmo Vicario (GK) — 23. Pedro Porro, 17. Cristian Romero, 37. Micky van de Ven, 13. Destiny Udogie — 21. Dejan Kulusevski, 30. Rodrigo Bentancur (29. Pape Sarr) 10. James Maddison (16. Timo Werner) — 22. Brennan Johnson (28. Wilson Odobert), 19. Dominic Solanke, 7. Son Heung-min

Arsenal (4-2-3-1, right to left): 22. David Raya (GK) — 4. Ben White, 2. William Saliba, 6. Gabriel, 12. Jurrien Timber — 5. Thomas Partey, 20. Jorginho — 7. Bukayo Saka (57. Ethan Nwaneri), 19. Leandro Trossard (9. Gabriel Jesus), 11. Gabriel Martinelli (30. Raheem Sterling) — 29. Kai Havertz

Ange Postecoglou's team dominated Newcastle United but lost by virtue of a single counter-attack. There was a fear that they could suffer a similar fate here, with Yves Bissouma out due to injury — a loss whose importance should not be dismissed amid the focus on how Arsenal would cope without the sidelined Martin Odegaard and suspended Declan Rice. Yet the home side had a balance to their play that kept Arsenal at arm's length, while Dominic Solanke gave William Saliba plenty to think about in an even first half.

The visitors were happy to cede possession — any team with nine clean sheets in 10 consecutive away league games isn't likely to worry too much about keeping the ball for long periods — but without Odegaard, there was little to link the attack. It was hard to see how the deadlock would be broken.

Then, Arsenal won a corner, and the game was over.

Arteta's team are renowned for their set-piece prowess. Two of their previous three league goals against Spurs came from corners. Gabriel made that three from four, nudging Cristian Romero to one side before thumping a header straight into the middle of the goal from barely four yards out. The Brazilian's celebratory roar echoed around the ground as around 60,000 Spurs fans turned into one "we're done here" gif. The players endorsed this message: the remainder of the match consisted of Spurs bringing the ball to within the Arsenal defensive third, apparently forgetting why they had done so, and passing it until James Maddison crossed the ball out of play or Pape Sarr challenged himself to see how far out he could shoot from.

This is not to denigrate Arsenal. This was a sizeable challenge, particularly in the absence of their two most important midfielders. The game played out as though every moment had been scripted by the Gunners. Spurs, who have lost six of the past eight North London derbies, couldn't stop the story repeating itself.

That's the real strength of Arteta's team. Fans may not welcome the comparison, but they are less the Arsenal of Wenger or George Graham, and more the early Chelsea of Jose Mourinho: authoritative, entertaining — yes, they were — and so magnificently obstinate in their own penalty area that you're genuinely shocked when they concede a goal. Don't be offended, Gunners — it's a pretty good way to win titles.

They now visit Atalanta and Man City, two of Europe's most effective attacking teams. You wouldn't confidently predict either of them to score. And if Arsenal come through these three games without defeat, they'll consider this an outstanding week. "One-nil to the Arsenal" could be the soundtrack to a very successful season.

Latest Tottenham vs. Arsenal team news | Where to watch Tottenham vs. Arsenal where you are 

Tottenham vs. Arsenal stats

TottenhamStatArsenal
15Shots7
5Shots on target4
0.71Expected goals0.73
64%Possession36%
492Passes281
7Corners6
13Fouls10
5Yellow cards3
2Offsides3

The Sporting News followed the Tottenham vs. Arsenal match live, providing live updates and commentary

Tottenham vs. Arsenal live updates, highlights, and commentary

Fulltime: Tottenham 0-1 Arsenal

It's a MASSIVE result for Arsenal! The Gunners prevail 1-0 thanks to Gabriel's second-half header. It was a bit of a battle, but in truth, Spurs barely threatened David Raya's goal in the second half.

90 + 4 mins: Odobert's shot deflects off Werner and wrong-foots Raya, but the ball flies just wide! The flag is up anyway. Arsenal fans can relax.

90 + 2 mins: Kulusevski! Lovely strike, just a couple of feet two high. Raya may have had it covered anyway. Spurs just haven't managed to create anything clear-cut today.

88 mins: Romero has gone up front alongside Solanke in one more Hail Mary from Postecoglou. He wins a good header this time, but the ball flies straight at Raya.

86 mins: Saka is going off! On comes teenager Ethan Nwaneri.

84 mins: Saka is booed as he sits down and asks for treatment. Arsenal, understandably, are doing what they can to kill this game. In fairness, Spurs are showing little threat anyway.

80 mins: Raheem Sterling is on for his Arsenal debut. Boy, he'd love a goal to mark the occasion.

77 mins: Spurs have had 61% of the ball today, yet just four of their shots have been on target and they have created no 'big chances'. That issue of turning possession into a cutting edge is still there. As if to underline the point, the crowd groans as a Maddison cross loops out for a goal kick.

72 mins: Odobert leads a good break, but Arsenal get players back in numbers to snuff out the danger. Sarr then tries an ambitious shot from distance, which does at least hit the target, although Raya's save was simple. The subs are trying to spark their team back into life.

68 mins: Postecoglou makes a swift change, bringing on Pape Sarr and Wilson Odobert for Rodrigo Bentancur and Brennan Johnson. The home fans have fallen silent since that goal. Spurs need a lift here, and quickly.

65 mins: GOAL! ARSENAL HAVE THE LEAD! After a spell of Spurs pressure, it's the Gunners who strike first — and it's from another set-piece. Saka's delivery is good, and Gabriel shoves Romero out of his way to give himself a free header from barely six yards out. It's an awful goal for Spurs to concede, but frankly, it doesn't come as a surprise.

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56 mins: It's become a little more end-to-end now. Van de Ven snuffs out a promising Arsenal break at one end, and Johnson quickly wins a corner at the other.

49 mins: Maddison swings a left-footed cross right into the run of Van de Ven, but there's not much pace on the delivery or the header, and Raya has a fairly comfortable save.

Kickoff: Second half

No changes at the break.

Halftime: Tottenham 0-0 Arsenal

That's it for the first half. It's not exactly been a classic North London derby, but neither side will be desperately unhappy to be at 0-0. Both teams have defended very well while offering scant inspiration in attack.

A joint-record seven yellow cards were shown in those first 45 minutes, which tells you much about the nature of the contest.

44 mins: Chance for Johnson! Son wriggles into space and feeds his teammate to the right of the penalty area, but he blasts his shot over the bar. In the context of this game, that was a decent opportunity.

41 mins: A lot of the game is currently being played in Spurs' half, but there's still very little by way of goalmouth action. Arsenal are pressing very well but not creating much.

35 mins: There's a scuffle on the pitch at the Spurs end after Timber earns a yellow card for a challenge on Romero. He then gets into a confrontation with Vicario, grabbing the keeper's shirt as other players start a shoving match. After a review, Vicario also goes into the book, but Timber's yellow is not upgraded. That looks to be the correct decision.

33 mins: Jurrien Timber has been a good attacking outlet for Arsenal in this first half. He wins a corner this time after popping up in the penalty area. Vicario makes a bit of a mess of the first delivery, and Saka then takes an awful follow-up.

28 mins: That was a nervy moment for Raya! Maddison digs out a cross, Solanke does really well to loop a header back across goal, and Raya seems unsure where the ball will land. In the end, it's just wide of the left-hand post.

25 mins: That was a good passage of play to illustrate the pattern of the game. Spurs played some precise, crisp short passes, worked it wide to Porro, but his cross from the byline was an easy take for Raya. The hosts have had a lot of possession, but Arsenal's defending has been too good for them.

19 mins: What a chance for Martinelli! He gets away from Pedro Porro again, and this time, he's through on goal. The finish is poor, though — it's a comfortable save for Vicario.

18 mins: Was that handball?? Kai Havertz's header from a good Martinelli cross is saved by Guglielmo Vicario, and the ball strikes the arm of Cristian Romero practically on the goal line. Referee and VAR are happy to let play continue.

16 mins: Big chance for Solanke! Spurs press well and force Ben White into an error. The ball falls to Solanke just inside the box, but he takes too long to set himself for the shot, and William Saliba makes the challenge. Saliba has since gone into the book for stopping a quick Spurs free-kick, so that particular battle has now taken on an extra edge.

14 mins: The home fans are getting riled as Arsenal are deliberately taking their time with goal kicks, dead balls, et cetera. It's a good tactic to calm down the tempo of the game.

8 mins: Raya again! Kulusevski's cross bounces through the box and the Arsenal keeper has to push it clear. He then calls for calm from his teammates. The Gunners are a bit unsettled here.

6 mins: First chance for Spurs as David Raya saves well from Dejan Kulusevski's first-time shot. There was some nice build-up play from Son Heung-min and Dominic Solanke, too. Positive from the hosts.

4 mins: Spurs are enjoying the early possession, which isn't a huge surprise. This feels like a game where Arsenal will look to counter right through the heart of a home midfield that seems to be lacking in bodies.

Kickoff: First half

Here we go! Arsenal, unusually in black, get us off and running.

12 minutes before kickoff: There's so much talk of this being a big opportunity for Spurs given Arsenal's missing players. The trouble is, Spurs have not been great at making the most of opportunities this season.

40 minutes before kickoff: Interesting that Arsenal appear to be going for their away kit today, despite the fact their famous red shirts evidently don't clash with Spurs' white. Perhaps they're hoping it'll prove a good-luck charm ahead of a tough week in which they face Atalanta and then Manchester City.

"If Arsenal lose today, it's a domino effect. If they lose today, you can't see them winning next week," Paul Merson has just said on Sky Sports in the UK. "If they go and draw this game and then go to the Etihad next Sunday, they're seven points behind Man City. You're needing them to lose three football matches."

56 minutes before kickoff: Don't forget that you can read up on our latest tips and predictions ahead of this game right here.

Team news

Arsenal's team is largely as expected in terms of personnel: Martin Odegaard is NOT involved. The interesting thing is the lineup: based on the club's social media graphic, Bukayo Saka might be starting as a No. 10, with Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard on the wings. You'd have to assume their mention of Trossard "pulling the strings" suggests he will be the central figure, though. Kai Havertz is up top, with Gabriel Jesus on the bench.

It looks like Spurs are going 4-3-3, with Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison in a midfield anchored by Rodrigo Bentancur. Dominic Solanke STARTS up front.

1 hour 20 minutes before kickoff: The big question today, of course, is how Arsenal will cope without two of their talismans. Declan Rice is suspended after his controversial red card against Brighton & Hove Albion, and Martin Odegaard — despite a mischievous refusal from his manager to be ruled out — has an ankle injury that will see him sidelined. Rice hasn't missed a single league game for Arsenal since his £105 million transfer from West Ham in 2023; Odegaard has sat out six EPL matches in three seasons. Arsenal are just not used to this.

1 hour 50 minutes before kickoff: This is the 65th Premier League edition of this fixture. The Gunners have won away to Spurs in the previous two seasons, having only done so twice in 17 prior visits. Opta give the visitors a 43% chance of winning this time, compared with 31.5% for Spurs. It's fair to say this one is tough to call.

2 hours before kickoff: The first North London derby of the 2024/25 season is upon is. It might only be Matchday 4, but this feels like a game that could have a fairly significant say on the Premier League title race.

It's also, usually, a brilliant watch.

Tottenham vs. Arsenal kick off time

This Premier League match kicks off at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, UK at 2 p.m. local time.

Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories:

 DateKickoff time
USASun, Sep. 159 a.m. ET
CanadaSun, Sep. 159 a.m. ET
UKSun, Sep. 152:00 p.m. BST
AustraliaSun, Sep. 1511:00 p.m. AEDT
IndiaSun, Sep. 156:30 p.m. IST

Tottenham vs. Arsenal lineups, team news

Son Heung-min has a prolific record of eight goals in north London derbies, and for this one, he will be joined in attack by fit-again Dominic Solanke.

Micky van de Ven (knee) was passed fit to start, but Yves Bissouma, who sustained a knock while on international duty with Mali, is not in the squad.

Postecoglou appears to be going for a 4-3-3 set-up, with Rodrigo Bentancur anchoring the midfield alongside Dejan Kulusevksi and James Maddison.

Tottenham starting XI (4-3-3, right to left): Vicario (GK) — Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie — Kulusevski, Bentancur, Maddison — Johnson, Solanke, Son

Tottenham subs: Forster, Spence, Davies, Dragusin, Gray, Sarr, Bergvall, Odobert, Werner

Injured: Yves Bissouma, Richarlison
Suspended: None

Arteta would gladly trade Postecoglou's sole midfield injury concern for his own situation. Along with Rice being unavailable after his red card against Brighton, Martin Odegaard (ankle) has joined Mikel Merino (shoulder) on the sidelines.

It means Jorginho and Thomas Partey anchor the midfield, with Leandro Trossard starting in a presumed No. 10 role, although Arsenal's own lineup graphic suggested Bukayo Saka could be deployed centrally.

Kai Havertz, so impressive at centre-forward during the early weeks of the season, remains the centre-forward ahead of Gabriel Jesus, who is back from a groin issue.

Riccardo Calafiori (calf) was injured in bizarre circumstances on international duty and is sidelined alongside fellow defenders Kieran Tierney (hamstring) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee).

Arsenal starting XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Raya (GK) — White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber — Partey, Jorginho — Saka, Trossard, Martinelli — Havertz

Arsenal subs: Neto, Kiwior, Kacurri, Heaven, Lewis-Skelly, Sterling, Nwaneri, Jesus, Kabia

Injured: Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, Riccardo Calafiori, Kieran Tierney, Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Suspended: Declan Rice

Tottenham vs. Arsenal live stream, TV channel

Here is how to watch the match in some of the world's major regions:

United States:

  • TV channel: —
  • Live stream: Peacock

In the United States, fans can stream this weekend's North London derby via Peacock.

Kick the soccer season off the right way and save $30 on your first month of Fubo! You can get your first month of Fubo for as low as $49.99 for a limited time. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and 200+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)

WATCH:Premier League games live on Fubo with a 7-day FREE trial

Canada:

  • TV channel: —
  • Live stream: Fubo Canada, Amazon Prime Canada

The game will be exclusively available to watch and stream on Fubo and Amazon Prime Canada for viewers residing in Canada. New users can currently sign up for a 7-day FREE trial on Fubo.

STREAM:Premier League matches LIVE on Fubo (free-trial)

Australia:

  • TV channel: —
  • Live stream: Optus Sport

Optus Sport is the home of live Premier League coverage in Australia.

India:

  • TV channel: Star Sports Select 1
  • Live stream: JioTV, Hotstar VIP

Star Sports Select 1 and Select 1 HD will broadcast this game in India. There are also streaming options available through JioTV and Hotstar VIP.

UK:

  • TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League
  • Live stream: Sky GO, Now TV

Sky Sports will be showing this match live in the UK on its Main Event and Premier League channels. There are also streaming options available via Sky GO and Now TV for subscribers.

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Joe Wright

Joe Wright Photo

Joe is a Senior Editor at Sporting News. He was previously a sub editor and writer for Goal.com before spending six years as part of the Stats Perform editorial news service, covering major global sports including football, tennis, boxing, NBA, rugby union and athletics. Joe has reported live on some of the biggest games in football, including two UEFA Champions League finals, Euro 2016, the Confederations Cup 2017 and the 2018 World Cup final at the end of a month in Russia.