The Emirates was on the verge of turning ugly earlier than a second that might flip Arsenal’s season, writes OLIVER HOLT as Mikel Arteta’s aspect come from behind to win north London debry

There were five minutes to go until half-time in the North London derby and the atmosphere at The Emirates was on the verge of turning ugly. Not the kind of ugliness that defaced the last days of Arsene Wenger but fretful and anxious and frustrated.

It was the kind of anger borne from being confronted by the spectre of ordinariness when you have been promised so much more. And as Arsenal trailed by a goal to Spurs scored by Son Heung-min, ordinariness, another season of trying and failing to win the league, was staring them in the face.

But seasons turn on strange moments and maybe Arsenal’s turned then. Leandro Trossard won a corner that should have been a goal-kick, Arsenal scored from it, forcing Dominic Solanke into an own goal, and then scored again through Trossard on the brink of the interval.

The ugliness turned towards Ange Postecoglou instead. As the game edged towards its conclusion and Spurs sank to their 11th league defeat of the season, which kept them languishing in 13th place, eight points above the relegation zone, ‘AngeOut’ started trending on X.

Arsenal have now won seven and drawn one of their last nine games against Spurs and this season, only the bottom three have lost more than Tottenham. Spurs’ pride is being trampled underfoot.

This is not the form of a side that aspired to join a European Super League a few seasons ago. Those of us who love watching the football that Postecoglou’s side plays and believe Spurs’ fortunes will turn, will hope that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy keeps faith with him.

But after this defeat, after the struggle to edge past non-league Tamworth in the FA Cup third round on Sunday, after a series of humiliations, Postecoglou is walking a tight-rope. Nervous days lie ahead for those who still think he represents the best hope of a bright future for the club.

Spurs’ season has been derailed by injuries, particularly in defence, and Wednesday night’s back five was the tenth different combination of goalkeeper and back four that Postecoglou has been forced into during the campaign.

Through it all, Spurs have, contrary to common perception, been relatively resolute at the back away from home. Before this game, Postecoglou’s side had only nine goals from 11 away league games, the best record in the division.

The worry for Arsenal fans was whether their misfiring forward line could produce either the guile or the ruthlessness to break Spurs down after the frustrations of recent matches against Newcastle and Manchester United underlined just how much they are missing the injured Bukayo Saka.

They went into this match reeling from the news that striker Gabriel Jesus had torn cruciate ligaments during Sunday’s clash against United and would be out for the rest of the season. Raheem Sterling was handed just his third league start since his summer move from Chelsea.

Sterling had a chance within the opening three minutes. Arsenal tore into Spurs and harried them out of their stride from the start and Sterling almost latched on to a pass from Myles Lewis-Skelly before he was denied at the last by Djed Spence tackle.

Spurs could not get out of their own half. Arsenal were utterly dominant. They went close again when Kinsky hesitated slightly with the ball at his feet and Havertz blocked his attempted clearance. For an instant, it appeared the Germany striker might be presented with an open goal but Kinsky fell on the ball like a man throwing a cloak on a naked flame.

Spurs finally broke out when Spence made a superb run down the left and curled in a cross with the outside of his right foot. Solanke stretched to reach it but Gabriel made a brilliant intervention to flick the ball behind for a corner.

Dejan Kulusevski forced a good save out of David Raya soon after and suddenly Spurs were full of confidence. 

When Arsenal only half-cleared a corner midway through the half, Son met it on the volley and a deflection off Thomas Partey took the ball beyond Raya.

The game was fully alive now, the home crowd caught between roaring encouragement and screaming in frustration. 

Trossard executed such a perfect Cruyff turn that poor Pedro Porro twisted his knee and crumpled to the floor when he tried to adjust his body to cope with his opponent’s feint.

A few minutes before half-time, Trossard won a corner. Those Arsenal fans who have been claiming that there is a deep-state conspiracy against them, orchestrated by PGMOL officials, might care to look at replays of his challenge with Porro. It shows the last touch was Trossard’s. It should have been a goal kick.

Arsenal took full advantage of their slice of good fortune. Rice curled a corner with pace and accuracy to the back post, Kinsky stood rooted to the spot and Gabriel rose above Dominic Solanke and Radu Dragusin and nodded the ball towards the unguarded net. It touched Solanke on the way and was recorded as an own goal.

Five minutes later, as the clocked ticked over into added time, Partey dispossessed Yves Bissouma in midfield and the ball was worked wide to Trossard on the left.

 Trossard took a few paces forward and then unleashed a fierce drive which bounced awkwardly in front of Kinsky and eluded his attempt to parry it before nestling in the net. It was a fine strike but Kinsky should have saved it.

There was no chance that Postecoglou was going to opt for caution in the second half. Instead, he brought on James Maddison for Bissouma and Brennan Johnson for Pape Sarr at half time.

Arsenal should have gone further ahead 10 minutes after the break but Sterling and Havertz turned the chance into a comedy of errors with a couple of miskicks and airshots. Sterling was substituted soon afterwards. It hadn’t been his night.

After a period of attrition, the game exploded into life again 20 minutes from the end. Gabriel made yet another fine block to deny Solanke at one end before Arsenal burst forward and Declan Rice turned his man inside out before levelling a piledriver straight at Kinsky.

Arsenal pressed and pressed for a third but, even though Porro hit the post with a stinging shot in the last minute of added time, it turned out they did not need it.