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A stunning debut goal from Danny Rose after 10 minutes set Spurs on their way with Gareth Bale adding the second, two minutes after half-time.
Nicklas Bendtner pulled one back, five minutes from time, to set up a grandstand finish but Spurs held on for their first League success over their arch-rivals in 21 attempts.
The defeat leaves the Gunners six points behind Chelsea with four games to go – and the Blues have a superior goal difference.
The win sees Tottenham move to within a point of Manchester City in the battle for the final Champions League place with five matches remaining.
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp, deprived of four midfielders through injury or suspension, handed 20-year-old former Leeds trainee Rose his first top-flight appearance in preference to David Bentley and it took little time for that decision to be vindicated in spectacular circumstances.
Manuel Almunia punched a corner clear only to watch the youngster dispatch a 30-yard left foot volley straight back over his head.
Arsenal dominated possession for long periods but tried to play through a packed and compact home rearguard superbly marshalled by Ledley King, making his first appearance since February.
Benoit Assou-Ekotto was forced to chest a Sol Campbell effort off the line inside the opening three minutes with the former Spurs captain predictably jeered on his return to the Lane.
Nicklas Bendtner also scuffed a shot wide of the post but despite their lack of possession it was the hosts who had the better chances.
Roman Pavlyuchenko saw his shot superbly blocked by Thomas Vermaelen but the Belgian was forced off after 20 minutes with a calf injury and his replacement, Mikael Silvestre was ponderous when Luka Modric burst past him only for Almunia to dive at the Croat’s feet and deny Spurs a second.
Rose picked up a knock and was replaced by former Gunner Bentley at the start of the second-half but within two minutes of the re-start, the hosts had doubled their advantage.
Some slack Arsenal defending allowed Bale space on the right side of the penalty area to slip Jermain Defoe’s pass into the corner of the net.
Spurs continued to look comfortable at the back until Robin Van Persie’s introduction on 68 minutes after a five-month lay off with ankle ligament damage.
Abou Diaby’s chip into the penalty area was chested down by the Dutch striker whose volley on the turn was superbly tipped around the post by Heurelho Gomes.
That was the Brazilian keeper’s first real save of the night and he was soon called into action once more as Van Persie’s 25-yard free-kick, destined for the top corner, was superbly tipped over.
Within moment Gomes had tipped Campbell’s header onto the crossbar but Arsenal, who had scored in the last 10 minutes in each of their last seven Premier League matches, did get a lifeline when Theo Walcott’s driven centre was poked home by Bendtner
Van Persie then saw his 25-yard drive pushed away by Gomes but they could not force the equaliser and Arsene Wenger now faces the prospect of seeing his side go a fifth consecutive season without a trophy.
Lee Walker{jcomments on}
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Arsenal Now 3 Points Clear At Top – Match Report
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