The North London Derby matches are the first ones both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur fans look for every year when the Premier League fixtures are released.
The rivalry between the two became particularly heated in the early 2000s, with Spurs captain Sol Campbell joining Arsenal on a free transfer, before the Gunners then won the League at Tottenham in 2004.
There have been plenty of incredible games and moments in North London Derby matches between the two sides, which for many years, Arsenal dominated as a one-sided affair.
However, games became a lot more evenly balanced in the last decade, and the home side would usually triumph, although Mikel Arteta’s side have now won their last two games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Some of Arsenal’s greatest-ever moments have come in North London Derby matches, and we have now listed 10 of the best in the Premier League era.
- READ MORE: What is the North London Derby? Everything you need to know about the Arsenal and Tottenham rivalry
Arsenal won the Premier League at White Hart Lane, 2004
Arguably the greatest moment in Arsenal’s modern-day history, the North London Derby at White Hart Lane on 26t April 2004 saw Arsene Wenger’s side travel to face Spurs knowing that a draw would win them the title.
Arsenal raced into a 2-0 lead through Robert Pires and Patrick Vieira, and victory looked to be theirs. However, a screamer from Jamie Redknapp, and a late penalty from Robbie Keane meant that Spurs had clawed back a point.
The crowd at White Hart Lane celebrated, but they clearly did not realise that a draw was enough to confirm Arsenal as champions at the home of their biggest rivals.
The Arsenal players, led by Thierry Henry, celebrated in front of their fans, as their 13th league title was secured in the best way possible: undefeated away at Spurs.
Cesc Fabregas’ outstanding solo goal against Tottenham, October 2009
Arsenal hosted Spurs at the Emirates Stadium in October 2009, and were unbeaten in their previous 19 league meetings with their bitter rivals.
Wenger’s side made it 20 with an excellent 3-0 victory, which included one of the best goals the fixture has seen.
Robin van Persie opened the scoring in the first half, but as Spurs took the resulting kick-off, they were dispossessed instantly, with Cesc Fabregas picking up the ball.
The Spaniard then remarkably dribbled through the Spurs midfield and defence with ease, before powering a shot into the bottom corner to send the Emirates into raptures.
Arsenal’s incredible comeback to beat Spurs 5-2, February 2012
Arsenal fans were fearing the worst when they were 2-0 down at home to Spurs in February 2012, with Louis Saha and former Gunner Emmanuel Adebayor opening the scoring.
However, goals from Van Persie and Bacary Sagna levelled the score by half time, before a goal Tomas Rosicky and a brace from Theo Walcott handed Arsenal one of their biggest wins in the fixture.
What made this result even more special, was that Arsenal repeated it just months later.
Arsenal beat Tottenham 5-2 again, November 2012
In November 2012, Spurs travelled to the Emirates for the first time since their 5-2 thrashing, and again Adebayor scored to give them the lead.
However, he was sent off for a dangerous challenge on Santi Cazorla, and Arsenal had the last laugh.
Goals from Per Mertesacker, Olivier Giroud, Lukas Podolski, Santi Cazorla and Walcott, with Gareth Bale netting a consolation, gave Arsenal another 5-2 win, and with Arsenal then beating Spurs to a top four spot by a singular point, this was a crucial and satisfying victory for Wenger.
Mathieu Flamini scores League Cup brace at White Hart Lane, September 2015
Although it is not the most popular competition, one of Arsenal’s greatest moments against Spurs came in the third round of the League Cup.
In a heavily rotated team, backup veteran Mathieu Flamini started alongside Mikel Arteta in midfield, but no one could have predicted what would happen next.
Flamini opened the scoring in the first half, before an own goal from Calum Chambers levelled the scores.
However, Flamini, who rarely scored, fired in a superb volley from outside the box to send the away end into chaos, and sent Arsenal into the fourth round.
It was a brace and victory which wrote Flamini into the Arsenal history books, and one which the fans in attendance will never forget.
Lucas Torreira caps off incredible Arsenal derby victory, December 2018
Unai Emery’s first North London Derby was one of the best, as Arsenal came back from 2-1 down to win 4-2 at the Emirates in December 2018.
Fights broke out between the two sets of players in a particularly heated derby encounter, and excellent goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette had given Arsenal a 3-2 lead.
The atmosphere at the Emirates was rocking, but tensions were still high. That was until they reached a boiling point, before an explosion of euphoria, as summer signing Lucas Torreira raced through and smashed home his first goal for the club.
It was an incredible moment which ultimately secured the win, and the Uruguayan midfielder had made himself a hero in North London.
Tomas Rosicky’s first-minute winner at Spurs, March 2014
Wenger was facing a crisis as midfielders Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil and Jack Wilshere were all injured ahead of a trip to Spurs in 2014.
Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain and Rosicky started in midfield in their absences, and both stepped up to deliver the win.
In the first minute of the game at White Hart Lane, Oxlade-Chamberlain took a poor touch, which luckily fell to Rosicky at the edge of the box. What happened next was special.
With a venomous first-time shot, Rosicky powered the ball into the top corner, which gave Arsenal the lead in the opening minute, and they would go on to hold out for all three points, in what was their first win away at Spurs since 2007.
Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe tear Tottenham apart, September 2021
Arsenal’s derby clash with Spurs in September 2021 was an important one for Mikel Arteta, who was facing heavy pressure after a nightmare start to the season.
A fresh, younger side including new signings Aaron Ramsdale and Ben White lined up to face Tottenham, and a home defeat could have even cost Arteta his job.
However, academy graduates Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe put Tottenham to the sword in style. Smith Rowe opened the scoring early on after an excellent dribble from Saka, before the scorer turned provider for Aubameyang to double the lead minutes later.
Saka then added a third goal before half-time, with the Emirates stunned at Arsenal’s incredible performance, and this proved to be a springboard to kick-start their season and sparked the turnaround in fortunes under Arteta.
The fact that Saka and Smith Rowe, two starlets who grew up at the club and progressed through the academy were living their dream by winning a North London Derby, made the victory even sweeter.
Tomas Rosicky’s FA Cup solo goal, January 2014
Arsenal have been drawn against Spurs in several cup ties over the years, and the 2014 FA Cup saw the two rivals face each other in the third round at the Emirates.
Santi Cazorla gave Arsenal the lead early on, with youngster Serge Gnabry setting him up with a fine assist after Wenger boldly included him in the starting lineup.
In what was a tough game, Rosicky, who loved scoring against Spurs, sealed the win with one of the finest goals in the latter years of his career.
The midfielder robbed Danny Rose of the ball at the halfway line after a Spurs corner, and raced through to lob the goalkeeper to score.
Arsenal would go on to win the FA Cup that season, and Rosicky’s strike against Spurs was one of the best moments in the entire cup run.
Arsenal’s first win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Arsenal suffered three consecutive defeats at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after Spurs moved into their new ground in 2020, but they ended this streak in style in January 2023.
Arteta’s team, who were at the top of the Premier League, demolished Antonio Conte’s side in style, with an utterly dominant display.
Saka forced an own goal from Hugo Lloris early on, before Thomas Partey rattled the crossbar with a long-range volley.
Martin Odegaard then fired into the bottom corner from outside the box, before Ramsdale stepped up with some big saves to secure a 2-0 victory, with drama at the end of the match
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