If this was supposed to be a rare north London derby where both sides were on the rise, it is only Arsenal who have stayed up there. They did much more than win a genuine juncture game here, though. They sustained their own momentum, banished more doubts, and finally made Tottenham Hotspur look like the unconvincing side that had been hinted at in their previously unbeaten run.
Antonio Conte faced up to his first league defeat of the season in the worst possible game, but also faced starker questions about his team – and even his approach. The Italian might point to a red card for Emerson Royal that he evidently felt was overly harsh, but the distinctive dynamic of the game had been set long before then.
