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Arsenal's Robin van Persie celebrates - Source: Reuters -
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A quick-fire double set Arsenal on their way to a comfortable
3-0 Premier League victory over north London rivals Tottenham
Hotspur on Sunday.
A close first half was transformed minutes before the break when
Robin van Persie met Bacary Sagna's low cross for Arsenal's first
goal before Spaniard Cesc Fabregas scored a brilliant second
moments later.
Sagna and Van Persie combined once more after the break for
Arsenal's third and the Dutchman's seventh this season, while
substitute Eduardo da Silva spurned an easy chance for a
fourth.
Fabregas' goal was the highlight of the match, with the midfielder
seizing on a loose ball before scything through the Spurs defence
and firing past a shell-shocked Heurelho Gomes just 11 seconds
after the restart from Van Persie's strike.
"I'm sitting there two or three minutes before halftime saying I
fancy us today, but we walked in 2-0 down," Spurs manager Harry
Redknapp told reporters.
"It was a real knockout blow. I was angry with the goals but not
the performance."
It got worse for Spurs after the break in bizarre
circumstances.
Both teams stopped playing after the linesman had flagged for
Benoit Assou-Ekotto's foul on Arsenal striker Eduardo but referee
Mark Clattenburg signalled the advantage and Sagna and van Persie
reacted quickest for the third goal.
"We took advantage of the mistakes Tottenham made but we provoked
them as well and could have scored more," Arsenal manager Arsene
Wenger told Sky Sports News.
Eduardo should have added a fourth but fired wide as the hosts
quickly found their rhythm while Spurs struggled to test Manuel
Almunia who was back in the Arsenal goal after a five-game
absence.
Spurs, who stay fourth, fought back from two goals down for a
shock 4-4 draw at the Emirates last season but this time David
Bentley, making his first start since January, was the closest they
came to scoring with a free-kick tipped over by
Almunia.
"I am very confident that we will win (the title) but we are in
October so come back in May," Wenger added.
