Even before this weekend’s North London derby, it was all but assured Tottenham would finish ahead of Arsenal in the table for the first time in 22 years. Sunday’s game was an opportunity for Spurs to clinch it. The team’s diehard fans must have been slightly wary. What would be more “Spursy” than blowing a chance to stick a knife in Arsenal’s back during one of the last games at the team’s stadium, White Hart Lane?
No need to fear. Mauricio Pochettino’s men were far from their best, but more than good enough to beat their flailing rivals, 2-0. The win means they’re just four points back of Premier League leaders Chelsea, 81-77, heading into the season’s final four games.
Though stranger things have happened, the Blues’ easy win over Everton, in what was probably their last difficult game, means Tottenham is unlikely to catch up. But on Sunday, that didn’t matter to them or their fans.
The day didn’t get off to the best start for Spurs. After Chelsea’s 3-0 win temporarily built Spurs’ deficit to seven points, there was tenseness to the team’s play over the opening half-hour that hinted they were well aware of this. But Tottenham grew into the game and easily were the more dangerous team by halftime. If anything, they should have been up by at least one: Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen each missed golden opportunities midway through the half.
The nerves appeared to have been shrugged off during the intermission, and 13 minutes after the restart, the game was over. First, in the 55th minute, Alli emphatically pounced on a rebound in the six-yard box to give Spurs the lead. Barely a minute later, a Tottenham counter-attack ended with Harry Kane getting dragged down in the box. There definitely was contact, but replays showed the forward had made the most of it. The referee gave Spurs the penalty, and Kane calmly fired it into the lower left corner of the net to double the lead.
Arsenal were done for. After a lively opening quarter-hour, Arsene Wenger’s side had started to recede, and by the time the referee awarded Spurs the penalty, it was clear they had given up. With the exception of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, it is hard to think of an Arsenal player who had even a half-decent game. Perhaps most frustrating of all for the Gunners’ fans was the performance of Alexis Sanchez, the team’s star player the past three seasons, who seemed to spend more time in the second half barking at his teammates for not giving him the perfect pass than actually creating anything.
Tottenham were able to go into cruise control and soak up the adulation of their long-suffering fans, who finally had something to hold over their rivals’ heads after two-plus decades. The win widened their lead over Arsenal to 17 points, a total the Gunners can’t mathematically overcome, even with an extra (fifth) game left.
Finally finishing above an Arsenal team that’s been on the decline for more than a decade may not sound like much, but it is to Tottenham. A team that’s spent decades showing its ineptitude in startling ways finally might have reached a turning point. They still need to win something before you can count on them, but topping Arsenal is a start. — B.H.
United must tank to earn Champions League
Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United sit in third, fourth and fifth place, respectively, through 34 games. United (65 points) is a single point behind the other two and just two behind in goal difference. The three teams, each with a fatal flaw, are basically equals, yet only two will earn spots in next year’s Champions League via the final Premier League standings. The run-in should be a high-stakes bloodbath between the three gigantic clubs, separated geographically by a mere 35 miles.
Yet a strange set of circumstances dictates that all three likely will be in next year’s most prestigious European tournament: United are in the semifinals of this year’s Europa League and are heavy favorites to win the whole thing. If they do, they’ll get an automatic spot in the Champions League. If Liverpool and City qualify via the top four, and United via the Europa League, England will have a total of five teams in Europe’s top competition.
United have the hardest remaining schedule and an ever-growing injury list. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is done for the season and all of United’s senior center backs, besides Daley Blind, are down for the count, which means center midfield metronome Michael Carrick likely will get pushed back as an emergency fill-in. If that weren’t bad enough, Carrick is a creaky 35-year-old, so manager Jose Mourinho is going to have to pick and choose when to play his vital passing maestro.
Given that United still have to play a domineering Tottenham and an admittedly stuttering Arsenal in the league, it is in Mourinho’s and United’s best interest to focus on the Europa League — where they only have to beat Celta Vigo (currently in 11th place in Spain) and either Lyon (fourth place in France) or Ajax (second place in the weak Dutch league) in the final.
Under that scenario, United would be OK dropping points in the Premier League, as they did this weekend when 18th-place Swansea earned a deserved a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford. Liverpool and City would cruise to third and fourth, which is probably going to happen anyways, given the best opponent either has to play is eighth-place West Brom, which has absolutely nothing to play for. — M.B.
Goal of the Week
Swansea’s Gylfi Sigurdsson stood 25 yards from United’s goal, just right of center, ready to take a free kick. David de Gea knew what was coming, so he set up a four-man wall with a fifth player, Ander Herrera, acting as a free blocker. The usually astute Herrera was flabbergasted by Sigurdsson’s potentially devastating blast, darting back to guard the goalpost de Gea wasn’t covering then changing his mind and running back to the wall. This is the kind of fear Sigurdsson instills in his foes, and it is completely warranted: He unleashed a picture-perfect free kick into the exact spot Herrera had vacated.
Save of the Week
The point Sigurdsson earned Sunday was made all the more important because Swansea’s main relegation rivals, Hull, earned an extremely fortunate point the day prior thanks to their goalkeeper, Eldin Jakupović. The Bosnian-born goalkeeper has been the hero of Hull’s unlikely move into 17th place, and he once again proved his worth against Southampton. In the 90th minute, Hull’s Alfred N’Diaye took Maya Yoshida down in the box and Dusan Tadic stepped up to the spot with a chance to break the 0-0 deadlock and potentially end Hull’s season. Jakupović dived low to his left and stopped the penalty.
Post’s Premier League Rankings
Chelsea easily pass what should be their last tough test, and dismal Sunderland’s fate is sealed after the lose to Bournemouth. (Last week’s rankings in parenthesis)
1. Chelsea (1)
2. Tottenham (2)
3. Manchester City (3)
4. Liverpool (4) *
5. Manchester United (5)
6. Arsenal (6)
7. Everton (7)
8. Southampton (8)
9. Leicester (12)
10. Bournemouth (11)
11. West Brom (9)
12. Crystal Palace (10)
13. Stoke (13)
14. West Ham (14)
15. Burnley (16)
16. Watford (15) *
17. Hull City (17)
18. Swansea City (18)
19. Middlesbrough (19)
20. Sunderland (20)
*Play Monday