Harry Kane’s penalty ensured it was honours even in a spicy north London derby.
The hosts took the lead through Kevin Wimmer’s own goal, although Spurs will feel aggrieved after a raft of Arsenal players appeared to be offside when Mesut Ozil swung the free kick over from the right-hand side.
That goal lit the blue touch paper and the game got more feisty as the afternoon continued, only for Spurs to stun the Gunners by getting back in it.
A lazy, brainless challenge from Laurent Koscielny on the impressive Mousa Dembele resulted in a penalty.
And Harry Kane, back in the side after injury, slotted it down the middle to level the score and despite hitting the post in the final minutes, Tottenham couldn’t find a winner.
But what did we learn? Here are five things....
Key Events So Far
- PEEP! FT: Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham
- KANE MAKES NO MISTAKE! The striker scores on his return to a...
- PEEEP! HT: Arsenal 1-0 Spurs
- ARSENAL OPEN THE SCORING! The referee pulled the game back f...
- The teams are in
- Welcome all!
Walcott's view
OK then folks, that’s all from us today.
We’re going to leave you here with the thoughts of Theo Walcott on the day’s game.
We’ll see you on the other side.
5) Draw leaves title race tantalisingly close
Tottenham will be happy with a draw away at their arch rivals as long as they can get the win at White Hart Lane, but on the balance of play they may even feel a little disappointed.
Arsenal, who knew a win would send them top today, may feel a little blue at missing that chance.
But the upshot is that the title race stays phenomenally close. Liverpool will kick off shortly and are big favourites to finish the weekend as league leaders. But even if they do beat Watford it will still be just two points separating the top four after a weekend where Man City slipped up and Chelsea staked a real claim.
Spurs, three points back from Arsenal and City, are close enough for now and with Harry Kane back they can be confident of results improving once again.
It’s tighter than a mouse’s jean pocket up there.
4) Mousa Dembele stars in two different roles
People around Tottenham seem to agree that when Dembele plays, Spurs play.
The Belgian midfielder has such a unique brand of power, technique and energy that he can make a whole team tick.
In the first half the former Fulham man was haring around, pressing and trying to win the ball in Arsenal territory but his second-half was more conservative, performing a deeper role and allowing Christian Eriksen more creative freedom ahead of him.
The danger comes when Dembele surges from that deep position though, and he won Spurs the equalising penalty when he picked up that ball and ran into the Arsenal box.
Koscielny’s lazy tackle tripped the Belgian and there was no question - just as there wasn’t about Harry Kane’s 12-yard finish.
3) The offside law is not defined well enough
Kevin Wimmer was forced into stretching to intercept Mesut Ozil’s curling free-kick and ended up heading the ball into the back of his own net.
Mauricio Pochettino will feel frustrated about the ambiguity of the offside law as Alexis Sanchez was clearly offside and positioned between the Austria international and Hugo Lloris.
“The way the law is written Sanchez does not make any offside offence,” claimed Howard Webb on BT Sport.
The Argentinian would have been furious had his defender not attempted to win the ball, while Everton conceded two suspect goals against Chelsea, suggesting that, once again, the offside law is not defined well enough.
2) Harry Kane, even half-fit, is an upgrade up front
Harry Kane hadn’t pulled on a Tottenham shirt since September 18th, but was included in the starting lineup for the big one.
The England striker’s absence was masked early on by Son Heung-Min going on a scoring run but when the Korean’s goals dried up, Spurs’ results began to suffer.
Vincent Janssen, the summer signing brought in to be Kane’s relief man, has struggled for anything resembling even mediocre form.
So it was a huge boost to have local boy Kane back in their lineup.
While the £60million-rated centre-forward was clearly not back to 100%, his intelligent movement and presence was far more of an issue for Arsenal than Janssen would have been.
Kane’s back-to-back 20-goal seasons command respect, and he was given that today. The goal may have come from the spot but it was a line-leading forward that Pochettino needed at the Emirates and he will be delighted to have had one again.
After six weeks without, Poch has finally got his main man back.
1) Pochettino’s back three hints at not trusting options
Toby Alderweireld has been a smash hit at White Hart Lane since his arrival from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2015, so much so that for some, he is now perhaps the Premier League’s best pound-for-pound defender.
The Belgian missed Spurs defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in midweek, and was again absent at the Emirates. At Wembley on Wednesday night, Pochettino paired Eric Dier and Jan Vertonghen, and the duo struggled, against the pace of Roger Schmidt’s attack.
For the North London derby - perhaps partially aided by the absence of Dele Alli - Pochettino elected to change things up; and not just in terms of personnel.
The Argentine moved to a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Dier and Vertonghen joined by Austrian Kevin Wimmer as the central figure in a back three. Wimmer impressed last term when Vertonghen was absent but has struggled for regular games this term, and was horribly exposed by Daniel Sturridge and Liverpool in the League Cup.
Much was made of Pochettino’s tactical change at kickoff, and during the opening 20 minutes - with Spurs starting brightly - it looked to be working.
But, in the plain light of day, was it actually a change based on exploiting an opposition weakness? Or quite simply the fact that, without the all-Belgian central defensive axis, Pochettino doesn’t fully trust his centre-halves.
And that will do it as a North London derby in the Premier League ends in a draw for the third consecutive game. Wimmer's own-goal in the first half was cancelled out by Kane's penalty. Both sides rattled the woodwork and a point seems like the fairest result. Tottenham stay fifth, while Arsenal miss a chance to go top. That's all from us, thanks for joining us.
Arsenal continue to try to manufacture an opening from the cross, but Tottenham, as they've done all game, keep the door shut from open play. A last cross from Monreal is smothered by Lloris.
PEEP! FT: Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham
Well, Arsenal have shot themselves in the foot right there.
Cruising at half-time, they let Spurs take over in the second period.
And it ends, 1-1.
Five things we learned to come...
GOOD DEFENDING! The ball is at the feet of Bellerin, who clips in a great cross that Giroud leaps for but misses. The replacement full-back is forced to clear the ball just ahead of Alexis.
Overall Possession Ratio
- ArsenalKey color for Arsenal
- SpursKey color for Spurs
Possession
Tottenham are well-organised at the back, but are left breathing a sigh of relief as a foul against Wimmer goes uncalled as Giroud barrels in to connect with another good cross from Alexis.
5 minutes added time coming up
Expecting five minutes to be added on.
Will we get a winner?
Alexis clips in to @_OlivierGiroud_ but his header is held by Loris Five minutes added on... #AFCvTHFC 🔴 1-1 ⚪ (9… https://t.co/DrJC8yXwjv
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) Sun Nov 06 13:52:21 +0000 2016 A series of crosses late on as Tottenham are forced to withdraw everyone back in their own half to defend against a Gunners barrage. The visitors have done very well dealing with the high ball in this game.
Moment of panic for Arsenal as Cech slips when chasing the ball, but Son doesn't push for it hard enough. That's the last we'll see from him as Winks is brought on to replace him.
IMPORTANT DEFENDING FROM VERTONGHEN! Arsenal fashion another decent chance as Alexis shifts the ball onto his right boot before lifting a cross to the back post that finds the Belgian in position to block Giroud's header!
OFF THE WOODWORK! Eriksen's free-kick from the right-hand side is missed by everyone, and it bounces through to rebound off the far post! Any Tottenham touch and that was surely in!
Eriksen off the post!
So close!
Spurs have almost snatched it.
An inswinging Christian Eriksen freekick beats everyone and hits the inside of the post.
A major let off for the home side.
Tottenham haven't drawn four straight games in the league for eight years, but as time goes in, it's looking like the most logical conclusion to the North London derby after a cagey second half.
Walker's fitness woes have finally taken over as Trippier is forced on in his place.
Walker off (finally) for Spurs
Kyle Walker’s race is run.
Walker went down in the first period, but carried on.
He also had the physio have a look at him in the warm up, but played.
However, he’s down again and now Kieran Trippier replaces him.
Both sides continue to look better when breaking against the defence. Arsenal are still the better side, but they're lacking some composure on the ball, with Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ramsey both rushing attacks.
Henry's view
Thierry Henry making his feelings clear.
No surprise the Arsenal record scorer wants his old club to get a late winner here.
Will Olivier Giroud prove to be the man?
Come on @Arsenal @_OlivierGiroud_ to get the winner...#COYG
— Thierry Henry (@ThierryHenry) Sun Nov 06 13:30:59 +0000 2016 NEEDED MORE CONVICTION! Some good hustle down the right sees Arsenal win the ball back, and Oxlade-Chamberlain intelligently lays it into the path of Bellerin. The full-back takes a touch before his shot, which allows a defender to get back and make the block.
Overall Possession Ratio
- ArsenalKey color for Arsenal
- SpursKey color for Spurs
Possession
Dier fouls Alexis, but what drew the referee's card out of his pocket was the fact that he ran away with the ball after the whistle sounded.
Surprised it's taken Pochettino that long to bring off Kane, who is still well short of full fitness. Janssen is his logical replacement.
Kane's day is done
And now Mauricio Pochettino makes a change of his own.
Harry Kane is replaced, after 72 minutes. He looks knackered.
On comes Vincent Janssen, still without a goal in open play for Spurs. Is today the day?
#THFC sub: @HKane is replaced by @vincentjanssen. 1-1. #COYS
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) Sun Nov 06 13:33:51 +0000 2016 You can tell that Wenger wants to win this game given the positive nature of his substitutions in the second period. However, it's two of his starters that nearly combine to score as Alexis plays in Ozil, who has a little too much to do when turning and finishing past an alert Lloris.
An Arsenal double change
No messing from Arsene Wenger here.
Olivier Giroud is on for Alex Iwobi.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain arrives on the scene for Theo Walcott.
The Gunners boss wants a winner and top spot.
20 minutes to find a winner.