With the club on a two game losing streak in all competitions and a ten-point deficit separating their rivals, Arsenal FC were certainly under pressure to perform at home in the weekend’s match-up against Tottenham Hotspur. With Spurs third in the league and amidst their best season in 50 years and Arsenal suffering perhaps their worst during Arsene Wenger’s 15-year tenure as manager, the odds were in favor of those in lily white.

The energy was high in the Emirates when the game kicked off, but the home fans were soon deterred by a combination of the poor defending that has plagued the Gunners this season and a stroke of bad luck. Emmanuel Adebayor, holding the ball on the flank, picked out a streaking Louis Saha who had enormous space in the middle of the pitch. Saha picked up possession and continued toward Thomas Vermaelen, who was unlucky to see his attempted block deflect and loop over Arsenal ‘keeper Wojiech Szczesny, caught in no-man’s land, and into the goal for a fourth-minute shocker.

Arsenal responded well however and controlled most of the play through the midfield trio of Alex Song, Tomas Rosicky, and Mikel Arteta. They had the majority of chances on goal including a screaming volley from Captain Robin van Persie which just missed wide. Arsenal’s central defender Laurent Koscielny was booked in the 33^rd minute and on the ensuing play Gareth Bale for Tottenham earned a penalty for his side after, according to referee Mike Dean, being fouled by Szczesny while driving at goal. Much to the chagrin of the Gooners, former Arsenal man Adebayor stepped up to the spot and fired his shot just out of the reach of the ‘keeper. \

The air did not go out of the Emirates as one might expect, however, and soon the fans were rewarded by a strong header from full-back Bacary Sagna. After a van Persie strike deflected of the post, Arteta collected it on the wing and curled in a left-footed cross. This should have been an easy clearance for the Tottenham defenders, but Sagna wouldn’t have it, hammering his header past Spurs goalkeeper, American Brad Friedel. If Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp thought they would make it to half-time with a lead, he was sorely mistaken. Within three minutes, Arsenal had their equalizer. Pouncing on a failed Assou-Ekotto clearance, van Persie collected at the top of the penalty area and curled in a left-footed strike that sent the home fans into elation. Tottenham fans may have thought the half-time whistle could slow the Gunner’s momentum, but they were mistaken.

Harry Redknapp’s response was to use two of his substitutions, replacing Saha and Nico Kranjcar with Rafael van der Vaart and Sandro, but they were largely ineffective.

Within 11 minutes of Sagna’s goal, man of the match Tomas Rosicky completed the comback but completing a textbook one-two with the full-back and then one-touching his shot into the Tottenham goal. It was Rosicky’s first league goal in over two years and the Arsenal faithful were certainly appreciative of his timing.

As the commentators noted, the scoring was far from finished. However, few believed the rest would be all from Arsenal. Although Tottenham established themselves a foothold following the goal, it was another pair of goals within three minutes that would put them to bed. Much-maligned winger Theo Walcott, who had put in a shaky first-half performance, silenced his critics by scoring both. The first came on the break, with van Persie doing well to hold the ball as Walcott flashed down field, receiving the ball and within three touches dispatching it just over a sliding Friedel. The next goal was created by Song, who, ignoring Sagna screaming for the ball on the outside, chose to put Walcott through on goal. It paid off, as Walcott finished off the play by placing a drive in the opposite bottom corner. The Emirates was in jubilee, as was ‘keeper Szczesney who went to celebrate with one of the ball boys.

There were a few chances following the fifth goal and Tottenham even nearly grabbed a consolation. However, Arsene Wenger’s side managed to hold on and prove that “North London is red,” indeed. Arsenal now stand just seven points off pace of Spurs and will seek to eliminate that gap by season’s end. Given their shaky form it is anyone’s guess as to whether they will catch their rivals, but the three points gained Sunday will help.