Arsenal Determined to Keep Fighting for the Title, as Brilliant Newcastle Joins the Race at the Top

Arsenal secured a valuable 2-1 victory over rivals Tottenham in the North London derby, reassuring their fans after back-to-back defeats in the English League Cup and FA Cup, as well as coping with injuries to several key players.

Spanish coach Mikel Arteta emphasized that the victory against Tottenham is strong evidence that his team is still moving in the right direction in the title race, despite his frustration over missed chances by his players.

Arsenal revived their title hopes by coming from behind to win, narrowing the gap to Liverpool, who have played one game fewer. After the match, Arteta stated: “I think we were outstanding… It was a test of our mentality, how we handle tough situations, the courage we have, and our focus on results.”

Arsenal had recently suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle in the League Cup semi-final and lost on penalties to Manchester United in the FA Cup third round, leaving the club with only the Premier League and Champions League to compete for.

Arteta added: “This victory proves to the doubters that Arsenal are still genuine contenders for the title. There’s so much to play for, and we can see how tough it is for other competing teams to win. The second half of the season will be incredibly challenging.”

Tottenham took the lead against the run of play through South Korean Son Heung-min in the 25th minute. However, Arsenal turned the game around, equalizing through a Dominic Solanke own goal before Leandro Trossard sealed the win with a precise left-footed strike late in the first half.

Arteta commented: “We turned the game around in the first half and should have secured the win early. We struggled in the second half due to missed chances.”

Meanwhile, Tottenham’s Australian coach Ange Postecoglou described his team’s performance as unacceptable, with Spurs dropping to 13th place with 24 points, closer to the relegation zone than to the European spots they hoped to compete for in his second season with the team.

Despite reaching the League Cup semi-finals with a 1-0 first-leg victory over Liverpool, Tottenham has lost 11 league matches this season and managed just one win in their last nine league games.

Injuries have played a significant role in Tottenham’s struggles, but Postecoglou refused to downplay the severity of the current situation, which raises questions about his future. He said: “The performance wasn’t good enough, especially in the first half. We were far too passive. We let Arsenal control the game and set the pace, and we paid the price. This isn’t our level. This isn’t the way I want us to play—standing on the pitch and letting Arsenal impose their style is completely unacceptable. Our pace wasn’t good enough.”

Postecoglou, who had achieved great success with Celtic in Scotland, added: “There’s no magic solution.” He called on his players to fight to improve their performances and show progress in their next match against struggling Everton.

The Australian coach explained: “I want the players to feel disappointed. No one at the club can accept this. Losing this many matches in a single league season isn’t acceptable. I know we’ve been through a tough period, and yes, we demand a lot… but the truth is that we haven’t delivered results and performances of sufficient quality. That needs to change.”

Tottenham captain Son Heung-min, who was substituted in the second half, echoed Postecoglou’s sentiments. The South Korean winger, who has scored eight Premier League goals against Arsenal, said: “It’s massively disappointing. The coach is right. We were far too passive. The second half was slightly better, but the first half wasn’t good enough. We need to improve in all areas. Our position in the league table isn’t good.”

As for Newcastle, they’ve been the Premier League’s best-performing team since December, with nine consecutive wins in all competitions, including six in the league. They’ve now climbed to fourth place, securing a Champions League qualification spot.

Newcastle fans are thrilled with the outstanding performances of Swedish striker Alexander Isak, who has now scored in eight consecutive league games, including a brace in their comfortable 3-0 win over Wolves at St. James’ Park on Monday evening.

Newcastle now sits on 38 points, nine behind leaders Liverpool, while Wolves remain in the relegation zone with 16 points from the same number of matches. Only four players have scored in eight consecutive Premier League games. Isak joins the ranks of Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United)—both of whom achieved the feat twice—and Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool).

The Swedish striker has raised his tally to 15 league goals this season, putting him in contention for the Golden Boot. Isak said: “I feel great. I feel free and confident individually, but as a team, we’re doing well too, both defensively and offensively. We’re a unit, and I need to keep contributing with goals. When we play at our best, the players feel free.”

He added: “As a striker, I want to express myself in the best way possible.”