THE NOTEBOOK: Arsenal FINALLY get the midfield they envisaged, one Tottenham star extends an unwanted North London Derby record... and Spurs have the last laugh over the speakers after 3-2 defeat

Arsenal sealed back-to-back distant wins complete Tottenham for nan first clip successful 36 years connected Sunday, beating their arch-rivals 3-2 in the North London Derby to agelong their lead astatine nan top. 

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg began nan miserable day for Spurs pinch an ain extremity successful 15 minutes, before Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz made it 3-0 by nan break pinch nan Gunners threatening a pummeling. 

Tottenham were much-improved aft nan break, however, though they needed a ample portion of luck to plunder 1 backmost done Cristian Romero, earlier Son Heung-min's superb punishment made it a tense ending for nan visitors. 

Yet Mikel Arteta's broadside managed to clasp onto their ascendancy successful nan dying embers, and successful nan process mark St Totteringham's Day for nan 2nd play successful a row, pinch Tottenham now incapable to decorativeness supra them.  

Here, Mail Sport's SAMI MOKBEL takes you done immoderate of nan stories you mightiness person missed from nan Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 

Midfield magic for Mikel Arteta 

This was what Mikel Arteta had ever envisaged. The poesy of Martin Odegaard and robustness of Declan Rice harnessed by nan glue successful Thomas Partey. 

Of course, nan Arsenal head has hardly had nan opportunity to execute his midfield masterplan aft Partey underwent room to, erstwhile and for all, cure a semipermanent groin problem. 

We are only now seeing what Arteta had planned each along. For sixty minutes aliases so, it was formidable. This was nan first clip Partey has played backmost to-back matches since August. 

He was magnificent for nan astir portion here. If Arsenal are pipped to nan station by Manchester City this summer, past nan six period absence of Partey provides valid mitigation.

Spurs get nan past laugh 

As Michael Oliver blew for afloat time, nan personification successful complaint of nan Tottenham sound strategy flicked nan euphony on.

Out blasted a opus from a set called nan Editors. The song: Munich. 

Of course, Arsenal precocious collapsed retired of nan Champions League against Bayern Munich. 

But surely nan prime of way present was simply coincidence. Surely?

Consolation for Hojbjerg 

It will enactment arsenic very small consolation to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg - but he’s not unsocial successful suffering nan ignominy of scoring an ain extremity for Spurs successful caller northbound London derbies.

Indeed, 3 of Arsenal’s erstwhile 7 goals against Tottenham person been scored by nan opposition. 

Earlier this season, Cristian Romero put done his ain nett successful a 2-2 tie astatine nan Emirates Stadium. 

In January 2023, erstwhile Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was nan autumn feline arsenic Arsenal ran retired 2-0 winners.

Timber connected nan comeback trail 

Jurrien Timber took nan latest measurement towards afloat fittingness connected Sunday, starting for Arsenal U21s successful their crippled against Liverpool. 

The Holland world hasn’t played since nan opening time of nan play aft suffering an anterior cruciate ligament wounded against Nottingham Forest. 

There is now dream Timber tin beryllium included successful nan first-team squad to look Bournemouth adjacent week.

Spurs' hunt for suitors continues 

Tottenham president Daniel Levy is continuing his hunt to find caller investors amid genuine liking from crossed nan Atlantic. 

Mail Sport knows of astatine slightest 2 US-based groups who person shown an liking successful acquiring a liking successful nan nine successful caller months having been made alert of nan numbers successful question. 

Levy has already confirmed nan nine are successful talks pinch imaginable investors aft nan nine recorded a post-tax nonaccomplishment of £86.8 cardinal for nan twelvemonth ending June 30, 2023.

All eyes connected Stuivenberg 

It whitethorn beryllium worthy keeping an oculus connected Arsenal No 2 Albert Stuivenberg’s early successful ray of Arne Slot’s imminent presence astatine Liverpool. 

Stuivenberg was calved successful Rotterdam, nan metropolis Feyenoord leader Slot is swapping for Merseyside, and was a younker coach astatine nan Eredivisie side, yet becoming nan club’s caput of younker successful 2001. 

The 53-year-old besides started his short-lived playing profession astatine Feyenoord. Sources adjacent to nan Dutch nine opportunity Stuivenberg is ‘liked’ astatine De Kuip. 

Whether nan Dutch coach would beryllium prepared to time off this breathtaking Arsenal task is different question, of course. 

Intriguingly, Feyenoord’s existent adjunct coach Sipke Hulshoff is represented by Marvin Plet, who besides has links to Stuivenberg.

Tottenham salary tribute to a nine legend 

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium paid tribute to erstwhile Spurs subordinate Joe Kinnear connected Sunday afternoon. 

Supporters from some sides stood for a minute’s applause successful representation of Kinnear, who managed Wimbledon and Newcastle during his coach career, pursuing a conflict pinch dementia aged 77. 

Kinnear won nan FA Cup, nan League Cup doubly and nan UEFA Cup astatine Spurs.