Opinion
A deafening stadium, a penalty, a red card - and Spurs defeat Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son celebrate the first goal against Arsenal - Credit: PA/John Walton
So what did we learn from a Spurs 3-0 win at home to Arsenal on Thursday night?
Well, perhaps surprisingly, not too much.
A soft penalty, a red card and an exceptionally vocal home crowd made it a very odd game.
Tottenham showed some steel and after a shaky start took hold of the game.
And it was a very soft penalty, with Cedric Soares nudging Son in the box and Kane converting coolly.
Tempers had begun to flare after only 12 minutes with Rob Holding tussling with Heung-Min Son.
By the 32nd minute the defender had blocked the striker with a bit of an elbow and he was off.
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Minutes later, Kane got his second with a diving header after Rodrigo Bentancur's nod on from a corner.
Two minutes into the second half, it was all over, Son poking home after Kane appeared to be dragged down in the box.
Tottenham Hotspur celebrate the first goal against Arsenal - Credit: PA
That Tottenham Hotspur Stadium crowd
The North London Derby took the volume at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to new levels. It's rare that a new stadium doesn't need a decade's wearing in, but this place is better than White Hart Lane. There, I've said it.
Heung-Min Son is too hot to handle
Or, at least, the Arsenal defence had difficulty Holding onto him. Arteta may have been furious about the red card, but his defender had clearly been told to make life difficult for the striker, and he got it wrong. Too many fouls and the sending off was deserved.
Arsenal's Rob Holding leaves the pitch after being shown a red card during the Premier League match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - Credit: PA/John Walton
Benjamin Thomas Davies
Is Ben Davies the least glamourous Spurs player of his generation? There is something about the clean-cut defender's demeanour which puts him in the supporting cast. But he has made more than 170 appearances and has more than 70 caps for Wales. He fits into Conte's system and puts in a shift. Those who see the team week in, week out know what a good player he has been. Here he seemed to take on Cuti's mantle and lead from the back.
That Cuti
The hip injury for Cristian "Cuti" Romero ahead of the game seemed a bad omen for Tottenham, but the way events played out it made little difference. After a shaky start, Sanchez had a good game. However, with Burnley desperately needing points on Sunday...
Antoniooooo
Constant rumours about other clubs and that crisis of faith earlier in the season (after the game against Burnley - the next opponents) give the impression this is not a long-term project for Conte, even if on the touchline he appears committed to an unhealthy degree. But the fans love him. A few more days like this and the fans won't let him go.
