Arsenal v Spurs goes wild live as title race twists again in North London
22.02.2026 - 12:56:02 | ad-hoc-news.de
The game had everything: early dominance, world-class finishes, superstar drama, and a late VAR call that is going to live rent-free on social media for days. And yes, the big names absolutely showed up.
Arsenal 3–2 Tottenham – Saka and Son go blow for blow
From the first whistle, Arsenal flew out like a team that knows this season cannot slip away. In the 11th minute, the breakthrough came: Gabriel Jesus pressed high, robbed the ball wide on the left, and whipped a low cross that found Bukayo Saka at the back post. One touch, then a calm right-foot finish into the far corner – 1–0 Arsenal, and the Emirates was bouncing.
Spurs tried to settle, but Arsenal smelled blood. On 28 minutes, their second arrived from a set piece routine straight off the training ground. Martin Ødegaard clipped a smart ball to the edge of the box, Saka dummied, and Declan Rice smashed a first-time strike through a crowd. It took a slight deflection off Cristian Romero, wrong-footing the keeper and flying in for 2–0. Rice wheeled away, veins popping, screaming at the North Bank – absolute scenes.
Tottenham needed a hero, and of course, it was Son Heung-min. Just before half-time, in the 43rd minute, Spurs finally broke through. James Maddison slid a delicious pass between the lines, Son cut in from the left, sat William Saliba down with a fake shot, and curled a right-footed effort into the top corner. 2–1. Momentum flipped, and suddenly Arsenal looked nervous.
Second-half fireworks and a massive VAR twist
The second half felt like pure chaos. Chances at both ends, tackles flying, every touch whistled by the crowd. On 61 minutes, Arsenal restored their cushion. A sweeping move started by Rice, fed into Ødegaard, who threaded a perfect reverse ball for Jesus. His shot was parried, but who else was there? Bukayo Saka, again, following in to bury the rebound for his second of the night – 3–1.
Spurs refused to die. In the 74th minute, a slick move down the right saw Pedro Porro overlap and cross low into the six-yard box where substitute Richarlison arrived ahead of his marker to poke home. 3–2. The away end absolutely exploded, flares, limbs, everything.
Then came the moment everyone is arguing about: the 89th-minute VAR drama. Spurs thought they had equalised when Son slipped Richarlison through again and he dinked the ball over the keeper. The away bench sprinted down the touchline… only for the flag to go up. VAR checked it for what felt like forever. The lines came out on the screen, and by the thinnest of margins – we’re talking toenail stuff – Richarlison was ruled offside. Goal chalked off. Arsenal fans roared like they’d scored a fourth; Spurs players collapsed to the turf in disbelief.
Stars under the spotlight – heroes and flops
Bukayo Saka was the undisputed star. Two goals, constant menace, and tracking back relentlessly to help his full-back. Every time Arsenal needed calm, he gave them control. In a day full of football results today across Europe, Saka put in a performance that screams player of the season contender.
Declan Rice was a monster in midfield – one goal, multiple ball recoveries, and he bossed the tempo when Arsenal were wobbling. Martin Ødegaard didn’t score, but his touches between the lines carved Spurs open over and over again. On the flip side, Cristian Romero had one of those nightmare derby days: caught out for the first goal, unlucky on the deflection for the second, and constantly scrambling.
For Spurs, Son Heung-min did everything he could. One stunning goal, endless pressing, and he was at the heart of every dangerous attack. James Maddison shone in moments, especially with his assist for Son, but faded late on as Arsenal tightened the screws. Richarlison turned the game when he came on – one goal, one disallowed, and insane work rate – but he’ll be haunted by that offside call for a while.
Title race and the live Premier League table
This result hits the title race like a thunderbolt. With the win, Arsenal jump back above a stuttering rival in the football league table, closing the gap at the top and keeping their dreams very much alive. Spurs, meanwhile, slip further away from the Champions League spots, piling pressure on their manager and making every upcoming fixture feel like a cup final.
What does this mean for the title race? Click here for the live standings
If you’re tracking Premier League live action as it happens, that table is now your best friend. One win here, one slip there – Arsenal, City, Liverpool, and the rest know that the margin for error is basically zero.
Champions League and wider soccer news ripple effects
Beyond this derby, tonight’s football results today are shaking up the Champions League news cycle, too. A top-four finish is the ticket to Europe’s elite, and Spurs dropping points again means they’re suddenly looking over their shoulder rather than up at the summit. Arsenal, on the other hand, look like a side ready to go deep in Europe and throw serious punches in the league.
With strikers like Saka and Son in this kind of form, the top scorers today leaderboard is going to be fun to watch for the rest of the season. Every goal isn’t just a stat, it’s a potential swing in millions of TV money, transfer plans, and even who stays or goes in the summer.
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
X Discussion: Fans losing it over the late VAR offside on Richarlison
My take: this Arsenal side just showed title mentality
In my opinion, this is the kind of game that separates contenders from pretenders. When Spurs clawed it back to 3–2 and the Emirates went edgy, older Arsenal sides might have crumbled. This one didn’t. Rice kept tackling, Saka kept running, and the back line – shaky at times – found just enough resilience when it mattered most.
For Spurs, it’s complicated. The attacking ideas are there, and with Son, Maddison, and Richarlison they’ll always create. But you can’t leak goals like this in big games and expect to stay in the Champions League race. Something has to change defensively – whether that’s personnel, tactics, or just pure mentality.
Either way, if you love high-intensity soccer news, this is the kind of match you live for. Drama, narrative, heroes, and heartbreak all rolled into 90 frantic minutes.
Closing whistle: the story isn’t over
The North London Derby delivered chaos, and the ripple effects are going to shape the rest of the season. Every team chasing the top spots has now been warned: Arsenal are not going away quietly, and Spurs can still swing a punch at anyone on their day – even if today, they fell just short.
Want the full picture of how this result fits into the bigger story of the season, from the title race to the fight for Europe and the scrap at the bottom?
Check full stats & standings now
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