LONDON: Arsenal tightened their grip on the Premier League title race, moving eight points clear at the top with a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby on Sunday.

A 3-0 defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in May sent Arsenal into a spiral that saw them miss out on the top four for the sixth consecutive season.

Eight months on and any doubters of Mikel Arteta’s men’s ability to last the course must be beginning to waiver.

Only Liverpool in 2018/19 have failed to win the Premier League title after taking at least 47 points from their opening 18 games. Moreover, Manchester City do not appear the juggernaut they have been in recent seasons.

The World Cup break means there remains over half the season to play, including two meetings between Arsenal and second-placed City.

The disparity in squad depth between the two sides also offers City hope.

Arsenal were gazumped by Chelsea’s 100 million euro offer in the chase to sign Ukrainian international Mykhailo Mudryk on Sunday.

But if Arteta can keep his key players fit, Arsenal will take some stopping if they are to be denied a first league title since Arsene Wenger’s “Invincibles” in 2003/04.

A dominant first-half display from the visitors did the damage as Hugo Lloris palmed Bukayo Saka’s cross into his own net before Martin Odegaard’s long-range effort found the bottom corner.

Aaron Ramsdale denied Spurs their customary comeback from two goals down this season after the break with saves from Harry Kane and Ryan Sessegnon.

Ramsdale has had his critics at Arsenal but he proved his worth. The 24-year-old made seven saves in total in the match, before the gloss was taken off his man-of-the-match performance after he appeared to be kicked by a Spurs fan following the final whistle.

“We showed the other face when we had to dig in, we needed some big moments from Aaron,” Arteta said. “He was the difference when we needed him.”

British bookmakers are now making Arsenal odds-on favorites for the title, which brings its own pressure heading into the second half of the season.

City are likely to improve and have previously gone on long, unbeaten runs down the stretch. Third-placed Newcastle United and fourth-placed Manchester United, whose derby win over City on Saturday extended their winning run to nine games, are both nine points off Arsenal.

So the candidates are lined up behind Arsenal. It just needs the leaders to falter.

There is no sign of that just yet.

“We have to stay humble,” Odegaard said. “We know we can improve.”

A fourth home defeat in five league games leaves Tottenham five points adrift of the top four.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2023