Arsenal raced into a three-goal half-time lead against Tottenham in the North London Derby, but there was a smaller moment in the game which got the away fans excited
Ben White attempted to loosen the gloves of Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario in the North London Derby, much to the amusement of Arsenal fans.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners raced into a 3-0 half-time lead, with a Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg own goal followed by efforts from Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz. The away fans enjoyed the trio of goals, but they also had fun when footage of White’s antics emerged.
Spurs almost mounted the most unlikely of comebacks, with Christian Romero capitalising on a loose David Raya pass to pull one back and Son Heung-min scoring from the penalty spot. Arsenal held on for all three points, though, keeping their title charge alive.
After breathing a sigh of relief after the win, attention could turn to lighter matters. Not that the tension of the game stopped Gunners fans (and some neutrals) having fun with White’s behaviour long before full-time.
“Like him or not you gotta respect this level of s***housery,” one fan wrote. “We must protect Ben White at ALL costs,” was the response from another.
“I swear I live this guy more and more such a menace,” a third said. “Benny Blanco is quickly becoming my favourite,” wrote a fourth, referring to Arsenal fans’ nickname for the defender.
Arsenal conceded twice in the same league game for the first time in 2024, but those three first-half goals proved enough. After the game, Saka – who scored their second after a rapid counter-attack, reflected on the win and the nervy final moments.
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“The last 20 minutes wasn’t nice, but it was worth it!” the 22-year-old said. “We know it is a big derby and they don’t want to lose 3-0 at home. Momentum shifted their way, but I am proud of the boys – we managed to get the three points.
“We needed to be calm and everything was frantic. We showed our level heads at the end and I am proud of everyone, it was a nice moment – we know what it means to the fans.
“It means everything and it is a massive win for us. We have three to go and we will give it everything,” the England international added. Arsenal have home games against Bournemouth and Everton to come, with an away match against Manchester United sandwiched in between, while title rivals Manchester City still have to face Tottenham before the end of the campaign.
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