Son double levels up North London derby

But who have they beaten? Three teams in the bottom four and, er, Manchester United. Tottenham had heard the attempts to explain away their excellent start to life under Ange Postecoglou, their finest opening to a season in 58 years.

This would be the acid test, a truer gauge of where they stood: a derby against their neighbours at whose stadium they never seem to win. What we learnedafter a stirring contestis that they look like a serious proposition.

Postecoglou’s team were unable to record what would have been only a second Premier League victory in 31 attempts on enemy turf. But what the manager wanted to see from his players was personality and them imposing their game. He certainly got that.

There was steel from Spurs and no panic when the board went up to show 10 additional minutes. The scenes at the end felt telling, Postecoglou and his players taking the acclaim of the visiting fans.Arsenaldid not do enough. They were flying after their 4-0 Champions League win over PSV Eindhoven in midweek, unbeaten since the start of the season and full of confidence. They were not the story here.

It was as if a switch had been flicked in the minutes before kick-off. A lazy Sunday afternoon, everybody bobbling along; the volume suddenly whacked up, hostility everywhere. “London is red,” said the tifo in the home crowd, who advanced a theory as to why Harry Kane had left their rivals for Bayern Munich. You can probably guess it. The tackles flew in from the early running and they did not stop. It was high-octane theatre.

Mikel Arteta had faced Postecoglou before, when he was Pep Guardiola’s No 2 at Manchester City and they met Postecoglou’s Yokohama F Marinos in a 2019 friendly. City won but what was notable was how Yokohama hogged 58% of the ball. “They played some incredible football,” Guardiola said.

Postecoglou only ever wants to play his way: on the front foot, possession-heavy, well-grooved combinations. Arsenal were determined not to allow it and one of the key battle areas was when Spurs had the ball in their defensive third. Arsenal put huge pressure on them. Spurs showed tremendous nerve.

The transitions were everything, the speed of them breathtaking, including the one for the breakthrough goal. Postecoglou watched Dejan Kulusevski run left to right and then run out of options, losing the ball. The Spurs manager gestured in frustration. He knew that there was danger coming.

Maddison and Son are both happy with the result. The former notes that though he gave the ball away and was almost punished by Jesus, bottle is trying to play your football ands he thinks Spurs did, dominating for stretches. That feels like a reach to me, but the way they hung in there was impressive and they’ll be a better, more confident side for this game. Next up: Liverpool at home, which should be a jazzer.

On Arsenal I wonder if the Champions League is their best chance of doing something serious this season. They’re good enough to beat anyone and, by the time things get heavy in February, Arteta should have a decent idea of his best side and players who, thanks to the squad Arsenal now have, are fresh. Even after six games, I just can’t see them chasing down a City side who already lead them by four points.

Liverpool and Brighton, both of whom win 3-1 – against West Ham and Bournemouth respectively – move above both of these two. Villa, who won at Chelsea, go sixth, Chelsea are now 14th!