THE NOTEBOOK: Arsenal FINALLY get the midfield they envisaged, one Tottenham star extends an unwanted North London Derby record… and Spurs have the last laugh over the speakers after 3-2 defeat

Arsenal sealed back-to-back away wins over Tottenham for the first time in 36 years on Sunday, beating their arch-rivals 3-2 in the North London Derby to stretch their lead at the top. 

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg began the miserable afternoon for Spurs with an own goal in 15 minutes, before Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz made it 3-0 by the break with the Gunners threatening a pummeling. 

Tottenham were much-improved after the break, however, although they needed a large slice of luck to plunder one back through Cristian Romero, before Son Heung-min‘s brilliant penalty made it a tense ending for the visitors. 

Yet Mikel Arteta‘s side managed to hold onto their ascendancy in the dying embers, and in the process mark St Totteringham’s Day for the second season in a row, with Tottenham now unable to finish above them.  

Here, Mail Sport’s SAMI MOKBEL takes you through some of the stories you might have missed from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 

Bukayo Saka scored his 15th Premier League goal of the season in the tense victory over Spurs

The hosts paid tribute to club legend Joe Kinnear before the game after he passed away earlier this year

Midfield magic for Mikel Arteta 

This was what Mikel Arteta had always envisaged. The poetry of Martin Odegaard and robustness of Declan Rice harnessed by the glue in Thomas Partey. 

Of course, the Arsenal manager has hardly had the opportunity to execute his midfield masterplan after Partey underwent surgery to, once and for all, cure a long-term groin problem. 

We are only now seeing what Arteta had planned all along. For sixty minutes or so, it was formidable. This was the first time Partey has played back to-back matches since August. 

He was magnificent for the most part here. If Arsenal are pipped to the post by Manchester City this summer, then the six month absence of Partey provides valid mitigation.

Spurs get the last laugh 

As Michael Oliver blew for full time, the person in charge of the Tottenham sound system flicked the music on.

Out blasted a song from a band called the Editors. The song: Munich. 

Arsenal were bundles out of the Champions League after a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich

Of course, Arsenal recently crashed out of the Champions League against Bayern Munich. 

But surely the choice of track here was merely coincidence. Surely?

Consolation for Hojbjerg 

It will act as very little consolation to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – but he’s not alone in suffering the ignominy of scoring an own goal for Spurs in recent north London derbies.

Indeed, three of Arsenal’s previous seven goals against Tottenham have been scored by the opposition. 

Earlier this season, Cristian Romero put through his own net in a 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium. 

In January 2023, former Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was the fall guy as Arsenal ran out 2-0 winners.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is not the only Tottenham player to have scored an own goal in recent clashes

Timber on the comeback trail 

Jurrien Timber took the latest step towards full fitness on Sunday, starting for Arsenal U21s in their game against Liverpool. 

The Holland international hasn’t played since the opening day of the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Nottingham Forest. 

There is now hope Timber can be included in the first-team squad to face Bournemouth next week.

Jurrien Timber’s comeback from injury continues as he started for the U21s against Liverpool

Spurs’ search for suitors continues 

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is continuing his search to find new investors amid genuine interest from across the Atlantic. 

Mail Sport knows of at least two US-based groups who have shown an interest in acquiring a stake in the club in recent months having been made aware of the numbers in question. 

Levy has already confirmed the club are in talks with potential investors after the club recorded a post-tax loss of £86.8 million for the year ending June 30, 2023.

Daniel Levy is continuing his search for new investors amid interest from across the Atlantic

All eyes on Stuivenberg 

It may be worth keeping an eye on Arsenal No 2 Albert Stuivenberg’s future in light of Arne Slot’s imminent arrival at Liverpool. 

Stuivenberg was born in Rotterdam, the city Feyenoord boss Slot is swapping for Merseyside, and was a youth coach at the Eredivisie side, eventually becoming the club’s head of youth in 2001. 

The 53-year-old also started his short-lived playing career at Feyenoord. Sources close to the Dutch club say Stuivenberg is ‘liked’ at De Kuip. 

Whether the Dutch coach would be prepared to leave this exciting Arsenal project is another question, of course. 

Intriguingly, Feyenoord’s current assistant coach Sipke Hulshoff is represented by Marvin Plet, who also has links to Stuivenberg.

Albert Stuivenberg was born in Rotterdam, the city Feyenoord boss Arne Slot is swapping for Liverpool

Tottenham pay tribute to a club legend 

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium paid tribute to former Spurs player Joe Kinnear on Sunday afternoon. 

Supporters from both sides stood for a minute’s applause in memory of Kinnear, who managed Wimbledon and Newcastle during his coach career, following a battle with dementia aged 77. 

Kinnear won the FA Cup, the League Cup twice and the UEFA Cup at Spurs.