A header from Gabriel Magalhães off a corner kick decided the North London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, leaving the Gunners as Manchester City's main challengers in the Premier League. In a heated battle marked by seven yellow cards in the first half and few clear scoring chances, Gabriel's header in the 64th minute secured Arsenal's third consecutive victory in the biggest London derby.

The lone goal came after Cristian 'Cuti' Romero lost track of Gabriel, and Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who struggles with aerial balls, failed to come off his line. The match itself was more about avoiding defeat than going for the win, with both teams playing cautiously.

The momentum shifted throughout the match—Arsenal started stronger, then Tottenham gained control, but neither goalkeeper, Vicario nor David Raya, had to make any big saves. The only notable flashpoint came when Timber committed a foul that could have been a red card, but overall, the match was far less eventful than the goal-heavy derbies of recent years.

It wasn't until the 64th minute when Bukayo Saka delivered a sharp corner aimed at exploiting Vicario's hesitation. With the goalkeeper caught in no-man's land and Romero losing his man, Gabriel rose to head home from close range, sealing the win.

Since Arsenal hired set-piece coach Nicolas Jover in 2021, they've scored 42 goals from set-pieces, more than any other team in Europe’s top five leagues. This well-executed routine secured the three points. Despite home-field advantage and pressure from Tottenham, Arsenal struggled to create clear chances, with only a couple of tame efforts troubling Raya.

Frustration among Spurs fans was clear—not just from losing the derby, but because Tottenham has already dropped eight points in just four games this season. They’ve lost to Newcastle and Arsenal, drawn with Leicester, and only managed a win against Everton. These results make it nearly impossible to challenge for the Premier League title.

Arsenal now sits second in the table with 10 points from a possible 12, positioning themselves as the primary contenders to Manchester City, who remain perfect with 12 points after their win over Brentford.