Arsenal moved eight points clear at the Premier League summit after a commanding 2-0 victory at rivals Tottenham on Sunday.
Manchester City fell to a 2-1 defeat at Manchester United on Saturday and Arsenal capitalised to extend their lead to eight points with their first away win in the north London derby since 2014.
Hugo Lloris' incomprehensible own goal and Martin Odegaard's sublime first-half strike proved the difference at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where a fan seemingly kicked out at Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale at full time.
Antonio Conte's side improved after the interval but a largely uninspiring performance leaves Spurs five points off fourth-placed United, who have played a game fewer.
Lloris handed Arsenal the lead as he inexplicably parried into his own net after Bukayo Saka's tame right-wing cross-shot deflected off Ryan Sessegnon towards goal.
Tottenham's goalkeeper atoned somewhat by keeping out Odegaard's fizzing drive, while Thomas Partey struck the right-hand post with a thunderous volley.
Yet those warnings were not heeded by Spurs, who were 2-0 down when Odegaard was again offered room outside the area. This time, he picked out the bottom-right corner.
Ramsdale denied Harry Kane's header on the stroke of half-time before thwarting the Spurs striker and Sessegnon after the interval with impressive stops in quick succession.
Eddie Nketiah wastefully fired against the onrushing Lloris shortly after, though that mattered for little as Arsenal – despite a late flurry of Spurs pressure – eased to a potentially pivotal victory.
Tempers threatened to boil over at the end, when a Tottenham supporter kicked out at Ramsdale after a confrontation with Richarlison, though Mikel Arteta rushed across to drag his team away from a potential flashpoint.
What does it mean? Gunners end Spurs away hoodoo in vital win
January was labelled by some as defining month for Arsenal's title challenge, with the Gunners having to face Champions League contenders Newcastle United, Tottenham and United.
Arteta's side were far from their best in a goalless draw with Newcastle but improved to dominate this time out.
Victory ended an eight-game Premier League unbeaten run for Spurs at home to Arsenal, who will look to build on their first league double over their rivals since the 2013-14 season as they seek their first top-flight title since 2004.
Odegaard stars again
Odegaard has been pivotal to Arsenal's upturn in fortunes this season, with the Norway international repeatedly providing creative masterclasses for the resurgent Gunners.
The 24-year-old playmaker has eight goals and five assists after 23 games in all competitions this term, surpassing last season's tallies of seven goals and 12 goal involvements.
Arsenal might have lost out on Mykhaylo Mudryk to London rivals Chelsea, but they have one of the league's outstanding attacking talents in Odegaard.
Lloris at fault again
No player in the Premier League has committed more errors leading to goals this season than the three of Lloris, though those Opta-defined stats do not include own goals.
His calamity marked his first own goal in the competition in his 354th appearance, while Chris Armstrong (in 2000) and Kevin Wimmer (in 2016) are the only others to turn into their own net in the history of this fixture in the Premier League.
What's next?
Arsenal are at home to in-form United on January 22, while Tottenham visit City three days earlier.
Steve Cotterill leaves role as Shrewsbury manager
Steve Cotterill has left his role as manager of Shrewsbury.
The 58-year-old had already said his position at the club was uncertain and the Shrews have now confirmed his departure.
A statement read: “The club would like to place on record their thanks to Steve for all his hard work and commitment during the last two and a half years, taking us from a relegation place in League One to 12th in the table and also for working from his hospital bed during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Cotterill guided the club to 12th in League One last season and spent 49 days at the Bristol Royal Infirmary after contracting Covid and developing pneumonia in 2021.
Cotterill, who joined the club in November 2020, released a statement though the League Managers’ Association.
“I’m proud of the work that has been done by everyone in the past two and a half years at the club,” he said. “From fighting relegation to a top-half finish. I am confident this team will continue its progression next season.
“Working through Covid was tough and I have to thank my incredible staff for their help throughout.
“I would also like to thank the players. It is a fantastic group that gave me absolutely everything, right up to the last game of the season. The relationship I had with them was very special.”
Scottish Gas agrees five-year deal to sponsor Scottish Cup
Scottish Gas has filled the void for Scottish Cup sponsorship in a deal understood to be worth about £5million a year.
A five-year contract has been agreed with the Scottish Football Association which will see the energy firm become the title sponsor of both the men’s and women’s competitions. The deal will also provide a major boost to grassroots football projects.
The deal was announced just before the SFA annual general meeting, which saw Alloa owner Mike Mulraney confirmed as president following the end of Rod Petrie’s four-year term. Hamilton’s Les Gray replaces Mulraney as vice-president.
Scottish Gas will become the first title sponsor of the Scottish Cup since William Hill’s nine-year partnership ended in 2020.
The men’s competition will be known as the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup from next season, its 150th anniversary, and the funding will also benefit the Scottish Gas Women’s Scottish Cup, the final of which was staged at Hampden this year for the first time.
The deal will help fund 120 new week-long holiday camps which will provide 6,000 opportunities for children to play football and receive free lunches.
The investment will also help Scottish Para-Football’s disability community initiatives by working with six clubs each year to set up the required infrastructure and playing conditions.
Scottish Gas will also work with the SFA to explore ways of making Hampden more sustainable and design a programme for clubs to help “reduce their carbon footprint and create more sustainable communities”.
SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell said: “I am absolutely delighted to welcome Scottish Gas on board as a committed multi-level partner and supporter of the Power of Football.
“As part of our 150th anniversary celebrations, they will help us activate the oldest and youngest cup trophies in world football, bringing new and existing fans on that famous road to Hampden.
“Through this agreement, Scottish Gas will also help reinforce the impact our national game has at grassroots level, especially among those whose need is greatest. We look forward to bringing the partnership to life and highlighting the ways in which, together, we can inspire the nation and transform lives.”
Chris O’Shea, chief executive of Centrica, the owner of Scottish Gas said: “We’re delighted to be investing in our customers’ communities and I’m particularly excited about the work we will be doing to support holiday camps, Para-Football and the women’s game across Scotland.”
Mulraney welcomed the deal and promised “100 per cent commitment and focus” on his new role.
“The Scottish FA is committed to inspiring the nation and transforming lives,” the Alloa chairman added.
“We made an impassioned plea at Holyrood only last week urging government and politicians to see us as allies in improving the health and wellbeing of the country and that is something I am determined to facilitate in a practical sense.
“The national association is primarily responsible for the development of the game, the grassroots and it is imperative we work with governments both national and local, philanthropists, commercial and charitable partners, to improve the fundamental infrastructure of our game – facilities.
“We have already agreed a £20m fund with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and need more investment.
“We need to retain and upgrade the pitches we currently have, attain new funding for new facilities, especially to meet the growth of girls’ and women’s football, and ensure we contribute to sustainable clubs and communities, both from a financial and an environmental perspective.
“This will be a key priority for me as president and I look forward to working with partners to improve our infrastructure.”
A look at one-off EPL nationalities as Postecoglou becomes first Australian boss
Ange Postecoglou will be the first Australian to manage in the Premier League after taking up the reins at Tottenham.
Australia will be the 25th nation to provide a permanent Premier League boss and one of eight to be represented by just a single manager.
Here, Press Association Sport looks at the one-offs.
Australia – Ange Postecoglou
Tottenham – 2023 –
The Premier League’s last recruit, Postecoglou arrives at Tottenham having significantly enhanced his curriculum vitae with what he achieved at Celtic. The former Melbourne Victory and Yokohama F Marinos boss was recruited after completing a domestic treble in Scotland to take his tally to five major trophies in just two seasons.
Brazil – Luiz Felipe Scolari
Chelsea, 2008-09
‘Big Phil’ arrived in London having won a World Cup with his native country and having taken Portugal to the Euro 2004 final. He was in charge for only 25 league games, though, and 36 in all competitions, before being sacked after defeat to Liverpool and a goalless draw with Hull left the Blues fourth in the table, 10 points off the top.
Chile – Manuel Pellegrini
Manchester City 2013-16, West Ham 2018-2019
Comfortably the most successful manager on this list, Pellegrini translated his success at Spanish sides Villarreal and Malaga into a league and League Cup double in his first season at City and added another League Cup before giving way to Pep Guardiola’s hugely successful reign. He returned with West Ham for the 2018-19 season, overcoming an opening run of four defeats to secure a top-10 finish.
Israel – Avram Grant
Chelsea 2007-08, Portsmouth 2009-10, West Ham 2010-11
Grant overcame scepticism at his Chelsea appointment – and a lack of the requisite coaching qualifications – to lead them to runners-up finishes in the Premier League, Champions League and League Cup, but it was not enough to earn him a second season in charge. He later suffered back-to-back relegations with Portsmouth and West Ham, but took Pompey to the FA Cup final and the Hammers to a League Cup semi-final.
Serbia – Slavisa Jokanovic
Fulham, 2018
Jokanovic never got the chance to manage Watford in the top flight after securing promotion in 2015, leaving the club over the summer after failing to agree a new contract. His opportunity finally came after the Cottagers’ play-off success in 2018, but he managed only one win in 12 games, with 31 goals conceded, before being sacked.
Sweden – Sven-Goran Eriksson
Manchester City, 2007-08
A year after leaving his role with England, Eriksson signed a three-year contract with City. He lasted only one, producing what the club’s then owner Thaksin Shinawatra termed “an avalanche of very poor results which is unacceptable at this level” culminating in a staggering 8-1 loss to Middlesbrough.
Switzerland – Christian Gross
Tottenham, 1997-98
A shock successor to Gerry Francis, despite two league titles and a Swiss Cup with Grasshopper and two promotions before that with FC Wil, Gross lifted a struggling side clear of relegation trouble but lasted only until the early days of the following season before being sacked.
Uruguay – Gus Poyet
Sunderland, 2013-15
The former Chelsea and Tottenham midfielder replaced Paolo Di Canio at the Stadium of Light in October 2013 and his first season brought an unlikely late run to survival, a League Cup final, derby victory over Newcastle and a win at Chelsea which was Jose Mourinho’s first-ever home defeat as a Premier League manager. The next campaign brought another relegation battle, though, and Poyet was sacked in August after a heavy defeat to West Ham.
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