Son double earns Spurs a point in pulsating north London derby

Bukayo Saka scored twice for Arsenal, one of them thanks to a huge deflection off Cristian Romero, but Heung Min Son equalised quickly on both occasions, and a draw was about right.

Arsenal did what they have been doing so well in the past 18 months, but Tottenham are a vastly-improved side since Ange Postecoglou took over from Antonio Conte, and played some sparkling stuff too, dominating in terms of possession, shots on goal and shots on target, and only some superb last ditch defending from William Saliba denied them more goals.

Arsenal could also have scored more but for the reflexes of Guglielmo Vicario, who had little chance with both goals and made excellent saves from Saka and Gabriel Jesus, who had the best of the early chances when he met Saka's cross with a goalbound half-volley that the Italian keeper did well to tip away.

Son got the ball in the Arsenal net early on, but was offside when he diverted Brennan Johnson's low shot.

Arsenal made the breakthrough in the 26th minute. Dejan Kulusevski ran out of road on Tottenham's right and Arsenal broke quickly. When Saka receives the ball wide on the right, it is a given that he will cut inside, but Spurs did not respond quickly enough and gave him the time and space to curl in a cross-shot with his left boot. 

Vicario looked to have the flight of the ball covered until Romero stepped across and deflected it past him with his knee.

Arsenal's fans erupted and their players were lifted, while Tottenham's looked nervous, making basic errors. James Maddison lost possession on the edge of the penalty area to Gabriel Jesus, but the Brazilian blasted his shot high over the bar.

Five minutes later Tottenham were level. Johnson had been denied by a sliding tackle from Saliba and then a superb one-handed save by David Raya, but the goalkeeper was at fault when he flapped at a deep cross from the right. 

He blocked Johnson's subsequent shot, but the ball fell for Maddison, who left Saka for dead on the left and cut a low cross back for Son to guide it into the goal off the inside of the far post.

Mikel Arteta made two changes at half-time, sending on Kai Havertz for Fabio Vieira and replacing a surprisingly below-par Declan Rice with Jorginho. Saka restored Arsenal's lead five minutes into the half from the penalty spot, after Romero blocked Ben White's close-range shot with his arm, but Son hit back within a minute to score again.

Jorginho lost the ball to Maddison in the centre circle, and ran on to supply the pass from which Son equalised with a first-time shot inside the far post.

Now it was the turn of Tottenham's noisy band of travelling fans to celebrate. Son could have had a hat-trick but for a brilliant intervention from Saliba, who then cut out a dangerous cross from Pedro Porro.

There were still chances at each end going into ten minutes of stoppage time. Vicario got down well to save a low shot from Saka in stoppage time, and substitute Raya had to leap high to hold a looping shot from Tottenham substitute Richarlison.

The final whistle brought little celebration from either side, both of whom are still unbeaten but now slipping behind City, Liverpool and even Brighton.

Arsenal: Raya 6, White 5, Saliba 8, Gabriel 6, Zinchenko 6, Rice 5 (Jorginho 46), Vieira 4 (Havertz, 46), Odegaard 7, Saka 7 (Smith Rowe 90+7), Nketiah 5, Jesus 5 (Nelson 77).

Spurs: Vicario 7, Udogie 7, van de Ven 7, Romero 7, Porro 5, Sarr 7, Bissouma 8, Maddison 7 (Hojbjerg 78), Kulusevski 7, Son 8 (Richarlison 78) Johnson 5 (Solomon 63).

Referee: Robert Jones 8