Share

Emery 'proud' after Arsenal stage thrilling fightback

London - Unai Emery saluted Arsenal's fighting spirit after they hit back from two goals down to salvage a pulsating 2-2 draw against Tottenham in Sunday's north London derby.

Emery's side were in danger of a damaging defeat after goals from Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane put Tottenham in control by the 40th minute at the Emirates Stadium.

But Alexandre Lacazette reduced the deficit just before half-time and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang grabbed Arsenal's equaliser after the interval.

"I'm pretty proud of our work. We played with our heart, sometimes more than our head. We need the balance," Emery said.

"We need to be clearer in our mind. We made some mistakes in the first half.

"The fans pushed us and helped us. The first goal for us was the key.

"We deserved to win over the 90 minutes. The match was amazing for everyone watching."

Arsenal head into the international break in fifth place, with just one defeat from their first four matches.

Tottenham are two points behind their hated rivals and have won only once in their opening four fixtures.

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has been frustrated by the decision to allow European clubs to buy players after the Premier League transfer deadline.

His Denmark playmaker Eriksen has been keen to leave, creating an unsettling effect for the rest of the squad.

But with the European deadline looming on Monday, Pochettino hopes Tottenham will be more unified once Eriksen's future is settled.

"In the first half it was a great 45 minutes and I was a little bit ashamed to concede before half-time," Pochettino said.

"We have massive quality and from tomorrow we will all be on the same page. With Christian Eriksen we have to wait but it shows it was the right decision to play him.

"He showed a great performance and helped the team to get a point here.

"I am optimistic and happy to work with the squad and try to fight for big things for the club.

"It is about drawing a strong line for the future. It's important to move on and learn from the past."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
33% - 1814 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1774 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1081 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 459 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 186 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE