Published: 22 March, 2012
by ALLAN LEDWARD and DAN CARRIER

ARSENAL leapfrogged rivals Tottenham in the Premier League table for the first time in more than three months last night (Wednesday) to claim what could prove a vital advantage in the race for Champions League football.

Thomas Vermaelen’s powerful header after just seven minutes proved to be the winner as the Gunners grinded out a 1-0 victory away at Everton to secure their sixth league win on the spin.

Tomas Rosicky was the creative spark behind Robin van Persie and Aaron Ramsey, while Kieran Gibbs pushed forward down the left as Arsenal oozed confidence in the first half.

Ramsey was among those who failed to finish clear cut chances as the visitors’ clever passing repeatedly picked open the Everton defence.

The Toffees gradually found their way into the game, and only Arsenal’s battling back four – and some offside decisions that David Moyes later said were “wrong” – kept the visitors ahead.

The Everton manager was clearly still annoyed after what looked like a perfectly good goal from Royston Drenthe was wrongly disallowed for offside just before half time.

Arsene Wenger said his team had showed “a side that people don’t know” after the resilient 1-0 win at Goodison Park.

“We had a brilliant start and slowly Everton came back into the game,” admitted the Frenchman. “In the second half, for the most, we did hang on. Until the last 15 minutes when we started to create chances again, but it was all Everton. We were resilient, focused and absolutely with great desire to defend. Our defence played very well. We just wanted to keep the score [how it was].

“You’ve seen a side of us that usually people don’t know. That was the only way to get a result. We didn’t panic.
“We have taken six points in Liverpool in two weeks,” Wenger added. “It has been 180 minutes of intense fight. It’s important to keep the humility, focus and to fight for each other.”

Meanwhile back in north London a last-gasp diving header from Rafael Van der Vaart saw Spurs salvage a 1-1 draw against Stoke at White Hart Lane.

The Potters went ahead against the run of play when Cameron Jerome scored from close range 15 minutes from time.

Glenn Whelan whipped in a dangerous free-kick that bounced off Robert Huth before falling kindly for Jerome to prod home.

It looked like Stoke were going to snatch an unlikely three points, but in the fourth minute of injury time Van der Vaart met Gareth Bale’s wonderful left-foot cross to equalise and end Spurs’ three-match Premier League losing run.

Disappointed Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp said his side showed great character to come back. “We are still in it,” he said. “Stoke are always well organised and a hard team to beat, but I think we did enough to win it and some of the chances we created on another day would have gone in.”

At the start of February, Spurs’ advantage over the Gunners was a massive 12 points, but now they find themselves a point behind their neighbours with nine games to go.

Spurs now face a crucial game away at Chelsea on Saturday, while Arsenal host Aston Villa.

Report by Allan Ledward at Goodison Park, and Dan Carrier at White Hart Lane