Teenager Danny Rose ended Spurs’ decade-long wait for a league victory over their bitter rivals with one of the best goals ever seen in a north London derby.
Spurs were the shocked victims in an amazing tale on Sunday when they were dumped out of the FA Cup by relegated Portsmouth.
Last night it was the turn of Arsenal, who went behind to a wonder goal from a player never before seen in the Premier League.
Rose’s 10th-minute strike is sure to go into Tottenham folklore, as he drove a thorn in their bitter rivals’ side.
Just two minutes into the second-half Spurs went two up.
Defoe, who had been quiet, turned Campbell 30 yards out then played a superb pass in behind Silvestre, which
was perfect for Gareth Bale to slot past the exposed Almunia from 10 yards.
Few would have predicted the Welshman notching what was his first Spurs goal for two-and-a-half years.
It seemed to be that sort of night and Wenger responded in the 52nd minute by withdrawing Sagna, whose lack of concentration had played Bale onside, and replacing him with Theo Walcott.
Robin van Persie made his long- awaited return in the 68th minute and sparked an Arsenal revival.
The Dutchman forced Gomes to make two spectacular saves in the space of three minutes, the second direct from a free-kick.
And the keeper was outstanding again to tip a Campbell header onto the bar. But finally Arsenal did score as Van Persie set up Walcott and Bendtner turned in the England man’s cross after 84 minutes to set up a storming finale.