Tottenham 0-1 Arsenal: Rosicky screamer seals north London derby win for Gunners

Mpira wa Rosicky ulivyopigwa

Mchoro wa namna mpira ulikotokea kabal ya kumkuta mpigaji wa mwishi Rosicky na kuandika bao

 So much for negative spirals, normal order appears to have been restored in north London.

Wojciech Szczesny whipped out a smartphone at the final whistle and started taking selfies of the jubilant Arsenal supporters.

It made you wonder how long the goalkeeper had been fiddling with his phone. He was not exactly over-employed. He barely had a save to make, although that was down as much to the brilliance of his central defenders as the ineptitude of Tottenham's strikers.

Still, this win courtesy of Tomas Rosicky's strike after 72 seconds, felt like a significant moment in the neighbourhood.

Travelling fans sang about Wembley and their 49-match unbeaten run now a decade old and belted out 'One-Nil to the Arsenal' as Spurs supporters slunk off home.

It seems an eternity since Gareth Bale inspired them to a 2-1 win, this time last year, when Andre Villas-Boas suggested Arsenal were locked in a negative spiral.

Bale is gone and AVB, too, while Arsenal can detect an end to their long wait for a trophy, be that in the FA Cup of the Barclays Premier League. Spurs, suddenly, have a fight to protect the dubious honour of their Europa League status, let alone gate-crash the Champions League.

This was a fifth defeat in seven games for Tottenham which leaves them seven points adrift of the top four with only eight to play. Everton are poised two points behind with games in hand and Tim Sherwood is being tested.

It has been a rough eight days for the rookie boss, who has been embroiled in touchline spats with Chelsea coach Steve Holland, Benfica boss Jorge Jesus and was raging again on Sunday, mainly at his own players for their sleepy start to proceedings.

A few yards to his right, Arsene Wenger, so often lampooned for his Fawltyesque antics on the bench, personified serenity.

When Sherwood sparked an angry reaction from Arsenal skipper Mikel Arteta by chucking the ball firmly at Bacary Sagna, it was Wenger who stepped in as peacemaker.

The Frenchman soothed his players and gave Sherwood a nod of reassurance but the Spurs boss is in danger of eroding much of the goodwill on his side with his explosive pitch-side manner.