3 things we learned from Premier League's derby day

Unai Emery deserves credit for Arsenal’s derby win

Unai Emery

Arsenal’s win against Tottenham marked a major shift in approach. Gone are the days when Arsenal was considered fragile and easily succumbed to pressure. This Arsenal team is not only pleasing to watch, but also possess the character to get them out of hot water.

The win over their London rivals was a clear sign that this team is not afraid to dig in deep to get them out of trouble. After starting the game so well and taking a deserved lead, it seemed for a moment that their mental fragility would come back to haunt them again. They fell back into their old habits and let Spurs back into the game almost embarrassingly to take a shock lead at halftime.

This is where the new Arsenal stood out from the old. Unai Emery made a couple changes at halftime, most notably bringing on Aaron Ramsey for the ineffective Mkhitaryan. Ramsey had an instant impact on the game.

His tireless pressing and ability to read the game posed a different threat, one which the Spurs had no answer for. His energetic runs deep into the opposition half caused all sorts of mayhem and freed up Aubameyang, who was exceptional on the night, to score his world-class second goal.

Emery’s decisive decision making meant that Arsenal is in the top four, one point off Chelsea and can head into the titanic midweek clash against a struggling United, filled with confidence.