A withering verdict from Gary Neville has laid bare how the tables have turned between Arsenal and Tottenham over the past three-and-a-half years.
The Gunners claimed a dominant win over their fierce rivals in Sunday's North London Derby, taking them eight points clear at the top of the Premier League. It marks an astonishing change in fortunes from only three-and-a-half years ago, when the Gunners began their downturn under Unai Emery.
They are now in total control of the title race, thanks to their comfortable win over Spurs. As much as the Gunners were dominant though, Tottenham were equally dreadful, struggling to get a grip on the game, particularly in the first half.
That did not escape former Manchester United captain Neville, who launched a scathing rebuke of Antonio Conte's side as Martin Odegaard scored Arsenal's second goal.
"It’s absolutely brilliant from Arsenal. Spurs don’t win the first ball, they don’t win the second ball, he pops it around the corner to [Bukayo] Saka who is in acres of space, which is unforgivable with the back five," Neville said on Sky Sports co-commentary duty.
"But once it comes into Odegaard, he had a sighter earlier in the half, but this time he wasn’t going to make the mistake. It’s a wonderful finish and no more than Arsenal deserve. Spurs are playing like little boys out there, and Arsenal look the real deal.
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"[Hugo] Lloris nowhere near it. Brilliant from the captain. There was a feeling brewing that it would be a massive result for Spurs to get in at 1-0, I think it would be a result for them to get in at 2-0 and still give them some type of chance, Conte some type of chance, to have a word at half-time and get them going.
"They’re well short in this game so far, the home team. Spurs need to get a pass together before half-time, let alone a goal."
Neville's scathing criticism about the state of Tottenham comes just over three years since Arsenal faced a similar blast. Back in October 2019, the Gunners lost away at Sheffield United.
At the time they were sitting third, with Emery at the start of his second season as manager. The Spaniard would not win another Premier League game after defeat at the Blades, with former United star Patrice Evra slamming the Gunners.
"First of all, I'm really happy for Sheffield [United]. They deserved the win, but I'm not surprised about Arsenal. I used to call them my babies 10 years ago and they're still, when I look at them, my babies and that's the truth," he told Sky Sports at the time.
"I'm not being disrespectful when I say that, it's just the feeling I've got with this team. They look pretty, they look good, but they don't look like a winning team. They're just here playing good football.
"When I looked at Arsenal, I was so happy to play against Arsenal because I knew I was going to win. Even when Robin van Persie came, and the first time I shook his hand, I said, 'welcome to a man's club'.
"At the beginning, he was upset but after one month he said, 'you're completely right, Patrice', and that's my feeling."
The Gunners have clearly come some way since that dreadful defeat at Bramall Lane - and it appears that it is Tottenham who are lacking the mentality of a top-of-the-table team.
