Tottenham vs Arsenal live updates: Premier League leaders hold on ...

Arsenal extended their record as the Premier League’s most potent force in the opening 15 minutes, when Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg directed Bukayo Saka’s corner goalbound.

It was their 12th goal in that period of a Premier League game this season, the most in the division, with Tottenham’s 10 the second highest.

Those fast starts have been crucial to Arsenal’s title charge in the second half of the season specifically, with just three of those goals coming in the first 19 league games.

Equally important was the fact their opener came from a set piece. It was their 20th set-piece goal of the season, also the most in the Premier League, and allowed them to capitalise on their best period of the opening 15 minutes.

Aside from those five minutes, Tottenham were on top. That is why having a routine of having players start at the far post to come to the near post, with Benjamin White causing confusion with the goalkeeper, can be so important. It opens games up and gives them a platform for more.

The same was the case for Kai Havertz’s 38th-minute goal. The corner came from the other side, but White stayed on Guglielmo Vicario while his team-mates ran across the six-yard box. The combination of these actions created enough chaos for Arsenal to claim their 21st set-piece goal of the season.