0-1 v Arsenal FC - 25 April 2005 - Away

Tottenham Hotspur Badge

Spurs 0

Arsenal FC

Arsenal FC

1

  • Reyes
    22'
Details
Match Number

6515

Opposition
Arsenal

Arsenal FC

Competition
Premier League

Premier League

Season

2004/05

Date

25th April 2005

Kick Off

20:00

Venue

Highbury

Attendance

38,147

Referee

Mike Riley

League Position

8th

Opposition League Position

2nd

Opposition Form

WWWWDW

Weather at Kick Off

12.2° - Overcast

Facts & Milestones
  • 6482nd overall match (3062 wins, 1419 draws, 1988 losses)

  • 4982nd competitive match (2211 wins, 1166 draws, 1605 losses)

  • team

    246th match vs Arsenal FC (91 wins, 55 draws, 100 losses)

  • competition

    503rd Premier League match (176 wins, 131 draws, 196 losses)

  • 5972nd match in England (2774 wins, 1342 draws, 1843 losses)

  • 127th match at Highbury (53 wins, 21 draws, 53 losses)

Report

Jose Antonio Reyes gave Arsenal all three points in the north London derby. The Spaniard struck midway through the first half when he was played in by Cesc Fabregas on the left and unleashed an unstoppable shot past Paul Robinson.

Patrick Vieira and Philippe Senderos went close with headers and Edu hit the post, while Jens Lehmann made a sharp stop to deny Tottenham's Jermain Defoe.

Spurs substitute Robbie Keane headed wide late on, ensuring Chelsea must wait until Saturday to win the title.

Arsenal are now 11 points behind the champions-elect and all eyes will be on the Blues at Bolton when a win will hand them the Premiership crown.

With that margin now all but unbridgeable, Arsenal will take more satisfaction in that they pulled four points clear of Manchester United in the race for second.

Reyes started in attack with Robin van Persie and the pair linked for the first chance of the game after just 50 seconds.

The Dutchman played in Reyes, but after rounding the keeper he found the angle too acute and his right-footed effort hit the side-netting.

It was a golden opportunity, but Reyes shrugged off the setback and made amends after 22 minutes.

A neat midfield exchange between Fabregas and Vieira finished with the young Spaniard releasing his compatriot and this time Reyes made no mistake, on his favoured left foot, after racing through a static Spurs defence.

It should by rights have been an equaliser.

Arsenal had played over-elaborate football at the back to gift a chance to Defoe, but after creating space to shoot he opted for power over placement and Lehmann stood tall to parry.

That was to prove one of only two clear-cut Spurs chances, the second being Keane's flashing header with four minutes remaining.

Arsenal peppered Robinson's goal but, like the visitors, they only managed one effort on target.

Vieira met a high inswinging Van Persie free-kick at the far post but headed wide, while in the second half Senderos met another Van Persie dead ball with a thumping header over the bar.

Having opened the match at a fierce pace, the Gunners took their foot off the gas after the break.

Tottenham enjoyed more possession but were unable to make any real inroads into the Arsenal massed ranks, who, while less dynamic, maintained a calm, controlled approach.

As time ticked down they sparked life into an increasingly turgid game, Kolo Toure firing a 40-yard free-kick just over while Edu and Reyes hit the post and side-netting respectivley.

Bergkamp curled an effort wide and Erik Edman blocked an Edu shot, but while a second goal would have calmed the nerves, ultimately, it was not needed.

The win gave Arsenal their first league double over Tottenham in 16 years and ensured they hold on to their Premiership crown for at least another five days.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: "We played some great football against a good, well organised team.

"They fought in a fair way and tried to play as well. We needed an exceptional Arsenal side in patches to win.

"Jose was very lively. He missed an early chance but after he scored he was a different animal. He was a big threat."

Tottenham manager Martin Jol: "It would have been nice to have a point and we could have had a point with Robbie Keane.

"We did better after the first 20 minutes, when we gave away too much space, and with a bit more conviction we could have had a result.

"They play awfully well at home and when you lose 1-0 you can't be too disappointed, but we could have had a draw."

Location
League Table
# Team PL W D L GF GA GD PTS
1
Chelsea
34 26 7 1 65 13 52 85
2
Arsenal
33 21 8 4 73 33 40 71
3
Manchester united
34 20 10 4 50 21 29 70
4
Everton
34 17 7 10 41 34 7 58
5
Liverpool
35 16 6 13 48 36 12 54
6
Bolton wanderers
35 15 9 11 45 39 6 54
7
Middlesbrough
34 13 10 11 50 44 6 49
8
Tottenham Hotspur Badge Tottenham Hotspur
34 13 9 12 42 38 4 48
9
Aston villa
35 12 11 12 42 43 -1 47
10
Manchester city
35 11 12 12 42 37 5 45
11
Charlton athletic
35 12 9 14 40 51 -11 45
12
Blackburn rovers
34 9 13 12 29 37 -8 40
13
Birmingham city
35 9 12 14 36 43 -7 39
14
Newcastle united
33 9 11 13 43 53 -10 38
15
Portsmouth
35 10 8 17 42 54 -12 38
16
Fulham
34 9 8 17 40 56 -16 35
17
Crystal palace
35 7 9 19 37 58 -21 30
18
Norwich city
35 6 12 17 38 67 -29 30
19
West bromwich albion
34 5 14 15 32 57 -25 29
20
Southampton
35 5 13 17 38 59 -21 28
# Team PL W D L GF GA GD PTS
1
Chelsea
34 26 7 1 65 13 52 85
2
Arsenal
34 22 8 4 74 33 41 74
3
Manchester united
34 20 10 4 50 21 29 70
4
Everton
34 17 7 10 41 34 7 58
5
Liverpool
35 16 6 13 48 36 12 54
6
Bolton wanderers
35 15 9 11 45 39 6 54
7
Middlesbrough
34 13 10 11 50 44 6 49
8
Tottenham Hotspur Badge Tottenham Hotspur
35 13 9 13 42 39 3 48
9
Aston villa
35 12 11 12 42 43 -1 47
10
Manchester city
35 11 12 12 42 37 5 45
11
Charlton athletic
35 12 9 14 40 51 -11 45
12
Blackburn rovers
35 9 14 12 30 38 -8 41
13
Birmingham city
35 9 12 14 36 43 -7 39
14
Newcastle united
33 9 11 13 43 53 -10 38
15
Portsmouth
35 10 8 17 42 54 -12 38
16
Fulham
34 9 8 17 40 56 -16 35
17
Crystal palace
35 7 9 19 37 58 -21 30
18
West bromwich albion
35 5 15 15 33 58 -25 30
19
Norwich city
35 6 12 17 38 67 -29 30
20
Southampton
35 5 13 17 38 59 -21 28
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