Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta shouted at Bukayo Saka during their match win against Tottenham Hotspur (0-1)

Arsenal’s coach Mikel Arteta’s strategy proved highly effective as Arsenal secured a victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

On Sunday afternoon, Arsenal defeated Spurs 1-0, helping them maintain their position near the top of the Premier League alongside Manchester City.

Spurs struggled to create significant opportunities in the second half, making Gabriel’s header sufficient for the win. Arteta expressed his satisfaction after the match, stating, “Obviously very happy.” He emphasized the importance of winning the North London Derby for both the team and the community, stating, “We have the power to make them very happy, which we should have done.”

He noted that there were moments of success and moments where hard work was needed. Arteta explained that the game plan had to be adjusted due to a lack of available players, but he appreciated the team’s growing enthusiasm. He indicated that the team’s behavior should reflect positively, and although the week ahead would be challenging, they focused on readiness rather than excuses. Arteta admired the team’s bravery and readiness to win.

Arteta had to revise his strategy shortly before the match due to injuries sustained by key players during international duty. Martin Odegaard’s ankle injury and the suspensions of Declan Rice, Riccardo Calafiori, and Oleksandr Zinchenko, who were also injured, compounded the situation.

He recounted, “I looked ahead to Spurs for four or five days and I had a super clear plan how to do it,” including detailed plans for meetings and training. However, as players were lost, he had to adapt the plan significantly to accommodate the available squad, which was a challenging task.

After making these adjustments, Arteta was comfortable with Arsenal sitting back and allowing Tottenham to control possession. The team defended effectively with a 4-4-2 formation, making it difficult for Spurs to break through.

At one point in the first half, Arteta was seen vocally directing Bukayo Saka, who was not positioned as Arteta desired. He appeared to instruct Saka to move inward to tighten the formation and obstruct Tottenham’s play.

Sky Sports cameras captured Arteta’s animated instructions and gestures during the game. His directives appeared effective as Arsenal won 1-0 in a tough match.

Arsenal’s upcoming league fixture will be at Etihad Stadium against Manchester City. The match between Pep Guardiola’s City and Arsenal next Sunday promises to be thrilling, with City currently two points ahead of Arsenal in the Premier League standings.