Arsenal:
                  Lehmann
          Eboue Toure Djourou Clichy 
             Cesc         Gilberto
Van Persie (Baptista 80) Rosicky (Hleb 55) Ljungberg
              Adebayor (Walcott 87)

On 2 minutes Robin van Persie slipped in their box but managed to recover to set up a chance for Tomas Rosicky on the edge of the box, his shot was half-blocked and came through easy for Robinson in the Tottenham goal.

On 10 minutes Jens Lehmann got the ball for the first time, and started a move which saw Rosicky bring the ball forward through the middle and slip it forward for van Persie, but he was shouldered off the ball (legally) just outside the box.

Malbranque set Berbatov off down their right, he beat Emmanuel Eboue's attempt at a sliding tackle then cut the ball back for Malbranque, unmarked just inside the box, whose first time shot flew a foot wide of the far post. A very good chance.

Then on 25 minutes Cesc Fabregas played a perfect ball forward for Adebayor to run onto. He took the ball forward with only Robinson to beat. The keeper didn't make it easy for him, coming forward and refusing to commit himself, but Adebayor kept his nerve and passed the ball past him to the right and just inside the post. Later, replays showed that the striker was level with the last defender when Cesc hit the pass. Adebayor made a point of running over to Thierry Henry to celebrate.

Then came a rather embarassing incident when Eboue went down "injured", only to bounce up and have a go at the opponent who'd felled him. It looked like it was only seeing Gary Lewin running across the pitch towards him to give him treatment that reminded Eboue he was supposed to be injured, and down he fell again. Please cut it out, Emmanuel.

Freddie Ljungberg won a free kick on the right and van Persie swung it in, through the 6 yard box and out just beyond the far post with no-one getting a touch.

A few minutes before the end of the first half, a nice mive ended with Cesc playing the ball to the left from the D, for Rosicky to take forward from the edge of the box. Chimbonda came across to make the tackle, from behind and to Tom's right, and when the Czech went down the ref Graham Poll had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. From behind the goal at the other end of the pitch it looked a bad decision, as we could see from the sideways movement of the ball that Chimbonda had got a touch. Gilberto stepped up for the penalty and hit it perfectly, low to the left and giving Robinson no chance.

Up the other end, Berbatov went down in the box right in front of me. It looked like he might have a case for a penalty as he'd been bundled a bit from behind, but replays later showed he just fell over, and really he should have got a shot in before that, the penalty claim coming when he'd run the ball to far to the side of goal anyway.

Tottenham made a couple of changes at half time, Lee and Jenas coming on for the hapless Assou-Ekotto and the dangerous Steed Malbranque. It didn't make any difference.

Adebayor was given offside after a nice through ball from van Persie, then Clichy defended well getting a crucial tackle in on Jenas as the sub threatened to break. Rosicky limped off, and on came Alexander Hleb.

Tottenham did have a couple of attacks. Lee broke down their left and hit a cross which Lehmann dropped, but Toure was on hand to clear. Then Jenas hit a shot from outside the box which, again, Lehmann couldn't hold. But again we got it clear.

Then we broke upfield and van Persie was brought down from behind as he came into the box from the left. A cast-iron penalty, even if there were claims of handball (if Robin's hand did touch the ball, it was only because his arm was being held from behind). Gilberto took it again, again hitting the ball in low just inside the post, but on the other side this time.

With 10 minutes to go Julio Baptista came on for van Persie, and had some good moments including a goalbound shot which was deflected for a corner. 5 minutes later Theo Walcott came on for Adebayor. Eboue played a nice one-two with Hleb, getting the right back forward for a narrow angled shot which Robinson did well to save. Walcott broke forward nicely but cut the ball back to no-one, and in injury time a nice ball forward from Baptista found Freddie, but his (tricky) first touch just played it on the the keeper.

Amazingly, given the number of frustrating points we've dropped this season, this win took us back to third. Chelsea and Manchester United may be out of reach but we simply have to be able to clinch an automatic Champs League spot this year, if there's no-one capable of having already taken advantage of our slip-ups.