The best North London derbies of the last 20 years

The North London Derby remains one of the standout fixtures on the English football calendar, steeped in over a century of fierce rivalry between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.

Since their first meetings in the late 19th century – well before either side clashed in the top flight – the two clubs have locked horns 211 times. Arsenal hold the upper hand with 89 wins, while Spurs have claimed 67 victories, and 55 matches have ended level.

In the 2024-25 season, Mikel Arteta’s injury-hit Arsenal managed a rare feat: completing a league double over Spurs. They snatched a 1-0 away victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in September 2024 before following up with a 2-1 win at the Emirates four months later. That triumph gave Arsenal three consecutive Premier League wins against Spurs for the first time in the competition’s history – something Tottenham had not endured since 1989.

That sequence also included a dramatic 3-2 away win in April 2024, where Arsenal stormed three goals ahead through Spurs’ defensive lapses at set pieces, only to be pegged back twice late on but ultimately hold firm.

The derby has had its share of classics, such as the 2-2 draw at the Emirates in September 2023, when Arsenal twice led but allowed Spurs to claw back both times. Still, the Gunners’ January 2025 victory extended their unbeaten run to six derbies, adding to their double in 2022-23. Spurs’ last taste of derby success dates back to the closing stages of 2021-22.

While Tottenham have lost seven of their last nine North London derbies, they previously enjoyed a run of five unbeaten meetings between December 2018 and December 2020, which included two home league wins during the COVID-19 era and a League Cup triumph in 2018-19.

When it comes to individual records, no one matches Harry Kane, who remains the ultimate thorn in Arsenal’s side. The England captain has scored 14 derby goals for Spurs, a record that stood tall even during their 2023-24 Champions League quarter-final clashes.

On the Arsenal side, it’s Robert Pires, not Thierry Henry, who tops their scoring charts in this rivalry with nine goals. Behind him, Emmanuel Adebayor netted eight for the Gunners before controversially adding two more in Spurs colours after switching allegiances.

In this article, Football Talk brings you five of the best North London derbies in the last 20 years.

1: Arsenal 2-3 Tottenham—November 20, 2010

Seventeen years had passed without Tottenham recording an away victory over Arsenal, so it was always going to require something extraordinary to topple their north London rivals finally.

That extraordinary moment arrived in 2010, when Spurs mounted a 3-2 comeback and saw centre-back Younes Kaboul emerge as the most unlikely of match-winners. Arsenal’s near two-decade dominance looked secure after Samir Nasri’s superb strike helped them establish a 2-0 advantage by the interval. Yet, the second half told a different story—Gareth Bale first pulled one back before Rafael van der Vaart levelled proceedings. With only four minutes left and Arsenal in disarray, Kaboul climbed above the defence to glance Van der Vaart’s delivery into the net, sealing a memorable three points.

That decisive blow shattered Arsène Wenger’s composure, with television cameras capturing the French manager furiously hurling both his water bottle and its cap to the turf in frustration.

2: Tottenham 5-1 Arsenal—22 January 2008

Tottenham recorded their second-biggest win over Arsenal on their way to lifting what remains their last major trophy before Ange Postecoglou ended the drought last season.

Back in 2008, Arsenal were still considered a Premier League powerhouse, while Spurs hovered around the European places. Worse still, Tottenham hadn’t beaten their fiercest rivals in any competition since November 1999.

A 1-1 draw at the Emirates left everything finely poised for the second leg at White Hart Lane. But Spurs blew the tie wide open, racing into a two-goal lead before the break thanks to Jermaine Jenas and a Nicklas Bendtner own goal. Robbie Keane and Aaron Lennon struck after the restart to stretch the lead, and though Emmanuel Adebayor briefly offered Arsenal hope, Steed Malbranque’s late strike sealed a famous 5-1 win on the night and 6-2 on aggregate.

That victory not only dumped Arsenal out of the League Cup but also booked Spurs a date with Chelsea at Wembley. Against the odds, Juande Ramos’ side overcame their London rivals to lift the trophy—marking the club’s most recent piece of silverware before Ange Postecoglou last season.

3: Arsenal 5 – 2 Tottenham—February 26, 2012

Arsenal produced a comeback of their own that left a lasting mark on the history of this fixture.

That afternoon, the opening strike turned out to be more of a curse than a blessing, as Louis Saha, together with former Arsenal man Emmanuel Adebayor, handed Tottenham a two-goal cushion. What followed, though, was a storming reply that carried Wenger’s side all the way to victory. The pace of their response stood out even by the drama-filled standards of the north London rivalry. Before half-time, Bacary Sagna reduced the deficit, and Robin van Persie fired the equaliser, with Tomas Rosický then pushing the Gunners in front six minutes after the restart.

Not long afterwards, Theo Walcott netted twice in quick succession, leaving no doubts about the outcome while over twenty minutes remained to be played.

4: Arsenal 4-4 Tottenham—October 29, 2008

The Premier League often prides itself on being the pinnacle of football, yet few encounters have produced the chaos and drama of this extraordinary eight-goal thriller.

It all began with David Bentley, whose audacious strike stunned everyone inside the ground. Having noticed Manuel Almunia straying slightly off his line, the ex-Arsenal midfielder unleashed a dipping volley from near the halfway mark, leaving the Spanish goalkeeper scrambling backwards and helplessly flapping at thin air.

From that outrageous opener, the contest spiralled into a breathless spectacle packed with errors and entertainment. Heurelho Gomes’s erratic handling in the air repeatedly unsettled his back line. It offered Arsenal joy from corners, while Almunia was equally culpable, spilling a routine save directly into Darren Bent’s path for Tottenham’s second.

Yet nothing compared to the finale. Arsenal appeared home and dry at 4-2 until Gael Clichy lost his footing, allowing Jermaine Jenas to curl in what looked like a mere consolation. But with the clock ticking into stoppage time, Luka Modrić almost matched Bentley’s earlier wonder strike — his attempt cannoned off the upright and fell kindly for Aaron Lennon, who bundled in the rebound to complete a jaw-dropping 4-4 finish.

5: Arsenal 3-1 Tottenham—October 1, 2022

Tottenham arrived at the Emirates hoping to climb above their north London rivals in the table, yet it was Mikel Arteta’s men who extended their advantage at the summit.

The breakthrough came when Thomas Partey unleashed a superb long-range effort, although Harry Kane’s composed penalty ensured the clash was level by half-time.

Just after the restart, Gabriel Jesus pounced inside the box to restore Arsenal’s advantage, and the task grew harder for Spurs when Emerson Royal was dismissed.

With the visitors on the ropes, Granit Xhaka powered home a decisive third, sealing not only the victory but also a third successive triumph in this fixture on home soil — something the Gunners had not achieved since 2013.

Another classis in 2025/26?

We could see another classic in the 2025/26 campaign with a resurgent Tottenham looking to bounce back under Thomas Frank after a disastrous Premier League season last year. Arsenal – runners up in the last three seasons – will be hoping to challenge for the title once again.

The first North London Derby of 25/26 will be played at the Emirates Stadium in late November. This is always a high intensity game and this season should be no different. Therefore, it is sure to sell-out but fans can still buy tickets for the match through resellers like Seatsnet.com. Check out the available listings over the coming weeks to book your seat the Emirates for the showdown in November.