Arsenal show off improved mentality in North London derby success

Arsenal opened the scoring in the first half before Spurs dragged themselves level, but the home side found its groove again to canter to a 3-1 win in Saturday’s North London derby.

Over the last couple of seasons, the consensus about the Gunners is that they crumble when they’re met with a hint of adversity.

We did see that at times last year, but this campaign, it looks as if the squad has a better handle on it. After dominating the opening exchanges and doing as they pleased, Spurs fought their way back into the game thanks to a Harry Kane penalty.

In years gone by, Arsenal could have wilted after starting well before being overrun. On Saturday, though, they re-grouped and came out after the break with fire in their bellies.

Gabriel Jesus scored within minutes of the restart, and Arsenal never looked back. It has been a theme this year that when the Gunners conceded, almost immediately, they respond with a goal of their own.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta spoke to arsenal.com post-game and said that he was happy with the reaction from his side after conceding the penalty after starting the game so dominantly.

"“The way we started, we were really aggressive, we were really determined,” Arteta said.“We had good connection, good quality and good intensity in our play, and I could sense that we were up for it. Then we conceded the goal and I loved the reaction of the team. To straight away refocus and get the direction, everything was going in the direction we wanted and we sustained the level and we won the game.“This is a very different game because there is a lot of emotion for both. It’s really meaningful for everybody, and the build-up is very different. We know that it’s a day in the calendar that is a chance to deliver something to our people and that brings a little bit more responsibility, but I think the players handled it really well.”"

The win now means that Arsenal has won seven of its first eight games to sit top of the Premier League table with Liverpool next up in the league.

It presents another opportunity for this young Arsenal side to show the world how far they have come. Winning against Spurs is one thing but backing it up against Liverpool will send out the biggest statement thus far.

With a firmly instilled winning mentality, Arsenal will go into every game confident of a result, and if things aren’t going their way, they have the thought process not to let it get the best of them.

There will be more challenging moments in the season than Saturday, but they showed that they are more than up to the task.