Tue 14 April 2020, 17:22
Tottenham HotspurThe derby. A must-win game. Champions League qualification on the line. The pain of an FA Cup semi-final defeat still fresh.
It was a time for heroes - step up Premier League debutant Danny Rose, 19, Gareth Bale, then 21 and goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, the headline makers from this day 10 years ago, 14 April, 2010.
Any nerves from the team, the crowd or even the player himself were crushed within 10 minutes as Danny, who made his debut against home-town team Doncaster in the League Cup earlier that season, smashed home a thunderous volley from fully 30 yards. It went like a rocket and may have still been going to this day had Manuel Almunia's net not got in the way.
Bale doubled our lead from Jermain Defoe's sublime pass a minute into the second half and it was then Gomes' turn to impress with three world-class saves to deny Robin van Persie, twice, and Sol Campbell. Nicklas Bendtner's late goal made for a nervous last five minutes, but no-one was going to deny us the three points.
If only we could do the same against leaders and eventual-champions Chelsea three days later...
Spurs 2-1 Arsenal - the highlights
Match data
Spurs: Gomes, Kaboul, Dawson, King (C), Assou-Ekotto, Rose (Bentley 46), Huddlestone, Modric, Bale, Defoe (Gudjohnsen 68), Pavlyuchenko (Crouch 89). Substitutes (not used): Alnwick, Bassong, Walker, Livermore.
Arsenal: Almunia (C), Sagna (Walcott 53), Campbell, Vermaelen (Silvestre 20), Clichy, Rosicky, Nasri, Denilson (van Persie 68), Diaby, Eboue, Bendtner. Substitutes (not used): Fabianski, Merida, Eastmond, da Silva.
Goals: Spurs - Rose 10, Bale 46. Arsenal - Bendtner 85.
Venue: White Hart Lane.
Attendance: 36,041.
