In the highlight game of the 4th round of the EPL on the night of September 15, Beijing time, Arsenal won 1-0 on the road against city rivals Tottenham Hotspur by virtue of their outstanding performance. The victory not only allowed Arsenal to continue climbing up the table, but also triggered extensive discussions among the media and fans. After the match, celebrity Piers Morgan made controversial comments on his social media accounts, saying that Tottenham were no longer Arsenal's North London derby opponents, but had become Arsenal's "North London training ground".
Morgan's comments are not empty. He mentioned that Arsenal have beaten Tottenham Hotspur three times in a row in the Premier League in their newly built luxurious stadium. This string of victories has undoubtedly energized Arsenal fans and frustrated Tottenham fans. What's even harder for the Tottenham fans to accept is that Morgan has further stated that it's time to stop thinking of Tottenham as Arsenal's North London rivals, as they are more of a "training ground" for Arsenal to improve their form and gel their lineups, judging by their recent record.
As a matter of fact, Arsenal did show great strength and good form against Tottenham Hotspur. Since their last loss, Arsenal have gone 5 consecutive matches without defeating Tottenham in the Premier League, including 4 wins and 1 draw. Such a record undoubtedly gives Arsenal a clear psychological advantage in the North London derby.
However, Morgan's comments also sparked some controversy. Some people think he is too radical and arrogant, after all, wins and losses in soccer matches are common things, you can't deny the strength and status of the opponent because of a momentary victory. But some people also support Morgan's view that Arsenal's recent performance is really very good, while Tottenham need to adjust their status as soon as possible, to find the former competitiveness.
Anyway, the result of this North London derby has been settled. For Arsenal, they will continue to try to maintain this good momentum and strive for better results in the Premier League. As for Tottenham, they need to seriously summarize the reasons for their defeat, and actively adjust their tactics and lineups in order to regain the winning feeling in future matches.
