This one will live long in the memory of Tottenham fans. It is the day when their new team under their new head coach and with their new attacking style of play went to the home of their nearest and bitterest rivals and showed there is a new kid on the block.
Tottenham are transformed this season under Ange Postecoglou and here was the most compelling evidence to support that bold claim.
Captain Son Heung-min scored both goals in a pulsating, boisterous 2-2 draw against Arsenal but in so many ways this result owed much to a new signing in James Maddison.
Bukayo Saka had the cheekiness to mimic Maddison’s dart throwing celebrations after he forced Arsenal’s opening goal, an unfortunate own goal by Cristian Romero – which put them 1-0 up – and then converting the penalty after a handball by the Spurs defender – to restore their advantage at 2-1.
But Maddison responded. And how. The playmaker has laid an early claim to be the signing of the season, a £40million snip from relegated Leicester City, and he has confidence, he has personality and he has the ability to fill the gap left by Harry Kane whose No.10 shirt he has taken.
It was evident in the smartest of turns to outwit Saka and draw the ball back for Son to claim his first goal and it was there, again, as he stole possession from substitute Jorginho to allow the Korean to sidefoot his second equaliser.
Arsenal had chances but so did Spurs and they finished on the attack with a Richarlison shot deflected narrowly wide. The home side missed Declan Rice, after he went off at half-time, and lost Saka to injury late on but Spurs were also not quite the same after Maddison departed.
He came in for some heavy tackles and it showed the threat he posed while in midfield Yves Bissouma was simply immense. It will be a surprise if both these sides do not finish top four in this campaign. This was high-quality stuff in the north London derby.
