Arsenal went a step closer to the Premier League title on Sunday as they beat Tottenham 2-0 in the north London derby.
A Hugo Lloris own goal and a brilliant strike from Martin Ødegaard were enough to see the Gunners get one over their neighbours in what turned out to be a straightforward win.
With Manchester City losing in their own derby on Saturday this always looked like a vital game for Arsenal in their bid for the title.
The north London derby is always a big game but with the Gunners able to go eight points clear at the top of the table, this edition was even bigger than usual.
And much like all their other games this season, Arsenal dealt with the occasion brilliantly.
Two goals in the first half were all they needed to get the job done with the second 45 minutes a clinic in how to kill a game you’re winning.
The strides this side has made under Mikel Arteta are genuinely phenomenal and even if the Emirates outfit don’t lift the title at the end of the season there’s no doubt that the Spaniard has been the coach of the season.
If Arsenal are to win the Premier League this season, a large part of that will be down to Martin Ødegaard.
The Norway international has become a truly world class midfielder and showed that in spades this afternoon.
His first half goal that doubled the Gunners lead was his eighth of the campaign so far and took his total goal involvements to 13 for the season.
That’s more than any midfielder in the division this term.
It’s been a long road to the top for the Arsenal captain but in this side, under this manager, Ødegaard has grown to become a genuinely exceptional player.
He really does have it all.
Not since the pre-Mauricio Pochettino days have Spurs failed to turn up to a derby like they did here.
It’s no exaggeration to say that the hosts were dreadful and struggled in almost every aspect of their play for the entire 90 minutes.
Harry Kane never got into the game, Hugo Lloris was calamitous in goal and the two-man midfield that Antonio Conte opted to start the game with was complete overrun.
On this evidence, it really would be a miracle if Spurs finish in the top four and it would be equally surprising if Conte is still in the dugout come the start of next term.