Time for a 'clinical finisher'?

The stakes are always high in the north London derby, but much was riding on this one for Mikel Arteta and his team, as a season that started with so much optimism and expectation threatened to flounder.

The scenes at the end of this win over Spurs were wild, noisy and laced with relief as much as celebration. Arsenal had known anything less than victory over their arch-rivals would put a serious dent in their title pursuit.

It demonstrated just how much this 2-1 win meant. Arsenal are now four points behind Liverpool, having played a game more, but this must now be the catalyst for action on and off the pitch.

Arsenal, as is their habit, made a very large meal of beating a mediocre Spurs, struck down by injuries but still well short of the standards expected.

The door is ajar for Arsenal and Arteta, but they will struggle to open it any further unless they do what seems plainly obvious and sign a striker to give them a cutting edge.

Arteta told BBC Sport: "The attitude we played with, not feeling sorry for ourselves, was phenomenal. We played 120 minutes three days ago.

"We had some big chances and big situations. At the end, we had to suffer more than we wanted. When you have the opportunities, you have to take them. We are on a really consistent run in the Premier League.

"It is now about recovery, then Aston Villa on Saturday, going and going."

And he added: "We know how important this game was and is. It's a gift with which we can make out supporters happy."

Now he needs to deliver an even bigger gift in the shape of a clinical finisher who can ensure this win is not a false dawn in Arsenal's Premier League title challenge.