Stalemate in North London

November 16, 2025

Brisbane Road, London

The north London derby has long served as a barometer of Arsenal’s authority in the women’s game. Since Tottenham’s arrival in the top flight in 2019, Renée Slegers’ side have dominated the rivalry with a consistency that borders on the habitual. Eleven league encounters have yielded nine Arsenal victories, a single draw, and just one defeat—statistical proof of a gulf that has yet to close. Across those matches, Arsenal have struck 33 goals, averaging three per game, each meeting reinforcing the hierarchy of the capital.

Spurs entered the 2025/26 campaign seeking renewal after finishing second from bottom last season. Their early form suggested a team intent on rewriting its narrative: five wins from eight, underpinned by the confidence of opening clean sheets against West Ham and Everton. Yet the 5–1 dismantling by Manchester City exposed the fragility beneath their resurgence.

Arsenal began the derby with appetite but without precision. Energy was abundant—pressing, running, forcing the issue—but the urgency frayed their composure. Passes were rushed, possession squandered, and the creativity that normally distinguishes Slegers’ team struggled to take hold. Spurs sensed the uncertainty. Eveliina Summanen tested Daphne van Domselaar from distance, while at the opposite end Emily Fox combined neatly with Alessia Russo before striking straight at Lize Kop.

The match’s early hinge came on 20 minutes when Jess Naz’s cross evaded both Lotte Wubben-Moy and Celin Bizet Holdt by inches. It was the warning Arsenal needed. Kyra Cooney-Cross soon curled just wide, and from that moment the visitors rediscovered their structure—focus restored, rhythm returning.

Arsenal pressed forward with increasing confidence. Mead fed Russo for a volley that skidded wide, and Blackstenius twice went close before half-time, while Mead’s late free-kick struck the wall. Slegers responded with changes: Taylor Hinds and Olivia Smith brought pace and purpose, Smith immediately crafting chances for Blackstenius and Fox. By the 57th minute Frida Maanum joined the fray, nearly engineering the breakthrough after a surging run from Wubben-Moy.

Yet as the minutes ebbed away, composure replaced ambition on both sides. Mariona Caldentey curled over from a late short corner, and Chloe Kelly arrived too late to alter the equilibrium. For all Arsenal’s control, the evening ended with honours shared—a rare stalemate in a fixture historically defined by imbalance.

Tottenham Hotspur 0 – 0 Arsenal