ARSENAL continued its recovery with a 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby Sunday afternoon thanks to an impressive first-half performance.

Smith Rowe swept in Arsenal’s opener in the 12th minute and then set up Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the 27th minute and when Bukayo Saka made it 3-0 in the 34th minute, the hosts were running riot.

There was a little more fight about Tottenham after the break and Son Heung-min pulled a goal back with 10 minutes remaining, but it was too little too late for the visitors, whose early-season optimism has evaporated.

After losing their opening three Premier League games without scoring a goal, the Gunners have now won three in a row and are above the Spurs, who, after winning their opening three to top the table, have lost three London derbies in succession, conceding nine goals in the process.

The Gunners, who were bottom after three games, are now in 10th place with nine points, ahead of Tottenham on goals scored.

It is a dramatic reversal of fortune for the two clubs and while Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta appears to have steadied the ship after a calamitous start, his opposite number Nuno Espirito Santo faces a tough task pulling his players out of their slump.

The Spurs have won only once in their last 29 league games away to Arsenal, but the nature of Sunday’s first-half capitulation will be a worry for their supporters.

Too many of their players under-performed and their confidence looks shredded as they conceded three or more goals in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since 2003.

In contrast, the Gunners, who fielded their youngest starting side for a home league game against Spurs since 1988, are buoyant.(SD-Agencies)