01/09/2013 - Tottenham Hotspur - Barclays Premier League - First Team - H

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FULL TIME: Arsenal 1-0 Tottenham - The stadium explodes here in unadulterated joy. What a win for Arsenal, with Giroud's finish finish settling matters. Phew...

BOOKING: Dawson goes into the book

WALKER FIRES OVER: Tottenham threaten down the left and the cross into the middle is deflected into Walker's path, but he crashes his shot high and wide

ARSENAL CHANGE: Theo Walcott is replaced by Bacary Sagna

IT'S TENSE OUT THERE: We are into the very closing stages of this enthralling derby and Tottenham are desperate for a levller. Arsenal are soaking up the pressure, can they hold on?

CHANCE FOR LAMELA: Defoe does well on the edge of the box and finds Lamela in the area, who touches it back past the defenders but his low shot is held by Szczesny

BETTER FROM ARSENAL: A decent little spell sees Giroud nearly release Walcott, and Monreal's deflected cross cause panic in the Spurs area

BOOKING: Defoe goes into the book for an aerial challenge on Theo Walcott

WHAT A CHANCE: Giroud set up Walcott, whose first-time effort was palmed away by Lloris and Monreal seemed set to score but the defender put him off. So close

ARSENAL CHANGE: Monreal comes on to replace Rosicky

DOUBLE SAVE!: Wojciech Szczesny had to be alert there to deny firstly a deflected shot by Defope and then Soldado's follow up effort. This will be a tense finale

TOTTENHAM CHANGE: Lamela on to replace Townsend

TOTTENHAM CHANGE: Sandro on to replace Capoue

CHANCE FOR ARSENAL: Tottenham lose the ball in midfield and Arsenal counter, with Giroud trying to set Walcott free but Lloris just got to the ball before him

TOTTENHAM CHANGE: Defoe comes on to replace Dembele

PAULINHO LETS FLY: The Brazilian midfielder collects the ball 25 yards out and in some space, but his speculative effort is off target

SO CLOSE!: Arsenal break and Cazorla finds Giroud on the edge of the box and his shot is deflected just wide for a corner. End to end stuff

TWO BIG CHALLENGES: Townsend stood a lovely cross up to the back post and it was just about to drop to Chadli, but Jenkinson got his head to it. Moments later, Meretsacker nicks the ball off Paulinho's boot in the box

TOTTENHAM PUSHING ON: The visitors are probing at the Arsenal backline and Arsenal don't quite have the control they did in the first half at present

FLAMINI BOOKED: The French midfielder takes down Dembele and goes into the book

SOLDADO GOES DOWN: The Spurs striker falls under Koscielny's challenge to he right of the area, and claims a shove, but the referee waves play on - to the consternation of the away fans

RAMSEY SLICES WIDE: Arsenal push forward and Flamini and Rosicky combine to set up Ramsey on the edge of the area, but his shot from 20 yards drifts wide

TOTTENHAM ON THE FRONT FOOT: The visitors make the brighter start and win two corners in quick succession, but Arsenal clear both. The hosts need to wake up quickly

KICK OFF: We are back underway for the second half, and Arsenal get us going for what should be a thrilling 45 minutes of derby football

HALF TIME: Arsenal 1-0 Tottenham - Giroud's superb strike separates the teams, and the home side have fully deserved their lead. Cazorla has twice gone close and while Tottenham have threatened, Wenger will be delighted with the energy his side have shown

ARSENAL CHANGE: Mathieu Flamini is coming on for his second Arsenal debut, in place of Jack Wilshere

HALF A CHANCE: Townsend lets one fly that Szczesny saves, before Arsenal race down the other end, with Walc ott nearly releasing Giroud with a low cross. Thrilling stuff

GIBBS MAKES THE RECOVERY: Kieran plays his backline in trouble with a misplaced pass to Ramsey, but races back to dispossess Dembele in the area

WELL IN CARL: Rose looks to get away down the left flank from Chadli's pass but Jenkinson races back and nicks the ball, before playing it off the Spurs man and out for an Arsenal throw. he received a huge roar from the home fans

YELLOW CARD: Tomas Rosicky goes into the book

LLORIS DOES WELL: Cazorla sets Walcott free through the middle and Lloris comes racing out and touches the ball off Walcott's boot. The corwd appeal for a red card, but the Spurs keeper got a nick of the ball

RAMSEY FIRES OVER: Big chance for Arsenal as Walcott lays the ball across the box for Ramsey to take it first time, but he gets under the ball and it flies over the bar

ITS BREATHLESS STUFF: This is everything you want from a derby; fast, exciting and Arsenal leading. The Arsenal midfield is dominant at present

WALCOTT GOES CLOSE: Ramsey does brilliantly up the right flank to get past two men and set Walcott free to the right of the six-yard box, and his first-time shot is palmed away by Lloris

FANTASTIC FINISH: When you look at the replay of that strike, you appreciate what a fine effort that was from the Frenchman, who poked it into the one area of the goal where Lloris couldn't get it. Brilliant

WELL IN JACK: Tottenham threaten up the right and Townsend cuts inside and lets fly, but Wilshere throws himself in the way and deflects the ball out for a corner

ELECTRIC START: We expected an entertaining game but this has been a frantic opening spell, with Cazorla twice going close and Soldado having the best opportunity for the visitors

WHAT A BLOCK: Mertesacker throws himself in the way of Soldado's first-time shot from close range and that could be crucial. Superb defending there

GET IN TOUCH: It's www.arsenal.com/studio to e-mail our team - Dan and David are fielding your comments throughout the game

#AFCvTHFC: That's the hashtag to use if you want to have your say on Twitter. As ever we'll publish a selection of your comments right here - as well as on the big screen!

PER TO THE RESCUE: Chadli sends Rose away down the left flank and he sends in a low cross but the stand-in skipper gets there to clear it away from danger

WHAT A BALL: Cazorla receives the ball just over the halfway line, looks up and plays a delightful lofted pass for Giroud, who beats the defender to it but his header drifts harmlessly wide

JUST WIDE!: Cazorla stands over it and fires it under the wall but it drifts inches wide. So close from the Spaniard. Arsenal have been superb so far

ARSENAL ON TOP: Walcott is tripped right on the edge of the box, and it is another free kick in a promising position...

SO CLOSE!: Cazorla whips a superb free kick up and over the wall but Lloris palms it out for a corner. Giroud then rises to meet the corner but his header drifts over

ROSICKY ON THE CHARGE: Tomas bursts past his man to the edge of the box, but is bundled over for a free kick in a promising position...

KICK OFF: Tottenham get us going here at the Emirates - come on Arsenal!

HERE THEY COME: The two teams come streaming out on to the pitch to an almighty roar. You get the feeling this could be another classic in the making this afternoon

IT'S BUZZING HERE: The crowd are making a real noise ahead of this game and the atmosphere is crackling. The sun is out and the weather is mild - perfect conditions for football

LONDON CALLING: The famous Clash song is blaring out over the PA system here at the Emirates as the players finish their warm-up on the pitch. We are about 10 minutes away from kick off now

WHERE ARE YOU LISTENING TO THE GAME?: Let us know where you are, what your hopes and expectations are and you prediction for the game by visiting www.arsenal.com/studio now!

SAGNA UNWELL: The France international is surprisingly on the bench today, but the reason is that he is feeling under the weather

WHAT DO YOU THINK?: You can let us know your thoughts on the Arsenal starting XI by using the #AFCvTHFC hashtag on Twitter or by visiting www.arsenal.com/studio

SUBS: Friedel, Naughton, Holtby, Lamela, Sandro, Sigurdsson, Defoe

TOTTENHAM TEAM: Lloris, Walker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Rose, Capoue, Paulinho, Townsend, Dembele, Chadli, Soldado

SUBS: Fabianski, Sagna, Monreal, Flamini, Zelalem, Gnabry, Sanogo

ARSENAL TEAM: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Ramsey, Wilshere, Rosicky, Cazorla, Walcott, Giroud

TEAM NEWS: Koscielny, Gibbs and Rosicky return to the Arsenal team, with an unwell Bacary Sagna only on the bench. Full teams to follow...

We will have team news through for you in the next 20 minutes or so - will there be a place in the squad for Mathieu Flamini? We’ll let you know as soon as we have it

Our Matchday Show starts at 3.30pm, with Dan Roebuck joined by former Gunner David Hillier for all the build-up to the big game. Dan and David will also have live commentary of the derby from 4pm (UK time)

For two seasons in succession, Arsene Wenger’s side have beaten their north London rivals 5-2 in front of their home fans - what price the hat-trick?

Tottenham, meanwhile, have won all four of their games this term - but will have nightmares about the last two times they visited Emirates Stadium

The Gunners come into the game on the back of a run of three successive victories, a superb response after that opening-day defeat to Aston Villa

Always a key date in the calendar, this game could prove particularly instructive. Much has been written in the past week about the relative strengths of the squads, now is a chance for Arsenal to make a real statement

Welcome to live coverage of the north London derby as Arsenal take on Tottenham Hotspur at Emirates Stadium