SOCCER MUNDIAL NETWORK: EPL RACE TO THE TITLE: Tottenham 2-2 Arsenal: Alexis Sanchez cancels out Harry Kane stunner after Francis Coquelin sees red in north London derby

Aaron Ramsey expertly adjusted his feet to flick in Hector Bellerin's pass past Hugo Lloris in the 39th minute
Arsenal's Francis Coquelin was given his marching orders early in the second half for a second bookable offence
Defender Toby Alderweireld drew Tottenham level on 60 minutes with a well-taken strike from a tight angle
A matter of minutes later and star striker Harry Kane gave Spurs the lead with a stunning right-footed strike
Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez popped up with a vital goal to ensure his side left White Hart Lane with a point

The rain lashing down appeared to be of biblical proportions and the consequences for Arsenal seemed to be seismic. Tectonic plates were shifting in north London.

Arsene Wenger refused to brave the elements remaining on the bench, in relative shelter. Yet the storm was raging all around him.

His team were down to 10 men and losing 2-1 at White Hart Lane. It seemed that not just a match would be lost, but an entire season and perhaps 20 years of dominance. For Arsenal a fourth successive defeat at this stage of this season was unimaginable, yet that was the way it was heading.

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Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez wheels away to celebrate his second-half strike after scoring his side's equalising goal against Tottenham

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Harry Kane throws away his protective mask after scoring a stunning strike to give Tottenham a 2-1 lead against arch rivals Arsenal

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The England and Tottenham forward cuts in from the left before sending an unstoppable drive past Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina

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Tottenham and Belgium star Toby Alderweireld draws Tottenham level on 60 minutes with a well-taken strike from a tight angle

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Francis Coquelin is given his marching orders early in the second half for a second bookable offence with Arsenal leading 1-0

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Against the run of play, Arsenal break the deadlock when Aaron Ramsey adjusted his feet to flick in Hector Bellerin's pass past Hugo Lloris

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France goalkeeper Lloris is unable to prevent Ramsey from scoring and the former Cardiff midfielder wheels away to celebrate his goal

MATCH FACTS, PLAYER RATINGS, PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE

TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Lloris 6, Walker 6.5, Alderweireld 7, Wimmer 6.5, Rose 7 (Davies 6, 78), Dier 7.5, Dembele 7 (Son 6, 82), Eriksen 6.5, Alli 6.5, Lamela 6.5 (Mason 6, 67), Kane 7.5

Subs not used: Vorm, Trippier, Chadli, Carroll

Booked: Lamela, Dier

Goals: Alderweireld 60, Kane 62

ARSENAL ( 4-2-3-1): Ospina 8, Bellerin 6.5, Mertesacker 5.5, Gabriel 7, Gibbs 6.5, Elneny 7,5 (Giroud 67), Coquelin 3, Ramsey 7, Ozil 5.5 (Campbell 90), Sanchez 6.5, Welbeck 7 (Flamini 85)

Subs not used: Walcott, Monreal, Chambers, Macey

Goals: Ramsey 39, Sanchez 72

Booked: Bellerin, Coquelin, Sanchez

Sent off: Coquelin 55

Referee: Michael Oliver 7

Attendance: 35,762

Player ratings by Sami Mokbel

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The Premier League table as it stands

Aaron Ramsey opens the scoring after finishing off a well-worked team move. CLICK HERE to view more of our brilliant Match Zone service.

It was for moments such as these that Wenger signed Alexis Sanchez. A neat through ball from Hector Bellerin on 75 minutes played in the Chilean, who has been underperforming of late. But he attacked the ball and even though he didn't quite strike it cleanly, it deceived Hugo Lloris, who should have done better.

With one strike, Wenger was free. It may be a brief reprieve but for now it would do. 'We refused to lose the game,' said Wenger afterwards in a week in which his team have been strafed by fire from former players, journalist and fans. 'I feel they have shown our character and I'm proud of our performance and out attitude.'

Twenty years in, his position is questioned almost daily and the next nine league games may deliver a verdict on his suitability to continue. Yet he could afford a wry smile when asked about that following the draw. 'I must tell you the pressure of our supporters is relentless and I'm in a good position to tell you that,' he said. 'And we have to deal with that. We have to go on a run again now. '

In truth, one game cannot define an entire epoch. It just felt like that at White Hart Lane. And in equalising when he did, Sanchez may not have done enough to revive their title challenge but it did buy his team some time.

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The Tottenham players line up with the matchday mascots as they prepare to take on arch north London rivals Arsenal

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger (right) and Tottenham counterpart Mauricio Pochettino (left) greet each other ahead of kick off

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Dele Alli (centre), who was rested in Tottenham's 1-0 loss by West Ham in midweek, looks to control the ball during the opening 10 minutes

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Wales and Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey (right), deployed on the right wing by Wenger, dives in with a challenge on Mousa Dembele

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Tottenham striker Kane looks to add his then tally of 16 Premier League goals but sees his shot easily saved by Ospina

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Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez attempts to use his pace to avoid a challenge by Dembele, who uses his hands to tackle the winger

For just 13 minutes earlier, Harry Kane had scored a goal so exquisite, so glorious that it would have been appropriate if it had been seen as an iconic moment in the shifting balance of power in north London. Kane perhaps sensed it and celebrated with a gusto that suggested not just that the match was won, but perhaps the league title could be too.

It was truly one of the goals of the season. The sight of Per Mertesacker allowing Dele Alli to chase down the ball and back heel it to Kane seemed to encapsulate Arsenal's gradual retreat over a twelve-year period, from a position of invincibility into a team that folds under pressure. But from there on in, Kane cutting inside and then, from narrow angle, curling the ball into the far corner, was football at its best.

'It was a fantastic goal,' said Mauricio Pochettino. But in his heart he knew it should have been more. It should have been a winner. 'It's true that we missed a big opportunity but Arsenal are a very good team who can create chances even with ten players. It's true that the feeling is that we missed a big opportunity.

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Former Barcelona winger Sanchez vents his frustration at Belgium midfielder Dembele following the latter's challenge in the first half

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Referee Michael Oliver (left) comes over to ensure Dembele and Sanchez's heated exchange doesn't boil over at White Hart Lane

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Tottenham Hotspur supporters display a banner which reads 'The pride of north London' during Saturday's feisty derby

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Arsenal left back Kieran Gibbs wins the ball after timing his challenge perfectly to tackle compatriot Kyle Walker

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In a lively opening half in north London, England midfielder Alli and Coquelin compete for the ball in the middle of the pitch

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Spurs dominated their north London neighbours in the opening 20 minutes and Alderweireld (second left) and Eric Dier go close

'If you focus only on the result, you don't feel so good as we needed to win. But we need to feel proud of our players. If you analyse the 90 minutes, one team was the best and it was Tottenham.'

On that he was only partially correct. It is true they started much the stronger, ready to seize their moment. Not for a moment did Arsenal have a chance to settle on the ball. Full backs Kyle Walker and Danny Rose went forward at every opportunity while Eric Dier and Mousa Dembele were snapping at the ball.

And yet Arsenal stood firm, un-intimated. Francis Coquelin saw to that, scything through Kane on seven minutes. He didn't receive a yellow card for that but did later for a needless hand ball.

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England manager Roy Hodgson sits in White Hart Lane stands to cast his eye over the English players from both teams

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Arsenal midfielder Coquelin (right) dives in with a perfectly-timed challenge to prevent Kane from charging up the pitch

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Gunners manager Wenger and Tottenham boss Pochettino sit in their dugouts as the two teams compete in a lively opening half

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Tottenham forward Kane looks to break the deadlock in the first half but the England striker was unable to beat Colombian Ospina

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Referee Oliver brandishes a yellow card to Francis Coquelin in the first half, and it was to prove costly for the French midfielder

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Tottenham's Argentinian midfielder Erik Lamela (right) remonstrates with Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck after the two clash

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Chilly Arsene? The Frenchman decides to wrap up warm by wearing a coat before watching his Arsenal side take the lead

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Ramsey sends the travelling supporters into raptures after adjusting his feet to backheel the opener in the first half

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The 25-year-old Wales international (left) watches on as the helpless Lloris is unable to prevent the Arsenal player from scoring

And in reality there was only one clear opportunity that Spurs could create for all their possession. Walker fired in a cross, Erik Lamela had the touch but Ospina, in goal for Petr Cech, produced a stunning save, leaping athletically to his right to tip the ball wide.

Gradually, Arsenal begun to threaten on the counter. Their breakthrough, however, came from a throw-in which should have been eminently defendable but for an unfortunate deflection off Dier, which allowed Danny Welbeck in on goal.

He picked out Bellerin wide who found Aaron Ramsey lurking in the centre and the Welshman's back heeled flicked finish on 39 minutes was quite superb. Welbeck should have made it 2-0 on 43 minutes, a perfect cross from Sanchez being headed into the arms of Lloris and the dynamic of the game had changed utterly.

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Right back Bellerin, who kept his cool to pass to Ramsey rather than shoot, celebrates after watching his team-mate break the deadlock

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The pair wheel away to celebrate Arsenal's first-half goal as Tottenham supporters vent their anger at the club's fierce rivals

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The Wales star roars in delight after opening the scoring for the Gunners in their crunch north London derby against Tottenham

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Ramsey is mobbed by Arsenal team-mates Alexis Sanchez (left) and Mohamed Elneny (right) after making it 1-0 to Arsenal

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Ten minutes into the second half at White Hart Lane and Coquelin mistimes his challenge on Tottenham striker Kane

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Referee Oliver shows the red card to Arsenal's Coquelin early in the second half following a reckless tackle by the Frenchman

Arsenal looked confident, superior. So it was extraordinarily obtuse of Coquelin to risk all with a flying tackle on Kane on 54 minutes. He had already one stupid yellow card and no chances left; he missed the ball and received his second yellow card.

In an instant the game swung back to Tottenham. On 57 minutes Ospina kept out a Kane strike which was all but a millimetre across the line. Then, on the hour Christian Eriksen swung in a corner, Lamela challenged Gabriel and Toby Alderweireld reacted quicker than all around him and simply thumped it home from six yards out.

What followed next, two minutes later, from Kane was quite exceptional, yet Spurs then surrendered the balance of power and were fortunate when Dier was not sent off for a second yellow on 79 minutes.

Still, Tottenham are manifestly no longer the soft touch in north London. But history may yet elude them. They weren't yet strong enough to hold off a wounded Arsenal. And that may prove decisive as they attempt to chase down Leicester.