KEIR RADNEDGE REPORTS: Tottenham maintained their push for Champions League access by defeating neighbours Arsenal 3-1 in the first North London derby to be played in front of fans in Spurs’ new home.

Spurs are now one point behind fourth-placed Arsenal with two matches each to play. They also have a far superior goal difference of plus-23 to the Gunners’ plus-11.

Victory was decisive and turned on 10 minutes midway through the first half when Harry Kane opened the scoring from a penalty for Cedric Soares’s foul on Heung-min Son then Arsenal centre-back Rob Holding was sent off for obstructing the Korean.

It was the 13th red card of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal management, five more than any other Premier League team in that period.

Arsenal, who had shown more composure in the opening exchanges, then crumbled. Kane headed a second from close range and then set up Son to add a third just two minutes into the second half.

The Gunners, spiritless and insipid, made no attempt to rescue the game and contented themselves with spreading a defensive net across midfield and looking to some time-wasting by keeper Aaron Ramsey.

Arsenal came closest to a goal just before halftime when an angled drive from Granit Xhaka was punched over the bar by Hugo Lloris. Otherwise Spurs’ keeper and captain enjoyed one of those happy days when he caught everything cleanly rather than flapped at everything.

Tottenham manager Antonio Conte, with Sunday’s midday kickoff against Burnley in mind, took off both Son and Dejan Kulusevski with 20 minutes to go. Both will need all the rest and recuperation possible before the next challenge.

Arsenal have an extra 36 hours in which to regroup. They go to Newcastle on Monday.

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