Spurs foil Gunners, Reds top

Source: Agencies  |   2008-10-31  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

TOTTENHAM Hotspur continued its revival under Harry Redknapp, coming from 2-4 down in the 89th minute to snatch a 4-4 draw at Arsenal in a pulsating north London derby on Wednesday.

Spurs, bottom of the English Premier League despite beating Bolton Wanderers in new manager Redknapp's first game on Sunday, led with a stunning David Bentley volley but needed late goals by Jermaine Jenas and Aaron Lennon to claim an unlikely point.

An inexplicable handball by Portsmouth's Papa Bouba Diop enabled Steven Gerrard to score a late penalty to earn a 1-0 home win that maintained Liverpool's three-point lead.

Second-placed Chelsea, beaten at home by Liverpool at the weekend, recovered well with a convincing 3-0 victory at Hull City highlighted by a superb Frank Lampard goal.

Manchester United was a 2-0 home winner over West Ham United, both goals by Cristiano Ronaldo, while Aston Villa moved into the top four when it came from behind to record a 3-2 home victory over Blackburn Rovers.

Liverpool has 26 points from 10 games and Chelsea 23 points. Arsenal, Villa and Hull have 20 with sixth-placed United on 18.

Spurs got off to a stunning start when Arsenal old boy Bentley teed up and crashed home a 40-meter blast.

However, Arsenal soon took charge with headers by center backs Mikael Silvestre and William Gallas either side of halftime and a third by Emmanuel Adebayor.

Darren Bent made it 3-2 but when Robin van Persie banged in Arsenal's fourth after 68 minutes it looked all over.

Jenas, though, struck in the 89th and, after a Luka Modric volley came back off the post, substitute Lennon swept home the equalizer four minutes into stoppage time.

"It was amazing, a throwback to the old days," said Redknapp, who took over from Juande Ramos at the weekend.

Spurs remain bottom on six points but the whole mood around the club has changed.