Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal Official - Andre Villas-Boas's side are real contenders for Champions League

Sight-seeing visits to the Premier League’s top four are no good to Spurs. They crave permanent membership. Almost sweeter than a regular place among the Champions League qualifying quartet is the knowledge that Arsenal will be the club kicked to the kerb along the way.

So Tottenham Hotspur had two reasons to rejoice with this 2-1 win. One was the bare fact of victory over the artists down the road. The other was the growing sense that Spurs are increasingly well-placed to compete with Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea in the league’s highest echelon.