EPL: Arsenal stutter in race for top four finish after defeat to Spurs

London: Harry Kane scored twice to lead Tottenham to a 2-1 comeback victory over fierce rival Arsenal in the north London derby at White Hart Lane on Saturday.

Mesut Ozil put Arsenal ahead in the 11th minute when he volleyed past Hugo Lloris after Olivier Giroud quickly sent the ball into his path from Danny Welbeck's cutback.

Kane leveled in the 56th, reacting fastest to a save by David Ospina from Mousa Dembele's header to convert from close range.

And the striker won the game four minutes before the end, heading powerfully beyond Ospina from Nabil Bentaleb's deep cross.

The win in Saturday's early Premier League game moves Tottenham above Arsenal and into fourth in the table.

"It's a special feeling," Kane said. "The fans were incredible today ... The spirit is high and I am enjoying it."

Kane could have given Tottenham the lead after only five minutes with a low shot from the edge of the area, but Ospina managed to tip it past the post.

Ozil then gave Arsene Wenger's side the lead with their first foray forward. After going ahead, Arsenal appeared content to defend and hit Tottenham on the counter-attack when possible.

A similar ploy worked masterfully when the Gunners beat defending Premier League champion Manchester City 2-0 in January, but the repeated attacks by Tottenham only galvanized the home crowd in an already feisty atmosphere.

Danny Rose, who Welbeck surged past with ease for Tottenham's opener, had two chances to level for the host.

Ospina pushed away a low strike after 14 minutes before Rose shot narrowly wide from a tight angle in the Arsenal penalty area on the 22nd.

Midfielder Ryan Mason then drew a fine save from the Colombia international goalkeeper with a stinging shot from 25 yards but the home side could not break through in the first half.

But when Kane equalised 11 minutes into the second, Arsenal's defensive composure went missing and the Tottenham attacks intensified.

Mauricio Pochettino's team laid siege to the Arsenal goal, desperate to capitalize on its increasing momentum.

Kane nearly had his second two minutes later, as Ospina was forced into another brilliant save from Dembele who struck low across goal, with the striker unable to reach the rebound for a quick double.

In response, Arsenal's Welbeck brought a stunning one-handed save from Lloris with a curling strike before Laurent Koscielny sent a free header from the resulting corner straight at the Tottenham 'keeper.

But the hosts continued attacking and midfielder Bentaleb was the next to try his luck, only for Ospina to parry the ferocious low shot from outside the penalty area.

As the game seemed headed for a draw, Kane struck again to secure a vital three points in Tottenham's bid to finish in the top four of the league and earn Champions league football.

Arsenal manager Wenger accepted Tottenham deserved to win.

"They created more chances and we cannot dispute too much that they win the game," Wenger said. "The regret we have is that I believe we gave the goals away, the first and the second. But we didn't produce enough going forward."