A second half brace from in-form English striker Harry Kane ensured Spurs came from behind to claim a deserved 2-1 win over Arsenal in the North London derby early on Saturday.

Kane had forced a good early save off Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina when the Gunners went up the other end and, after Olivier Giroud had scoffed a Danny Welbeck cutback, took the lead through Mesut Özil who lashed in from 11 yards out in the 11th minute.

The goal was Özil’s third in as many matches since returning from injury, though Arsenal had to be firm at the back to keep the lead till half time, as Danny Rose and Ryan Mason forced Ospina to make further saves while Kane shot just wide of target.

Santi Cazorla had a quiet first half but almost announced his presence with a goal five minutes into the second, only for Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris to tip the Spaniard’s curling effort out.

Five minutes later and that save proved crucial as Spurs levelled through Kane who tapped in from close range after Ospina could only push Moussa Dembele’s goal-bound header to the striker’s path.

Ospina then had to be alert to keep out a Dembele shot from the edge of the area just before the hour mark as Tottenham piled the pressure on Arsenal in search of a second goal.

Arsenal came close to getting that goal a minute past the hour mark though, with Welbeck’s curler tipped wide for a cornerkick by Lloris, who then stooped low to keep out a header from French compatriot Laurent Koscielny from the resultant cornerkick.

A minute later and it was Arsenal’s turn to survive a scare courtesy of Eric Dier’s effort which had Ospina beaten but was cleared off the line by Francis Coquelin, with Ospina recovering well to keep out Ryan Mason’s effort on the rebound.

Spurs kept up the pressure, with Christian Eriksen firing a 74th minute freekick just over and Erik Lamela blazing over from close range minutes later.

The winning goal did arrive for Spurs four minutes from time as Kane lost his marker before heading into the top corner for his 11th goal in the last 14 matches and 22nd in all competitions for Spurs this season.

The result sees Spurs climb above Arsenal and Southampton – that play later at struggling QPR – into fourth place with 43 points, a point behind Manchester United that would pay West Ham a visit on Sunday