A Tottenham fan favourite admitted Arsenal weren't the club's biggest rivals, instead naming another Premier League side
Chelsea inflicted a crushing setback to Tottenham's relegation battle this week, more than a decade after their iconic 'Battle of the Bridge' encounter.
The Blues secured a 2-1 victory on Wednesday, meaning the north London club will be scrapping to preserve their Premier League status on the final day of the campaign. The two clubs have been involved in numerous gripping contests over the years, with their tempestuous 2016 meeting at Stamford Bridge standing out above the rest.
It was an era when Spurs were unquestionably superior to Arsenal, which prompted Tottenham legend Toby Alderweireld to declare it was Chelsea who represented their primary rivals rather than the Gunners.
Spurs were attempting to maintain their title challenge when they made the trip to west London, and what unfolded was amongst the most ill-tempered matches in Premier League history.
A total of 12 yellow cards were issued, with nine of them displayed to Spurs' outfield players in the 2-2 stalemate that confirmed Leicester City as champions. The retired Belgian defender featured in 236 matches across six years for the club and reflected on that fateful evening at the Bridge.
Speaking to The Times, he said: "The pressure had been building for a couple of weeks and all the attention meant everyone was so fired up. At that time we were always above Arsenal so for me that was not really the rivalry, it was much more Chelsea.
"With VAR you wouldn't get a game like that now. Maybe I'm a nostalgic guy, but that was the beauty of no VAR." The 37-year-old described it as the "craziest" match of football he's ever participated in.
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He added: "I was the only one who didn't get a yellow! I think it was the craziest game I ever played. Foul, foul, the game always standing still and the yellow cards. You could feel the game from the first duel, the first foul, it's like 'Oh that was a nasty one'. Straight away."
More than a decade on from that encounter, the balance of power has shifted dramatically in north London. Arsenal were officially crowned Premier League champions following Manchester City's draw at Bournemouth on Tuesday night.
The Gunners' final match of the season against Crystal Palace promises a celebratory atmosphere, while Spurs must secure at least a point against Everton to guarantee survival and condemn West Ham to relegation.
Fortunes amongst London's top-flight clubs have diverged sharply, with Arsenal positioned to pursue additional silverware in their Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.
Triumph at the Puskas Arena in Budapest would deliver Arsenal's maiden Champions League crown and establish them as the seventh English side to claim the competition.