MAURICIO POCHETTINO ABSOLVED Tottenham defender Juan Foyth of any blame after a costly error in the north London derby, lauding him as Spurs’ best player “by far”.

Arsenal ran out 4-2 winners in Sunday’s gripping contest at Emirates Stadium, despite finding themselves 2-1 down at half-time.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s second goal of the day levelled things up in style just before the hour at the end of a devastating Arsenal counter, after his first from the penalty spot had been overturned by Eric Dier and Harry Kane.

Alexandre Lacazette then put the Gunners ahead 16 minutes from the end with a deflected 20-yard strike after Foyth had been robbed of possession just inside his own half.

Arsenal rounded things off with a well-worked Lucas Torreira goal soon after, but the damage had already been done.

Pochettino still thinks Foyth was Spurs’ best performer on the day, however.

“How many players on the halfway line miss the pass? A lot,” he told reporters. “And then it is 50 metres to arrive to the goal. Because he is young it is easy to blame him, it is easy.

“But for me, Juan was one of the best players on the pitch. If we put this pass that wasn’t good in that action out of the 90 minutes, by far [he] was the best. By far.”

Foyth was making only his fourth Premier League appearance in Sunday’s match.

Toby Alderweireld, his central defensive team-mate, who has played over 125 games for Spurs, was on the bench for the duration of the encounter.

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