3 things we learned from a thrilling north London derby

While the result did little to put pressure on league leader Leicester City, the north London derby lived up to the hype as Arsenal fought back to steal a 2-2 draw Saturday and deny Tottenham a victory.

Tottenham looked well on its way to claiming a crucial three points until Arsenal mustered up a comeback back to avoid a third consecutive league loss and stay alive in the Premier League title race.

(Courtesy: BT Sport)

Aaron Ramsey's sublime finish in the first half was cancelled out by Toby Alderweireld's close-range effort just moments after Francis Coquelin was sent off in the second frame, all before Harry Kane's magical strike sent the Tottenham faithful into a frenzy.

The festive atmosphere turned into horror when a seemingly harmless run up the right flank saw Arsenal equalise through Alexis Sanchez and secure a crucial point.

Here are three things we learned from an exhilarating fixture at White Hart Lane:

Tottenham blows opportunity to claim sole possession of top spot

For the second time this season, a draw will feel like a victory for Arsenal as the Gunners took advantage of Tottenham's failure to kill off its bitter rival.

Coquelin's daft tackle and subsequent red card was the impetus behind a dramatic turnaround in the second half of Saturday's encounter that helped Tottenham snatch the lead away from Arsenal during a wild two-minute spell.

However, much like the first Premier League meeting of the season - which saw Kieran Gibbs score a late goal to bring the game level - Tottenham's misstep saw Arsenal celebrate an equaliser with the same passion as scoring a winner.

Nonetheless, Spurs continue to hold a three-point edge on their neighbours, with hopes of hoisting the Premier League trophy remaining a realistic possibility.

Does Arsenal have a disciplinary problem?

Coquelin is indebted to Sanchez after the Chilean helped shift the focus away from his teammate's absurd tackle.

Although the French midfielder's moment of madness triggered a blistering comeback that saw Spurs grab the lead in the space of two minutes, the timing of his tackle during such a vital contest continued a trend that's hampered Arsenal on numerous occasions during the 2015-16 campaign.

It's the third time Arsenal has seen a man get sent off prematurely during a London derby after seeing three red cards during its two losses to Chelsea, with Saturday's red bringing the team level for the Premier League lead.

Yet manager Arsene Wenger's men are tied for the fewest yellow cards with just 33 through 29 matches - opposed to the 58 cautions Tottenham has seen.

Ospina solid in Cech's absence

Despite a nervy moment that saw goal-line technology play a critical role, David Ospina did well to endear himself to Arsenal supporters following his early-season struggles.

The Colombian - starting in place of the injured Petr Cech - pulled off a stunning save early when a cross into the box ricocheted off Erik Lamela's knee, forcing Ospina to lunge to his right and deflect the ball to safety.

While he could hardly be blamed for Tottenham's two goals after halftime, Ospina was less than an inch away from drawing the ire of Arsenal supporters yet again when his odd positioning almost led to Kane finding the net.

Ospina appeared to be almost a foot behind the goal line as the Tottenham striker lined up a shot, but was fortunate to get into position in time to prevent the referees watch from sounding off.

Overall, it was a solid performance from Ospina, and one that, if repeated, could help offset Cech's absence between the pipes as Arsenal continues its hunt for Premier League glory.