Flamini transforms from Arsenal outcast to unlikely derby hero

The only reason Mathieu Flamini is still an Arsenal player is because Arsenal could not agree a deal for him to cancel his contract and allow him to leave in the summer transfer window.

Tonight he is the toast of the red half of north London and the most unlikely hero of a 2-1 win in a victory against Tottenham which has booked the Gunners’ place in the fourth round of the League Cup.

Flamini was told he could leave by Arsene Wenger at the start of the summer and the manager admitted that the 31-year-old’s match-winning performance largely stemmed from his frustration at watching the start of the season from the sidelines.

“Mathieu is a fighter and he’s a winner as well,” Wenger told reporters in his post-match press conference.

“He decided to stay and he’s fought. He’s been frustrated for a long time.”

That certainly showed in the ferocious manner with which Flamini struck the winner 12 minutes from time.

When Federico Fazio’s attempted clearance looped high into the air, no-one expected what followed. Flamini looked 10 years younger as he charged on to the ball and launched an unstoppable volley low into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

The Frenchman celebrated in front of 3,000 wild Arsenal fans, clenching his fist and kissing his badge as he was mobbed by his team-mates.

It was a goal that drew a stark contrast with his opener in the 26th minute. It was a poacher’s finish, the kind of goal that strikers love to score as he pounced on Michel Vorm’s uncertain save to turn the ball into the net from close range.

After back-to-back defeats to Dinamo Zagreb and Leicester, this was a must-win game for Arsenal despite this competition hardly being a priority for the north London club.

Wenger made 10 changes to the starting XI that faced Chelsea, with only Aaron Ramsey keeping his place in the team for the short trip to Spurs.

The meaning of this derby was clear in the electric atmosphere created by both sets of supporters, with emotions running high on and on the pitch.

After the match, delirious Arsenal supporters pulled down hoardings in the ground as they chanted about their hatred of Tottenham and their love for Flamini.

Flamini’s winner was needed after Calum Chambers has turned an equaliser into his own net and Arsenal had withstood a 10-minute spell of considerable pressure.

The turning point was the introduction of Alexis Sanchez in the 67th minute. The £35 million forward added a real energy to Arsenal’s play on the counter-attack and forced the Spurs defenders to start back-peddling.

But the night belonged to Flamini, the forgotten man.

He will now hope to retain his place for the tricky trip to high flying Leicester, with first choice Francis Coquelin facing a race against time to recover from a knee injury.

Whether he features or not, Flamini has certainly played his way into contention and potentially turned around his season in the most remarkable fashion.