Arsenal substitute Nicklas Bendtner scored the winner with his first touch as Tottenham Hotspur missed a glorious chance to finally beat their rivals.
Dimitar Berbatov had cancelled out Emmanuel Adebayor's opener before earning a penalty at the Emirates Stadium - only for Robbie Keane to see his spot-kick saved by Manuel Almunia.
The Barclays Premier League leaders, who have not lost to Spurs since 1999, then grabbed the winner in the 76th minute when Bendtner was brought on.
This was billed as the campaign Spurs were to launch their challenge to Arsenal dominance, although those hopes quickly faded this season and Juande Ramos was brought in as head coach.
Ramos' tactic was to ask his makeshift team to contain the league leaders and hit them on the break.
Such is the injury crisis at White Hart Lane, Jamie O'Hara was given his first start. The 21-year-old was on the books at Arsenal as a trainee before joining Spurs and he was on loan at Millwall earlier in the season.
He, Steed Malbranque and Kevin-Prince Boateng fizzed around the midfield looking to break up Arsenal attacks - and it initially worked as the first half saw only half chances.
The Gunners had their first sight of goal in the second minute when Mathieu Flamini hooked a volley that went just the wrong side of the angle of post and crossbar.
near post
Kolo Toure also got a header on target from a Cesc Fabregas free-kick - but neither of the early chances troubled Paul Robinson.
Spurs' early threat came from Aaron Lennon on the right wing. He curled in a cross that Bacary Sagna needed to head clear as Keane looked to pounce.
Arsenal were stifled in terms of early chances but they were enjoying the majority of the ball and looked to break using Fabregas.
Lennon and Gael Clichy's battle of pace was one of the more interesting match-ups in a first half hour where chances proved difficult to come by.
Robinson was finally forced into a save, at his near post from Emmanuel Eboue, who had recovered from knee and ankle problems.
Gunners skipper William Gallas picked up a yellow card for a foul on Berbatov but the striker wasted the free-kick, with Almunia saving easily.
Boateng then curled an effort just over the bar when Lennon laid the ball to him on the edge of the penalty area.
Robinson had to save when Toure got on the end of Fabregas' corner just before the break.
penalty shout
If Arsenal looked short on ideas in the first half, they were quickly into gear after the restart and opened the scoring in the 48th minute.
Tomas Rosicky fed Fabregas on the edge of the penalty area and the Spaniard backheeled to Adebayor. The Togo striker curled the ball around Robinson for his sixth goal against Spurs in just over a year.
Fabregas then tried his luck from long-range as the atmosphere intensified. Keane smashed against the crossbar from point-blank range after Lennon had lofted a cross to the far post - but the equaliser came a minute later in the 66th minute.
Keane held the ball up on the touchline before backheeling to Berbatov. The Bulgaria striker took a touch and squeezed his shot through Toure and Flamini and into the near post.
Then came Keane's chance to put Spurs ahead after Berbatov was tripped by Toure. Almunia dived the right way and got enough on the ball for it to go to safety.
Wenger responded by bringing on Bendtner for Eboue in the 74th minute and his goal came seconds later when he rose to head Fabregas' corner home.
Adel Taarabt had a late penalty shout turned down as Arsenal held on to extend their lead at the top.
