Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham travel to the Emirates for the first North London derby of the season on Saturday night.
Arsenal have recovered from their early implosion against Liverpool and sit a game behind the pack chasing runaway leaders Manchester City, but it is clear Arsene Wenger’s men will not play a part in running them down should they waver. Positional and tactical uncertainty, a deficit of midfield grunt and class, and clouds around the future of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil at the Emirates have affected the Gunners’ form to varying extents.
On the other hand, Pochettino’s team will be riding high after stunning Real Madrid in their Champions League clash at Wembley, progressing to the round of 16 and ending the title holders’ 30 match undefeated streak in the competition. A scratchy win over Crystal Palace amid injuries to key players also ensured their place in the top four going into the international break.
A win for Tottenham will see them draw closer to Pep Guardiola’s rampant City, while an Arsenal victory will place them back in the frame for a Champions League place.
Key Battle – Laurent Koscielny vs Harry Kane
Kane has a superb record against Arsenal – netting in the last five Premier League meetings – and is off to another hot start with eight league goals across 10 appearances.
Injuries to Koscielny, Shkodran Mustafi and Rob Holding over the season have created headaches for Wenger, who shifted midfielder Francis Coquelin into his back three for the last match before the international break, but a more experienced line-up will tackle the Spurs’ formidable attacking force.
Mistakes will be made in midfield and to stay in the game, Arsenal will depend on Koscielny’s capacity to organise the defensive line and intervene physically when opportunities are presented to Kane.
Team News
Olivier Giroud will miss after picking up a thigh strain while on international duty with France, but Mustafi could return after sitting out for a month with a thigh complaint of his own. Danny Welbeck is also in the mix to play.
Arsenal Expected XI (3-4-2-1): Cech; Koscielny, Mertesacker, Monreal; Bellerin, Ramsey, Xhaka, Kolasinac; Ozil, Sanchez; Lacazette
Spurs are set to regain Jan Vertonghen, while Dele Alli, Kane and Harry Winks will each return after sitting out the international break with various injuries.
Tottenham Expected XI (3-4-2-1): Gazzaniga; Sanchez, Dier, Vertonghen; Trippier, Sissoko, Winks, Rose; Eriksen, Alli; Kane
Head-to-head
The bitter rivals have met on 193 occasions, with Arsenal having won 80 times and Tottenham 62. There have been 51 draws since their first clash in 1896.
Recent history has been kinder to Spurs though, who have not lowered their colours to the Gunners in the league for more than three years.
Last Meeting
The sides last played the final North London Derby at White Hart Lane back in April. The hosts struck twice in four minutes, with Alli played in by Eriksen for the opener, before Kane picked himself up to score from the penalty spot.
Prediction
Arsenal look tired and devoid of inspiration, a team doing what it has to rather than what it can. The international break and the sight of the cockerel may invigorate Wenger’s side, but it is hard to see them maintaining the concentration over the course of 90 minutes necessary to contain this Spurs team.
Arsenal 0 Tottenham 2
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