⚕️ Team news
🔴 Arsenal
(via Arsenal FC)
Arsenal seem to have a fully-fit squad for the North London derby as the club provide no injury news ahead of the game.
🐓 Tottenham
(via Sports Mole)
Giovani Lo Celso seems to the only concern for Spurs as he remains a doubt for the clash.
🔮 Predicted Arsenal lineup
Leno; Tierney, Mari, David Luiz, Cedric; Xhaka, Partey; Pepe, Smith Rowe, Saka; Aubameyang.
- We don't think Arteta will try to adapt to Spurs speaking about the system of play; we expect the team to be shaped in a usual 4-2-3-1 formation.
- Mari and David Luiz are establishing themselves as a reliable duo in the heart of our defence, so they are likely to keep their places in the XI.
- Tierney is a core player and undisputed starter with Cedric taking a place on the opposite side as a more reliable option defensively at right-back.
- Xhaka and Partey have formed a solid duo and remain Arteta's preferred choice at the base of midfield.
- Smith Rowe gets a place ahead of Odegaard as the Norwegian might need a rest after being involved in play regularly over the last few games.
- Auba is gaining form and is very unlikely to be dropped for Laca.
Tottenham: Lloris; Doherty, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Reguilon; Hojbjerg, Ndombele; Bale, Lucas, Son; Kane.
🧮 Stats & trivia (via BBC)
Head-to-head
- Arsenal have only been beaten in two of their past 35 home league games against Tottenham (W19, D14), losing 3-2 at the Emirates in November 2010 and 3-1 at Highbury in May 1993.
- Spurs are vying to complete a top-flight double over the Gunners for the first time since the 1992-93 season. They can claim three consecutive league wins in this fixture for the first time since 1974.
- Arsenal are winless in their previous five league and cup games against Tottenham (D2, L3) - they have never gone six matches without a victory against their north London rivals.
Arsenal
- Arsenal have won just two of their past seven league fixtures, and have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their previous six.
- The Gunners have lost five Premier League home games this season, their highest total since suffering six defeats in 1994-95.
- Mikel Arteta could become the first Arsenal manager to lose his first three north London derbies.
- Arteta is winless in all eight of his Premier League matches as a player or manager against Jose Mourinho.
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored six goals in four Premier League starts - he netted just three times in his first 16 league starts this season.
Tottenham Hotspur
- Spurs won their first four Premier League away games this season but have just two victories in their subsequent nine matches on the road (D3, L4).
- They have only scored 10 goals in their past 11 top-flight away fixtures.
- Tottenham have 46 league goals this season, with 37 of them either scored or assisted by Harry Kane or Song Heung-min.
- Kane is the leading goalscorer in north London derbies, with 11 goals in 14 league and cup appearances.
- Kane's tally of 11 Premier League goals against Arsenal is bettered only by Wayne Rooney, who scored 12.
- Jose Mourinho has lost just two of his 22 matches as a manager against Arsenal in all competitions (W12, D8).
🔮 Predictions
Mark Lawrenson, BBC: 0-2
"Tottenham are firing properly now - they have scored four goals in three of their past four games - and Jose Mourinho is always very keen to let people know about it.
"I don't blame Jose for banging his drum about it, because Spurs have hit form and found some consistency. That's what Arsenal need - they have produced some good performances recently but I am still not really sure what to expect from them week to week."
Michael Owen, BetVictor: 1-1
"The North London derby is always a huge occasion, and with both sides now hitting form, this one’s set up to be an exciting match. I’d expect Arsenal to have most of the territory here with Spurs hoping to catch the Gunners on the counter.
"To a certain extent, I think that could work. However, I was very impressed with Arsenal’s win in the Europa League midweek, and with both playing so well, I could see them cancelling each other out."
📜 Form (Premier League)
🔴 Arsenal: LLWLWD
🐓 Tottenham: WLLWWW
💬 Managers' quotes
🔴 Mikel Arteta
(via Arsenal FC)
On the reverse fixture: "The last game, we started really well, we were dominant and the first time they went over the halfway line they scored. That’s the quality, they are a well-organised team, a big threat in every counter-attack situation, great individuals skills and great organisation.
"You can see the team fights and believes absolutely in what the manager’s ideas are, so it will be a really tough game."
🐓 Jose Mourinho
(via Express)
"I look up, I don’t look down. If Arsenal was seven points ahead of us I would look to them, but because we have seven points more than them, I don’t look down."
