Arsenal welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday for the first edition of the highly anticipated north London derby of the season.
Tipster Reviews and other betting reviews’ sites have the home side as the favourites for the league title and a victory over Tottenham, but derbies always have a way of throwing up an upset.
Both sides are keen to return to winning ways after heading into the international break with a pair of 2-2 draws against Sunderland and Manchester United, respectively.
Match Preview
Arsenal were undone by a stunning last-minute strike from summer signing Brian Brobbey, who couldn’t have picked a better time to score his first goal for Sunderland.
The Gunners saw several records they held disappear, including a 10-match winning streak across all competitions and an eight-game run without conceding a goal.
Dan Ballard’s first-half strike handed Mikel Arteta’s side a harsh reality check, but they responded well in the second half and turned the game on its head.
Bukayo Saka levelled matters barely 10 minutes into the second half, and Leandro Trossard thought he had snatched the three points for Arsenal with a thunderous effort late on.
However, Brobbey salvaged a deserved point for the Black Cats with a fantastic last-minute volley.
Tottenham were also thwarted by a last-minute goal from Matthijs de Ligt after turning a one-goal deficit into a 2-1 lead late in the game.
Bryan Mbeumo gave United the lead just after the half-hour mark, but Tottenham couldn’t respond until Mathys Tel stepped up in the 84th minute.
Richarlison thought he had won the game in stoppage time, but De Ligt rose highest to power home a Bruno Fernandes corner to deny Spurs back-to-back wins.
It may be too early to say Sunday’s contest could impact the title race, but both clubs have plenty riding on this fixture, including pride and bragging rights.
Match Stats
Arsenal’s dominant record against Tottenham means they’ll head into this weekend’s showdown as overwhelming favourites.
The Gunners have several records they’d love to preserve on Sunday. They’ve only been bested once this season, losing 1-0 to Liverpool. Since then, they’ve gone 14 games without defeat in all competitions.
They’re also looking to extend their winning streak against Tottenham to four games on the bounce and maintain their 15-year unbeaten record at home to Spurs.
Arsenal are currently on a six-match unbeaten run against Tottenham. But their home record is even more eye-catching, going 14 Premier League games without losing to Spurs.
Tottenham’s last win against Arsenal came in May 2022, when a first-half brace from Harry Kane and a second-half goal from Heung-min Son helped them claim a 3-0 victory.
Sunday’s outing will be the first time they face their rivals in the Thomas Frank era, and fans will hope he can come up with a formula to end their miserable run of form against Arsenal, especially at the Emirates.
Team News
Arsenal will be without Gabriel Magalhaes. The Brazilian picked up a groin injury on international duty and could be out until January.
Kai Havertz will also miss out after suffering a setback, while Viktor Gyokeres and Riccardo Calafiori are doubtful. Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke will need to be assessed ahead of the game.
Tottenham also have a few injury issues to worry about. They’re sweating over the fitness of Mohammed Kudus, who missed the 2-2 draw against United.
Pape Matar Sarr picked up a knock on Senegal duty but avoided a serious injury, while Lucas Bergvall is a doubt due to ongoing concussion-related complications.
Arsenal potential starting line-up
(4-3-3): David Raya; Myles Lewis-Skelly, Christian Mosquera, William Saliba, Jurrien Timber; Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, Eberechi Eze; Leandro Trossard, Mikel Merino, Bukayo Saka.
Tottenham potential starting line-up
(4-2-3-1): Guglielmo Vicario; Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Pedro Porro; Joao Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur; Wilson Odobert, Xavi Simons, Brennan Johnson; Mathys Tel.
