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Match preview
The North London derby; simply put, the Premier League’s most hotly-contested derby and a game that always delivers.
This is the fixture in the Premier League with the highest % of home wins, 51% to be exact, with Spurs winning all three derbies at their new stadium.
Antonio Conte will certainly hope that theme continues, with his team still yet to spark into life this season.
The Lilywhites have won just three of their last eight league engagements, although they did hammer Crystal Palace in their last outing.
All four goals came in the second half, with Harry Kane bagging a brace at Selhurst, before Matt Doherty and Son Heung-min were also on target.
This means Spurs start the weekend fifth, two points below the Uniteds of Newcastle and Manchester.
Nevertheless, Mikel Arteta’s team have accumulated 29 points from the last 33 available, since their sole defeat of the season at Old Trafford.
Both clubs enjoyed FA Cup victories over League One opposition last weekend, with Spurs edging out Portsmouth in a very dull game on Saturday.
Then, the Gunners outclassed Oxford United on Monday night; Mohamed Elneny heading home, before Eddie Nketiah bagged a brace.
Back in the league, this is a crucial week for the leaders, who host in-form Manchester United next Sunday.
Spurs meantime will be at the Etihad on Thursday night, before a rematch with the champions 17 days later.
Having said all of that, no game matters more to both sets of supporters than this.
So, will Tottenham’s imperious home derby form continue, or can Arsenal win in N17 for the first time since 2014?
Tottenham Hotspur team news
Spurs’ hopes in this game could rest on the fitness of last January’s two arrivals: Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kuluševski.
The Uruguayan is still nursing an injury picked up at the World Cup, while the Swede last featured on Boxing Day.
If Bentancur isn’t fit, Yves Bissouma will partner Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, having served his one-match ban at Crystal Palace.
Meantime, Bryan Gil has been impressing in attack, so it’ll be interesting to see if he keeps his place, assuming Kuluševski isn’t ready to go from the start.
Harry Kane needs just one goal to match Jimmy Greaves’ record of 266 for Tottenham, and is already the North London derby’s record scorer with 14.
The captain would miss Thursday’s trip to the Etihad if booked here, so probably shouldn’t take off his shirt if he does equal or perhaps break Greaves’ record.
Predicted XI (5-2-3): Lloris; Emerson, Dier, Romero, Davies, Perišić; Bentancur, Højbjerg; Kuluševski, Son Heung-min, Kane.
Arsenal team news
As for Arsenal, Mikel Arteta heavily rotated in Oxford on Monday, but will revert to the XI that started their previous two league matches.
When fit, Oleksandr Zinchenko is an automatic pick at left-back, chosen over Kieran Tierney.
Eddie Nketiah has scored five goals in his last five starts as he continues to lead the line in Gabriel Jesus’ absence.
Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus and Granit Xhaka were all on target in the reverse fixture in October, but no player in the current squad has scored away to Tottenham for the club.
Emile Smith Rowe came off the bench in the FA Cup, featuring for the first time since 4 September, so is an option to come on again here.
Bukayo Saka and William Saliba would miss next Sunday’s clash with Manchester United if booked.
Predicted XI (4-1-4-1): Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Partey, Xhaka, Ødegaard, Saka, Martinelli; Nketiah.
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Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal: Match statistics
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