Updated: 2024
This Sunday on the 1st of September, Arsenal will host Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium for the season’s first North London Derby. Both sides enjoyed encouraging starts to the season with Arsenal defeating Newcastle and Burnley, while Spurs beat Aston Villa in the opener before securing a vital point against Man City at the Etihad.
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The bookies agree with this assessment – the Gunners are currently 7/5 to win on Bwin, while Spurs are 9/5 at Betfred. A cheeky bet could be Harry Kane, always a man for the London derbies, to score a goal (5/4 at 888 Sport), but even he looked a bit turgid against Newcastle. Things are looking good here for Arsenal, but you never know in a London derby.
While Arsenal’s weekend defeat at Liverpool was expected, Spurs fell woefully short against Newcastle and lost 0-1. Gloom and uncertainty now loom over Spurs, who many had expected to push City and Liverpool from the beginning of the season. With an international break coming up, Spurs will be desperate to secure a result as the action kicks off on Sunday at 16:30 UK Time.
Arsenal and Spurs are currently ranked 3rd and 7th in the Premier League, having picked up respectively 6 and 4 points from the opening three fixtures. Going into this game, Arsenal have a variety of players to choose from in the attacking positions, including summer signing Nicolas Pépé, who started his first competitive game for the club over the weekend.
Defensive injuries are nevertheless a concern for the Gunners, as first choice fullbacks Hector Bellerin and Kieran Tierney remain sidelined. In central defence, David Luiz slotted in against Liverpool, and although he looked confident and assured on the ball, he also delivered a pair of his characteristic blunders.
Spurs will definitely be without summer signing Ryan Sessegnon, who is expected back in full training after the international break. Elsewhere, however, the injury situation is looking brighter: Although the right back position remains a concern with injuries to Kyle Walker-Peters and Juan Foyth, absentees Ben Davies and Dele Alli are now available for selection.
Son Heung-Min returned from suspension against Newcastle, and although his performance was disappointing, he should prove a major boost in the coming weeks. Record signing Tanguy Ndombele is the key question mark for Spurs, as he missed the Newcastle game with a slight injury. His return to the side will be vital for Spurs.
Encounters have been close for the past few years, as Mauricio Pochettino’s side has closed the gap and arguably overtaken the local rivals from Arsenal. However, Arsenal haven’t lost in the Premier League against Spurs at home since 2010, and last year they were by far the better team as they put four goals past them in a 4-2 win. It will be a close match, but Arsenal are definitely the favourites here at the Emirates.
