Check out the preview below for the upcoming north London derby.
Venue: Emirates Stadium Kick-Off: 17:30 (BST), 14th March 2021
Arsenal play host to arch rivals Tottenham on Sunday, in the latest chapter of this famous old derby. Spurs are currently seven points ahead of their hosts as they look to continue their fine recent form which has seen them jump to 7th, 5 points behind fourth placed Chelsea with a game in hand. For 22 consecutive seasons, Arsenal finished above Spurs. But in the four completed seasons since, Spurs have finished above Arsenal, sparking talks of a power-shift in north London. And so, getting a positive result and reasserting themselves as a force is imperative for this youthful Gunners side.
Head-to-Head
Arsenal hold the upper hand in their head-to-head meetings, but Spurs are unbeaten in their last 4 North London derbies (5 in all competitions). Spurs though haven’t won a league match at Emirates since 2010 (Gareth Bale scored in that match).
At Emirates/Highbury:
Played: 28 Arsenal: 15 Draw: 11 Tottenham: 2
Opta Stats
- Arsenal are winless in their last five meetings with Tottenham in all competitions (D2 L3) – they’ve never gone six without a win against their north London rivals before.
- Tottenham are looking to win three consecutive league games against Arsenal for the first time since October 1974, while victory at the Emirates would give them their first league double over the Gunners since 1992/93.
- Arsenal have lost just one of their last seven home league games (W3 D3), though this was in their last such game against Manchester City. The Gunners have lost five league games already this season, last losing more in a single campaign back in 1994/95 (6).
- Having won their first four away league games this season, Tottenham have won just two of their subsequent nine on the road in the Premier League (D3 L4). Meanwhile, having scored 11 goals in their opening two away league games this season (5-2 v Southampton, 6-1 v Man Utd), Spurs have netted just 10 in their last 11 away from home.
- No Arsenal manager has ever lost their first three north London derby matches (as Mikel Arteta could do with defeat here), while no Tottenham manager has ever won their first three such games (as Jose Mourinho could do).
League Positions
Arsenal: 10th Tottenham: 7th
Form (last 5)
Arsenal: LWWDW Tottenham: WWWWW
Team News
Arsenal have no injury concerns for this game as Emile Smith Rowe returned to the bench for the midweek Europa League game.
Tottenham and Jose Mourinho are expecting to have Harry Kane back, after he picked up a slight knock in their midweek Europa League fixture. Giovani Lo Celso (back) is an absentee for this one.
Prediction
I am expecting a competitive, tight match. Spurs haven’t won at the Emirates since 2010, and have not completed a league double over Arsenal since the inaugural Premier League season. This might be the best chance for them to put those records right. Having said that, I do expect Arsenal to rise to the occasion. It is the north London derby after all and the stakes are very high. They simply cannot afford to lose more ground in their pursuit of a European place. All things considered, I am going for a scored draw.
Scoreline: Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur