Arsenal Vs Tottenham is one of the biggest derby games in the Premier League, but there is no doubting that these two clubs are currently operating at a level below previous seasons. Both Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta and Tottenham’s Nuno Espiritu Santo have issues in their squads and are lacking the quality and solidity of some of their Premier League rivals. But it is Arsenal who arrive into this game with their tails up after securing consecutive 1-0 wins which have somewhat made up for their lacklustre run of three defeats and no goals scored from the Gunners’ first three games of the season.
For Spurs, it’s been a case of a promising start undone by results since the international break. Indeed, when the Premier League stopped for a fortnight to accommodate international World Cup qualifying games, Spurs found themselves top of the league after three consecutive 1-0 wins, including surprising reigning champions Manchester City in the two teams’ opening Premier League fixture. But since the break it’s been back to back 3-0 defeats for Nuno and his men. Any early season optimism has been well and truly lost, and a third consecutive London derby – this time against Tottenham’s main rivals – is probably the last game Spurs needed at this moment in time. But then in derby games, form tends to go out of the window anyway.
These two teams were in similarly shaky shape when they met at the Emirates last season, yet it was the home side who prevailed on that day – Alexandre Lacazette grabbing the winner from the penalty spot in a 2-1 win. Spurs will be desperate to avoid a repeat of that scoreline, but even scoring looks unlikely for the current iteration of the team. With Harry Kane struggling, perhaps a fixture in which the Tottenham star has excelled in the past is exactly what is required to get his team back on track. Spurs should be able to field a full-strength side, while the Gunners may be missing Kieran Tierney, who went off injured in the last game against Burnley.
Goals have been an issue for both of these London rivals – only five combined goals scored in their ten combined matches this campaign tells the story. These are two sides with deficiencies, but the momentum may well be with the home side. A home win would also bring these two teams level on points, which is huge motivation for Mikel Arteta and his charges. Expect the Gunners to prevail in a scrappy, low-scoring affair.