Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are all set to battle it out in an intense, eagerly-awaited north London derby at the Emirates stadium on Sunday. Both sides have been playing good football, and it will be interesting to see which team outplays the other this weekend.
Currently, Arsenal are second in the league table and are tied with Liverpool and league-leaders Manchester City as far as points are concerned. The Gunners have been very strong since their embarrassing opening day defeat against Liverpool, and have not left any room for error in their recent games.
Tottenham Hotspur, on the other hand, are fifth in the table. However, they are just three points behind Arsenal, and this game could change the standings if Spurs record a win against the home team.
ARSENAL (Manager - Arsene Wenger)
Arsene Wenger has managed to extract the best out his team this season. They are unbeaten in their last nine games, out of which, they won seven. Also, they are ruthless when it comes to playing in their home ground. Arsenal decimated Conte's Chelsea at home earlier this season, and Wenger will intend to do the same with the Spurs.
The Gunners also enjoy an impressive home run against Spurs, and will head into this game with a lot of confidence, considering their recent form. But they will have fitness related issues ahead of this game. Welbeck, Perez, Mertesacker, Cazorla and Akpom have all been ruled out with injuries.
Wenger would also hope to have Hector Bellerin back in the squad, after leaving him out of their Champions League match.
Player to watch out for: Mesut Ozil
Ozil is not just known for his well-placed assists; he is one of the best at crucial passes and has an ability to play it perfectly.
The German playmaker keeps the team together and that's why his performance can be key against Spurs. What made him stand out this season are the goals he has been scoring. This has more to do with the way he has been scoring them, and not the number.
The attacking midfielder displays remarkable drive, skill and excellent finishing moves everytime he scores - the most recent example being his goal for their Champions League match in Bulgaria. All of this has turned him into an influential player for Arsenal, and he will need to bring out his best in the north London derby.
Predicted starting line-up (4-2-3-1): Cech; Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal; Xhaka, Coquelin; Alexis, Ozil, Walcott; Giroud
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (Manager - Mauricio Pochettino)
Spurs have had a good run since the season started, but they hit a rough patch of sorts in their last couple of games. Despite being only three points behind arch-rivals Arsenal, Spurs have failed to win their last six games in all competitions.
Given their deep-rooted rivalry, Pochettino will be under immense pressure to not lose this game and disappoint the fans. Also, the manager seems to lack quality midfield options, and one way to address this might be to bring Kevin Wimmer into the Spurs defense, allowing Eric Dier to partner Victor Wanyama in central midfield.
However, the Spurs have not registered a win at the Emirates stadium in their last six visits, and with their form at this point, they will need to seriously rethink a lot of their strategies if they want to win. The fact that they will face Arsenal without Alderweireld is bound to make it harder, especially since the former are playing a more attacking game these days.
Moreover, Spurs frontmen Harry Kane and Erik Lamela remain doubtful after they sustained injuries. They are recovering, but both players are yet to be fully fit to feature in the team.
Player to watch out for: Victor Wanyama
Victor Wanyama has managed to settle in with life at Tottenham, and he might just end up being the key player against Arsenal.
In fact, a lot of the success enjoyed by Pochettino's men this season can be attributed to the combative midfielder. Even after a recent dip in form, Spurs remain the only unbeaten team this season after ten games. Wanyama has established a place for himself in the team and has been in the starting eleven in all league matches.
The 25-year-old's biggest strength is that he is not afraid to get the ball forward despite being a defensive midfielder. He will be the right player to prevent Arsenal's Mesut Ozil from getting anywhere ahead with the ball.
Predicted starting line-up (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Walker, Dier, Vertonghen, Davies; Dembele, Wanyama; Eriksen, Alli, Sissoko; Son
PREDICTION
Arsenal have been very strong at home whereas Spurs have been going through a bit of a struggle lately. The fact that they have a poor record at the Emirates stadium doesn't help either. The game might end in a 2-1 victory for Arsenal.
