Smith-Rowe and Saka ran the show in the last NLD at the Emirates

After a hiatus from the international break, Arsenal and Tottenham will lock horns in the North London Derby which will have a huge significance at the top of the Premier League table. The Gunners are currently at the summit of the division, with the defending champions, Manchester City, breathing down their necks. However, Mikel Arteta’s men have a very stiff test against Tottenham, a team still unbeaten this season.

When the Gunners faced their fierce rivals late last season, it was the crowning moment in the intense battle for UEFA Champions League qualification that saw Mikel Arteta’s outfit fall short in what was supposed to be their game of the season. Fast forward a couple of months down the road and it is the North London Derby again, with the Champions League picture in the spotlight, yet again.

Arsenal Team News

The Gunners have a lot of fitness concerns, with one of the North London Derby heroes from last season at the Emirates, Emile Smith-Rowe, undergoing surgery to repair a damaged tendon in his groin, which will sideline him till December 2022. There were also concerns over the fitness of Oleksandr Zinchenko, Thomas Partey and Takehiro Tomiyasu, that had reduced involvement from their international teams over the break.

One player that is fired up for the North London Derby is the new alpha male in the attack, Gabriel Jesus, keen to impress on the grandest stage,

“I’ve played a few derbies before and I can feel what it means to play a derby game. “Of course, I’ve never played here before! The north London derby will be my first and I want to win, like every game.

“I understand it’s a derby – it’s a game different from most – but at the same point, it’s a game. It’s a game we have to focus on and do our job. Because we are playing at home, we have to think about just doing our game. It’s our home.”

In as much as we want Jesus to go all out for this game, we have to bear in mind that he’s on four yellow cards in seven Premier League games, which essentially means that another booking would see him miss the monumental fixture against Liverpool, a team that has had the better of the Gunners in recent seasons. 

Arsenal Predicted Lineup (via Fantasy Football Hub)

Tottenham Team News

Antonio Conte’s men have been the dark horses of the campaign so far, winning five of their seven games, while remaining unbeaten. They were close to the doldrums in their London derby against Chelsea, but their talismanic striker, Harry Kane, salvaged what proved to be a match leveler, as Conte and their former gaffer, Thomas Tuchel, had an altercation at the end of the game.

Despite the poor form of their star forward, Heung-Min Son, Tottenham continued to the rake in the Ws, and the South Korean finally found his feet with a hat-trick in 15 minutes, coming on as a sub to absolutely destroy the hapless Leicester City. Conte will have some concerns over the fitness of Dejan Kulusevski, who picked up a knock on international duty. However, the Italian manager can count on his new signing, Richarlison, off the back of scoring a brace for Brazil on international duty.

Tottenham Predicted Lineup (via Fantasy Football Hub)

Injury / Suspension Updates

Arsenal: Thomas Partey (knee), Cedric Soares (knock), Reiss Nelson (thigh), Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf), Kieran Tierney (concussion), Takehiro Tomiyasu (unknown)

Tottenham: Lucas Moura (Achilles tendon), Ben Davies (knock), Hugo Lloris (thigh), Dejan Kulusevski (muscle)

Form Guide

Arsenal Form

• Last Five Games: W W L W W
• Last Result: Brentford 0-3 Arsenal (Saliba 17′, G. Jesus 28′, F. Vieira 49′)
• Leading Goalscorer: Gabriel Jesus (4)

Tottenham Form

• Last Five Games:  D W W L W
• Last Result: Tottenham 6-2 Leicester (Kane 8′, Dier 21′, Bentancur 47′, Son 73′, 84′, 86′ | Tielemans 6′, Maddison 41′)
• Leading Goalscorer: Harry Kane (6)

Gooner Daily predicts a 2 – 0 Arsenal win.

Kick Off – 12.30pm (GMT +1) at Emirates Stadium.

Sayonara.

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