Arsenal lock horns with North London rivals Tottenham at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon in a crucial Premier League fixture.
The Gunners lead the way at the summit following an impressive start to the season and head into Sunday’s game as the hot favourites to claim the spoils.
Spurs have had a mixed start under Thomas Frank but can draw on a fantastic showing on the road, where they have picked up 13 points from five games.
Arsenal vs Tottenham Prediction & Tips
Declan Rice To Score or Assist @ 5/2 with BetMGM
Declan Rice has been a midfield powerhouse this season, excelling both defensively and offensively. He has already racked up seven goal involvements across 15 Premier League and Champions League matches; putting the ball on a plate for his teammates from set-pieces and has chipped in with two goals in his last five league outings.
Micky van de Ven Over 0.5 Shots On Target @ 8/1 with Betway
A threat in the air and with his rapid runs cutting through the pitch, Micky van de Ven, who has six goals already this season, represents a very attractive price at 8/1 – he’s 3/1 with many other outlets – to have a shot on target this weekend
Over 3.5 Tottenham Cards @ 9/5 with Paddy Power
In what is traditionally a fiery fixture, Tottenham could be worth contemplating in the cards market. They’ve received 4+ in 3 of the last 5 North London derbies and had 5 players booked last time out against Man Utd.
Arsenal Form & Team News
Arsenal sit at the top of the Premier League table with 26 points from 11 games, suffering just one defeat so far this season. The Gunners are on an unbeaten run of 14 matches, winning 12 games and keeping 11 clean sheets in the process. They are enjoying a dominant run at the Emirates, where they remain undefeated in eight home games across all competitions – only Erling Haaland has breached their defence in this time – winning seven and picking up 13 points from a possible 15 on home turf.
However, Arsenal were unexpectedly held to a 2-2 draw against Sunderland in their last outing, giving Tottenham a small spark of hope ahead of Sunday’s North London derby.
The Gunners also face numerous injury setbacks: centre-back Gabriel is set to miss several weeks after sustaining a thigh injury while on international duty with Brazil. Left-back Riccardo Calafiori and striker Viktor Gyokeres are both doubts, while captain Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke, and Kai Havertz will all be unavailable for the clash.
Tottenham Form & Team News
Tottenham’s Premier League campaign under new boss Thomas Frank has been a story of contrasts. At home, Spurs have struggled badly, registering a meagre five points, which ranks them 19th for home stats. Yet, away from home, it’s been a completely different picture. Spurs have been outstanding on their travels, amassing 13 points from five matches, the joint-highest away tally in the league so far.
This form on the road – where they remain the only undefeated side – means they are 5th in the actual table and a win on Sunday would reduce the margin between themselves and Arsenal to five points.
Spurs will hope to have their creative spark Mohammed Kudus, who has created a club-high 15 chances this season, back in the side after he missed their last two games, while Pape Sarr will hope to have shaken off a slight knock, and Lucas Bergvall is expected to have recovered from a concussion.
Head-to-Head Battles and What the Stats Reveal
Look away Tottenham fans. Spurs are without a win at the Emirates in 14 league matches dating back to 2010 and have lost five of the last six North London derbies, including the last three in a row. In fact, Arsenal have only lost once at home in the league to their rivals in 32 games.
Despite their poor record away to Arsenal, Spurs can at least draw on an impressive record on the road in the Premier League this season, with no side bettering their 13 points away from home, which includes a 2-0 win at the Etihad.
Recent meetings have been entertaining, with both teams scoring in three of the last four clashes, producing a combined 13 goals.
Bukayo Saka has been a thorn in Spurs’ side, scoring in two of his last three games against them, and comes into the weekend in excellent form, having netted for England during the international break as well as in his last two outings for the Gunners.
Key Battles on the Pitch
Bukayo Saka vs Djed Spence
The England teammates are set for an entertaining battle down the flank. Saka is in electric form, but Spence relishes 1v1 duels and impressed when the pair met in a summer friendly.
Declan Rice vs Joao Palhinha
Rice has been a colossus in midfield for Arsenal and arguably the player of the season so far. Spurs will hope to burst his bubble with Palhinha tasked with disrupting Rice’s rhythm.
Cristhian Mosquera vs Richarlson
With Gabriel a huge injury doubt, Arsenal could bring in centre-back Mosquera, who will have his hands full with Richarlison. The striker has six league goal involvements this season, scoring against Man Utd last time out.