With Arsenal aiming to win the Premier League for first time since 2023/24 season, Tottenham Hotspur are hoping for a top four finish, therefore both sides have everything to play for as they go head-to-head in tomorrow’s 195th North London derby at the new White Hart Lane. While the LilyWhite’s would be coming to the encounter fresh having not been involved in any game since April 13, Arsenal would however be boosted by the 5-0 demolition of another London side-Chelsea on Tuesday
Looking to take the next step towards their first Premier League title in two decades, Arsenal will make the short trip across the capital to face fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby tomorrow afternoon at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Gunners are coming into this clash following a five-star demolition of West Londoners Chelsea on Tuesday night, whereas the Lilywhites have been afforded a fortnight to dwell on their limp display at Newcastle United earlier in the month.
In what is a total rarity at this stage of a hectic campaign, Manchester City’s involvement in the latter stages of the FA Cup has allowed Tottenham a two-week break between Sunday’s North London derby and their last fixture on April 13, when the Lilywhites produced an insipid display at St James’ Park to seriously dent their top-four hopes.
With the North East contest pitting two sides who have struggled massively with inconsistency this season, it was Newcastle who managed a positive day at the expense of Spurs, with Alexander Isak’s brace – alongside strikes from Anthony Gordon and Fabian Schar – sealing a 4-0 win for Eddie Howe’s Magpies.
Since that defeat a fortnight ago, Champions League-chasing rivals, Aston Villa have recorded back-to-back wins over Arsenal and Bournemouth to extend their advantage on Ange Postecoglou’s men to six points, however the Lilywhites crucially have played two games fewer than Unai Emery’s troops.
Consequently, it is needless to say that Spurs cannot afford any more poor performances if they wish to bring Postecoglou’s full-throttle football to Europe’s premier stage next season – a brief that appears extremely difficult considering that the Gunners, Liverpool and Pep Guardiola’s Citizens are still to come before the campaign’s end.
With Harry Kane now battling away for Champions League glory in Bavaria with Bayern Munich, Son Heung-min is the last-remaining North London derby legend for the Lilywhites ahead of Sunday’s clash, with the South Korean netting six goals and providing two assists versus Arsenal over the years, including a brilliant brace earlier in the season to force a share of the spoils.
Following successive defeats to Aston Villa and Bayern Munich, there were plenty of concerns that Arsenal’s season was about to capitulate at a critical moment, although Mikel Arteta’s men are back on track after convincing wins over Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea in the Premier League.
A London derby on Tuesday night had some of the ingredients of a potential slip-up for the Gunners as Mauricio Pochettino’s side visited to the Emirates, however a pair of braces from Ben White and Kai Havertz – as well as Leandro Trossard’s opener – sealed a 5-0 success against the Blues, representing Arsenal biggest-ever victory over Chelsea.
Following Manchester City’s 4-0 thumping of Brighton & Hove Albion on Thursday night, Arsenal’s lead at the summit of the Premier League standings stands at a single point ahead of Guardiola’s double-chasing Citizens, who are showing no signs of weakness as the title race approaches its dramatic conclusion.
Consequently, you feel as if there is going to be little room for error if Arsenal want to prevent Man City from collecting a record-breaking fourth straight English crown, with matches against Spurs, Bournemouth, Manchester United and Sean Dyche’s Everton on the horizon before the end of the term. Much has been made of the Gunners’ lack of a natural-striking option this season, however the sensational form of Champions League winner Havertz has put that discussion on the backburner in recent weeks, with the German now sitting on 11 top-flight goals for the campaign.
