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Arsenal and Tottenham put their unbeaten records on the line in the first North London Derby of the season.
The date fans of Arsenal and Tottenham all marked on their calendar beckons as both clubs face off in what is sure to be another blockbuster fixture. This is one of the most anticipated Premier League games every season and observers would be keen to see who takes the first bragging rights of the 2023/24 campaign.
Mikel Arteta’s team came ever so close to lifting their first league title in 19 years but fell short of treble winners Manchester City last term. They have shown their intention in the early weeks of this season that they remain one of the teams to beat at the top end of the standings.
Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace by a one-goal margin in their first two games before drawing 2-2 at home against Fulham. Yet they bounced back with a statement win over Manchester United as Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus emphatically sealed a 3-1 win in added time to send them to a happy international break.
Form goes out the window in massive games such as the North London Derby but Arsenal will be pleased to have won four of the last five meetings.
The Gunners did the league double over Tottenham for the first time since the 2013/14 season as they also finished above Tottenham for the first time in seven seasons. Second-placed Arsenal were a massive 24 points above their rivals and will want to show the measure of their progress even though the gap so far this term is down to goals difference.
This is because Tottenham have remarkably improved over the summer and their better attacking output has seen them score three more goals at the time of writing.
The Lilywhites started their season with a creditable draw at Brentford then showed a sign of things to come with successive 2-0 victories over Man Utd and Bournemouth. Their best result so far came just before the September international break as Vincent Kompany’s Burnley were thrashed 5-2 thanks to a hat-trick from Heung-Min Son.
Hence, both Arsenal and Spurs have taken 10 points from their opening four Premier League games with an identical record of three wins and one draw.
The visitors are a more exciting side under September Manager of The Month, Ange Postecoglou, and they are keen to earn some local bragging rights having not won a league game at the Emirates Stadium since November 2010.
Arsenal are coming to terms with the respect opponents are giving them after last season’s remarkable progress which is why they have clawed their way to wins and are without a home clean sheet so far in this campaign.
Spurs, who have won their own games comfortably, would love nothing more than to put a dent in the confidence of their opponents as they look to earn a UEFA Champions League spot themselves.
Match tickets
This must-see game is scheduled for Sunday, September 24 and it all kicks off at 2 pm UK time.
Arsenal vs Tottenham Tickets are already available on the websites of both clubs but the game will be a sell-out as many would be vying for a seat at the 60,704-capacity Emirates Stadium.
This is usually a notable date for both sets of fans and the atmosphere will have been building up for months and weeks leading up to the game. Considering the form and chances of both teams so far this season, a lot will be expected of the players and their fans will surely make it a loud and memorable occasion for all involved.
The fixture is steeped in tradition and it has made for unforgettable moments in Premier League history, given the intense rivalry between the neighbors, there is always a chance to enter into club folklore with a moment of brilliance.
It will indeed be extremely difficult to get hold of Tottenham tickets so away fans would have faced considerable obstacles in order to get one. We advise supporters who are still looking to make the game to search for their tickets on ticket reselling sites.
Team news
Ghana international Thomas Partey remains out with a hip injury that is expected to rule him out until October. He is joined on the list of unavailables by Jurrien Timber and Mohamed Elneny who are in different phases of their rehabilitation from long-term injuries.
Meanwhile, Gabriel Jesus recently returned from a knee injury and his late goal against United will do his confidence a world of good as he looks to return to the starting lineup.
Tottenham will hope to welcome back Giovani Lo Celso for this game while the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Alfie Whiteman, Hugo Lloris, Ryan Sessegnon and Bryan Gil won’t be back in time to feature.
Line-ups
Should Kai Havertz be dropped? This question has dominated conversations within the Arsenal faithful as his indifferent showings in midfield seem to unbalance the team. Arteta wants to keep the faith with the German and a good performance plus a goal contribution against Spurs will do well for his reputation with the fans.
Arsenal: Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Magalhaes, Zinchenko; Rice, Odegaard, Havertz; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli
James Maddison has enjoyed a brilliant start to life at Tottenham as he inherited the no.10 shirt and directly contributed to four Premier League goals with two goals and two assists so far. He will look to quickly earn cult status with a positive showing at the home of their hated rivals.
Son will also be desperate to win his first Derby as captain following the departure of Harry Kane who holds the all-time record for goals in this fixture. The South Korean has been moved to the centre-forward position and Manor Solomon will look to get a start on the left wing ahead of deadline day signing Brennan Johnson.
Tottenham: Vicario; Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie; Bissouma, Sarr; Kulusevski, Maddison, Solomon; Son
Prediction
The derby is always a tough call as it is decided by small margins and who wants it more on the day. Arsenal, on their part, are looking to make it three consecutive wins against Spurs for the first time since the 2013/14 season, but they will have to go through a stern test.
There have been spectacular games between these two in recent years and this one looks likely to be no different with both teams finding the net in all of their games this season. A clean sheet should be nowhere in sight as it will be down to who can ride the emotions and score more goals.
Arsenal 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur
