Arsenal visit Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for a high-stakes North London Derby that will test their response to recent setbacks, with the Gunners arriving as league leaders and title contenders against a Spurs side fighting near the bottom of the table.
Arsenal go into the North London Derby needing a statement performance as much as a result. Back-to-back away draws at Brentford and Wolves have trimmed their lead at the top of the Premier League and reopened questions about game management on the road. Manchester City are five points behind with a game in hand, so the margin for error is small as Arsenal arrive at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Spurs face very different pressures. Igor Tudor takes charge of his first league match with the club sitting 16th, winless in the Premier League since December and working with a stretched squad. The north London derby becomes an early stress test for a new head coach who has had limited time and limited numbers on the training ground.
Arteta’s message before the derby
Arteta’s pre-match emphasis has been on mindset and standards rather than the league table. Speaking at his press conference, he said Arsenal have given themselves a “very clear instruction” to “live in the present”, insisting that previous work only matters if the team continue to reach their level in the coming months. He described the 2–2 draw at Wolves as “tough to accept” but framed Sunday as an immediate opportunity to respond.
The manager also pointed to the derby as a measure of character. He spoke about using the feeling from midweek “in the right way” and stressed that the players have to “earn it” again in every competition. The tone was direct but controlled, consistent with a theme that the reaction to dropped points will be as important as the points themselves.
Arsenal team news
There is cautious optimism on the injury front. Arteta has confirmed there is a “big possibility” that Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz are available after their recent absences, with final decisions to be made after the last training session. Leandro Trossard, who had a minor scare earlier in the week, is also expected to be in contention. Mikel Merino remains out following foot surgery.
Bukayo Saka’s workload is being monitored after another demanding run of games and a knock at Wolves, but there has been no indication in the build-up that he will miss the derby. Declan Rice, ever-present in the league this season, is set to continue at the base of midfield, while Viktor Gyökeres is expected to lead the line again after recent goals against Sunderland and Brentford.
Arsenal’s recent form underlines the importance of a controlled performance. Arteta’s side have taken seven points from their last five league fixtures and have dropped winning positions in each of their last two away games. Defensively, however, they still boast the best record in the division, with the fewest goals conceded so far this season.
Tottenham team news
Tudor’s first league game in charge comes against the backdrop of an injury and suspension list that has shaped much of the pre-match discussion. Captain Cristian Romero is banned, while reports suggest Spurs could be without as many as a dozen senior players through various fitness issues. That has led to talk of a back-three system and a compact, counter-attacking approach to limit Arsenal’s space between the lines.
With options reduced, any tactical surprise is likely to come from structure rather than personnel. Spurs are expected to lean heavily on their remaining attacking players in transition and set-piece situations, with the home crowd seen as an important factor if they can disrupt Arsenal’s rhythm.
Form and derby record
Despite the recent wobble, the broader numbers still place Arsenal in a position of strength. They remain top of the table and, over the season as a whole, have combined one of the league’s most productive attacks with its tightest defence.
The derby record offers further context. Arsenal lead the all-time series and have enjoyed recent success in this fixture, winning the last three league meetings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Key questions
From an Arsenal standpoint, several issues sit underneath the headline occasion. Can Arteta’s side turn territorial control into a more ruthless away performance after allowing Brentford and Wolves back into games? Will the potential return of Ødegaard and Havertz restore some of the fluency that has been missing between the lines? And how well can Arsenal manage the emotional swings that always come with a North London Derby when the stakes in the title race are so high?
A composed win would steady conversation around recent dropped points and extend a strong sequence of derby results. Anything less would invite further pressure from Manchester City and hand Tudor an immediate landmark result at the start of his Spurs tenure.