Arsenal and Spurs brace for High stakes North London Derby

After exiting the FA Cup and trailing in the Carabao Cup in the space of a week, the pressure is on Arsenal to deliver a strong performance and reignite their season.

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Wednesday’s clash between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium marks the latest chapter in the storied North London Derby. This fixture, rich in history and drama, sees Arsenal aiming to complete a league double over Spurs for only the fifth time in the Premier League era. Adding further incentive, the Gunners are seeking a third consecutive league victory against their rivals, a feat not achieved since 1989.

But this particular derby carries even more weight than usual. Following two consecutive cup defeats, Arsenal’s need for a positive result is paramount. This already crucial fixture now carries even more heft after Liverpool’s recent stumble, presenting the Gunners with a chance to make up ground in the Premier League title race.

After exiting the FA Cup and a devastating blow in the Carabao Cup in the space of a week, the pressure is on Arsenal to deliver a strong performance and reignite their season. A victory against their bitter rivals would not only provide a much-needed morale boost but also demonstrate their resilience and ability to bounce back from adversity.

Liverpool’s failure to secure maximum points in their recent fixture adds another layer of intrigue to Wednesday’s derby. Arsenal now have an opportunity to narrow the gap on the title contenders, making every point in the upcoming matches even more valuable.

North London Derby

Team News

Arsenal will be without forward Gabriel Jesus, who requires surgery on his left knee after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury in Sunday’s FA Cup tie against Manchester United. Riccardo Calafiori is a doubt due to a muscular injury, while Ethan Nwaneri, Bukayo Saka, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Ben White also remain sidelined.

For Tottenham, forward Timo Werner is expected to miss the derby with a hamstring injury suffered against Tamworth. Goalkeeper Fraser Forster could return after an illness, though Antonin Kinsky may retain his place after keeping clean sheets in his first two appearances for the club.

Match Facts

Head-to-Head

  • Arsenal have won six of their last eight league games against Tottenham (D1, L1).
  • They could win three consecutive top-flight North London Derbies for the first time since a run of five from 1987 to 1989.
  • Spurs have won just two of their 32 Premier League away fixtures against Arsenal (D12, L18), and none of the last 13 since a 3-2 victory in November 2010.
  • Arsenal are looking to complete a Premier League double over Tottenham for the fifth time.
  • Spurs haven’t kept a clean sheet in 25 away league games against the Gunners since a 0-0 draw in November 1998.

Arsenal

  • Arsenal are unbeaten in their past 12 league matches at the Emirates (W9, D3) and are the only side yet to lose at home in the top flight this season.
  • They are aiming to keep a clean sheet in five straight home league games for the first time since December 2013 to February 2014.
  • The Gunners have conceded a league-high 28% of their goals in the opening 15 minutes of games this season (five of 18). Tottenham have scored 11 goals in this time period, more than any other side.
  • Mikel Arteta’s side have had a greater expected goals total than their opponent in 25 of their 30 matches in all competitions this season, including 18 of the last 19.
  • Martin Odegaard created 10 chances in their FA Cup tie with Manchester United, the highest tally in a game by a Premier League player across all competitions this season.

Tottenham Hotspur

  • Tottenham’s only win in their past eight league matches was 5-0 at bottom side Southampton (D2, L5). Since the start of December, only Leicester and Southampton have earned fewer points than Spurs’ five.
  • They have kept back-to-back clean sheets in all competitions for only the second time this season.
  • Spurs have 15 fewer points than at this stage last season, despite scoring the same number of goals and conceding just one more.
  • Their run of 101 top-flight games without a 0-0 draw is the second-longest in Premier League history after Manchester United’s 114 between May 1999 and May 2002.
  • Only Erling Haaland, with 14, has scored the opening goal in more top-flight appearances than Dominic Solanke’s 11 since the start of last season.
  • Dejan Kulusevski’s tally of eight goals in all competitions is the same as he managed across the whole of last season.

A Derby Defined by History and Recent Trends

Recent encounters have strongly favored the home side. Arsenal have suffered only two defeats in their last 33 Premier League home games against Spurs, remaining unbeaten at the Emirates in this fixture since 2010, a run spanning 13 matches.

Conversely, Tottenham have only lost four of their last 17 home Premier League games against Arsenal, but three of those defeats have come in the last three meetings. Gabriel’s winning goal for Arsenal in September marked a third consecutive away derby win, a run not seen since September 1988.

Historically, the North London Derby is a high-scoring affair. With 187 goals, it stands as the fourth highest-scoring fixture in Premier League history. This translates to an average of 2.9 goals per game across 65 meetings. Notably, 43 of those matches have seen both teams find the net, a Premier League record for a single fixture.

Memorable high-scoring encounters include Arsenal’s successive 5-2 home wins in 2012, the thrilling 4-4 draw at the Emirates in 2008, and the 5-4 Arsenal victory at White Hart Lane in 2004, where Robert Pires netted the decisive goal.

Penalties have also played a significant role in this fixture. No other Premier League match-up has seen more spot-kicks awarded than the 24 given in North London Derbies. Of those, 22 have been converted, another league record. The last season without a penalty being awarded in this fixture was 2017/18.

Harry Kane, the fixture’s record scorer with 14 goals, netted seven of those from the penalty spot, a joint record for goals scored against a single opponent from penalties in the competition’s history.

Comebacks are a recurring theme in this derby. The team scoring first has failed to win more often in this fixture than any other, with Spurs responsible for 17 of those instances. Tottenham have dropped 45 points from leading positions against Arsenal, a figure only surpassed by Newcastle United’s record against Liverpool (47).

However, Spurs have won three of their last four encounters against Arsenal after taking the lead. It is also notable that Tottenham haven’t managed to score first in any of the last five meetings.

While late drama has been a feature of past derbies, with six goals scored in the 90th minute or later in Premier League history, there hasn’t been a stoppage-time goal since Theo Walcott’s 91st-minute strike in Arsenal’s 5-2 win in November 2012. Furthermore, a winning goal has never been scored during stoppage time in a Premier League North London Derby.

North London Derby

The North London Derby is always a highly charged affair, but the current circumstances have undoubtedly raised the stakes. For Arsenal, it’s a chance to restore confidence, regain momentum, and capitalize on a rival’s slip-up.

The Emirates will be a cauldron of noise and expectation as the Gunners seek to deliver a performance that not only secures bragging rights but also keeps their Premier League ambitions alive.

The players will be acutely aware of the importance of this fixture, not just in the context of the rivalry but also in the wider context of their season’s aspirations. As both teams prepare for Wednesday’s encounter, these historical trends and statistical quirks add another layer of intrigue to an already highly anticipated match.

The North London Derby rarely disappoints, and this latest installment promises to be another compelling chapter in the ongoing saga of Arsenal and Tottenham’s intense rivalry.


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