Hello there and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League clash between Arsenal and local rivals Tottenham Hotspur from the Emirates Stadium.

There's nothing quite like waking up knowing that there's a North-London derby to be played, is there? Today marks the 165th meeting between the two sides.

Arsenal come into the match having experienced a mixed start to their Premier League campaign. The Gunners were stunned 3-1 at home to Aston Villa on the opening day of the season before making amends with a 3-1 win at Fulham.

As for Spurs, Andre Villas-Boas's side have enjoyed a 100% start thanks to a pair of 1-0 victories over Crystal Palace and Swansea City respectively. Both of those goals were scored by summer signing Roberto Soldado.

Looks like we have some team news in...

ARSENAL XI: Szczesny; Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Ramsey, Wilshere, Rosicky, Cazorla; Walcott, Giroud

ARSENAL SUBS: Fabianski, Sagna, Monreal, Flamini, Zelalem, Gnabry, Sanogo

Arsene Wenger has made three changes to the side that beat Fenerbahce in the Champions League in midweek as Laurent Koscielny, Tomas Rosicky and Kieran Gibbs all return. Bacary Sagna and Nacho Monreal start on the bench, while there is also a place among the substitutes for the returning Mathieu Flamini.

TOTTENHAM XI: Lloris; Walker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Rose; Capoue, Paulinho; Townsend, Dembele, Chadli; Soldado

TOTTENHAM SUBS: Friedel, Naughton, Holtby, Lamela, Sandro, Sigurdsson, Defoe

Meanwhile, Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas rotates heavily following Thursday's Europa League win over Dinamo Tblisi as seven players are recalled, including Hugo Lloris, Michael Dawson, Roberto Soldado and Paulinho. Club-record signing Erik Lamela is named on the bench following his £30m move from Roma in midweek.

Arsenal are sure to buoyed by the return of Laurent Koscielny in defence. The Frenchman has become an integral part of the Gunners' back line in recent times. You expect him to have his hands full today against what looks like a tricky Spurs side.

It has been a sensational summer in the transfer window for Spurs, breaking their own club record three times on Paulinho, Roberto Soldado and Erik Lamela. However, they start today's match looking for revenge over Arsenal following two thrashings at the Emirates Stadium in recent years.

The suffered a 5-2 defeat at the hands of their nearest and dearest in February 2012 before losing by the same scoreline again in November that same year.

That said, Arsenal haven't had it all their own way in recent times. Spurs picked up a 2-1 win at White Hart Lane last season.

Gareth Bale got one of the goals that day but, of course, Spurs are resigned to losing him to Real Madrid before the transfer window shuts on Monday night. When the move happens (which it will, don't worry) we'll will keep you posted faster than one of the Welshman's pulsating runs down the wing.

UPDATE: Both early matches in the Premier League today have now finished, and there are wins for both Liverpool and Swansea City. The Merseysiders defeated bitter rivals Manchester United 1-0 at Anfield thanks to Daniel Sturridge's early goal, while Ben Davies and Pablo Hernandez both netted to give Swansea a 2-0 win at West Brom.

You can check out our match report from Anfield here, while Swansea's victory is summarised here

That win for Liverpool has seen Brendan Rodgers's side move to the top of the Premier League table after three games. However, Tottenham can leapfrog them with a decent victory today.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger on Sky Sports News: "I expect a good performance from our side. I'm confident of a good performance."

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas on Sky Sports News: "We always go out to try to win the game. I think it will be an exciting and entertaining game."

PREDICTION TIME: There is always something about this fixture that sees Spurs unable to force the win against their local rivals, but today could be different. Andre Villas-Boas has added plenty of quality to his squad over the summer and if they are allowed to play then Arsenal will be punished. That said, the Gunners have strung a handful of decent results together and could well pick up the points if the crowd remains on their side. I haven't really given a prediction there, so here's one: Tottenham to win by two goals.

The players are out, the pre-match rituals have been completed, and it will be Spurs to get us underway. Here we go!

SAVE! Early chance for Arsenal as Cazorla hits a ferocious free kick at goal, but Lloris is there to push the ball away from going in the top corner. A fairly frantic start to this one, as expected.

CHANCE! The hosts get another free kick right on the edge of the box following a foul on Walcott, which Cazorla steps up to take again. The Spaniard hits it low under the wall only to see it whizz past Lloris' post.

A decent opening for Spurs sees Rose burst down the left side after neatly exchanging passes with Chadli, but his cross is cut out by the Arsenal defence.

One player who has looked tidy for Spurs during these opening stages is Capoue. The Frenchman is passing the ball around very nicely indeed whils showing some good strength in possession. Meanwhile Soldado has hit effort blocked from inside the box following Walker's pullback.

It is fair to say that both sides are cancelling each other out at the moment. There are some decent tussles going on in midfield while chances in the final third are few and far between.

Spurs get a corner as Townsend's effort deflects wide, but the Arsenal defence does its job and gets rid of the danger.

A few mild appeals for a penalty from the Arsenal fans as Walcott goes down under a challenge in the box, though the referee was right to wave play on. Nothing doing there.

Arsenal have the lead and it's Olivier Giroud with the goal! Walcott found himself in space down the right side before crossing the ball into the near-post area where Giroud was waiting to flick the ball past Lloris. First blood to the Gunners.

SAVE! All of the momentum is with the home side now as they nearly score a second goal. Walcott was played in by Ramsey, but his shot on the angle was pushed away by Lloris. Spurs are suddenly looking a tad overwhelmed.

SAVE! Now it is Tottenham's turn to have a crack of goal through Townsend, whose long-range strike forces a low stop from Szczesny. That came out of nothing.

CHANCE! Arsenal go up the other end almost instantly and fashion a chance for Ramsey, but the midfielder smashes his shot well over the crossbar from about 15 yards. The Welshman had more time than he thought there.

CHANCE! Drama here as Walcott breaks clear, but Lloris races off his line and out of his box to tackle the England international. To be fair, that was a decent challenge. Meanwhile, Rosicky goes into the book for his continued protests. He thought it was a foul.

That yellow card for Rosicky was actually for a reckless challenge, not for his protests. He was unhappy with Lloris though.

Spurs are gifted possession as Gibbs gives the ball away, allowing Dembele to make a run into the box. However, the Belgian is caught in two minds and fails to do anything with it before he is tackled and Arsenal get rid of the danger.

SUBSTITUTION: Bad news for Arsenal as Wilshere is forced off with what looks to be a muscle strain in his leg. On in his place is Mathieu Flamini, who returned to the Gunners this week after a four-year spell from 2004 to 2008. The Frenchman is greeted warmly by the Gunners fans.

One minute of added time.

The half-time whistle goes and Arsenal head into the tunnel with a 1-0 lead over Tottenham Hotspur thanks to Olivier Giroud's 22nd-minute goal.

Both sides enjoyed plenty of possession during that first half, but it was Arsenal who made theirs count. Once they got the goal, the home side looked likely to get a second. However, Spurs are still well in this match.

While Arsenal are sure to be happy with the position that they are in, one sour point for them was the withdrawal of Jack Wilshere through injury. It is unclear what is wrong with the midfielder, but any fitness concern is not a good one when it comes to him and his history of watching from the sidelines.

It will be interesting to see when/if Andre Villas-Boas decides to bring Erik Lamela off the bench during the second half. The Argentine has no previous experience of English football, but that could work in his favour on a day like this when many are caught up in the enormity of the match in hand.

The players are back out, no changes from either manager, and it will be Arsenal to get us up and running again.

Spurs get a couple of early corner in this second half, but Arsenal defend both of them successfully.

WIDE! Ramsey gets a sight of goal from about 25 yards, only to see his shot fly well wide of the Spurs goal. There an update on the Wilshere injury as well: apparently he has been feeling unwell recently and was forced off earlier with stomach cramps.

PENALTY SHOUT! Spurs appeal to the referee as Soldado goes down following a nudge in the back from Koscielny, but that's all it was - a nudge. That would have been very harsh on Arsenal had that been given.

HIGH AND WIDE! Spurs get a free kick around 25 yards from goal after Flamini's hefty challenge on Rose, though Chadli can only float the ball way off target as he looks to bend it into the top corner.

If anything, Spurs look to be taking a hold of this game now. They're restricting Arsenal in terms of chances, while showing a bit more composure when attacking.

CHANCE! A Spurs cross from the right causes a bit of havoc in the Arsenal penalty area as it looks to be on its way to Chadli at the back post, but Ramsey just about gets his head on it to divert it away from the Belgian.

SAVE! What a wonderful stop from Lloris! An Arsenal break sees Giroud getting a shot off from the edge of the box, but the French goalkeeper just about gets his fingers to it to stop it from nestling in the net.

Spurs go on the attack at the other ends as Paulinho takes aim from quite a long way out. However, the Brazilian's effort sails wide without troubling Szczesny.

SUBSTITUTION: Tottenham make their first change of the match as Jermain Defoe comes on for Moussa Dembele. Can the England international striker get the visitors back into this?

Lloris comes to Tottenham's rescue again as he moves quickly off his line to close down Walcott and get the ball away from goal.

A bit of a worry for the away side here as Capoue stays down under the challenge of Cazorla. The Frenchman looked like he might have got his ankle caught under the Spaniard's body.

SUBSTITUTIONS: That's the end of Capoue's day as he is stretchered off. He is replaced by Sandro, while Erik Lamela comes on for his Tottenham debut in place of Andros Townsend.

CHANCE! Szczesny keeps Arsenal in front with a superb stop from Defoe! The striker's effort looked to be going into the bottom corner, but the Pole got down to push the ball away. There's then a spot of pinball in the area before the Gunners survive.

SUBSTITUTION: Tomas Rosicky gets a huge ovation as he comes off for Nacho Monreal.

SAVE! Arsenal have the chance to seal the win as Giroud picks out Walcott in the area, but Lloris somehow gets to the ball to push it away.

No real signs of urgency from Tottenham to get an equaliser here. They've only got a handful of minutes remaining to avoid a first defeat of the season.

MISS! Chadli has been largely frustrating for the visitors today and he adds to that frustration by blasting the ball way over the crossbar from the edge of the box when he had teammates waiting in the middle for a cross.

Walker makes a good run down the right before whipping a cross into the penalty area, but Szczesny does well to collect.

SUBSTITUTION: A final change for Arsenal sees Bacary Sagna come on for Theo Walcott. Meanwhile, there will be five minutes of added time.

CHANCE! A glorious opportunity to level falls to Walker in a crowded penalty area, but the full-back completely slices at the ball and Arsenal clear.

The full-time whistle goes and the Emirates Stadium absolutely erupts as Arsenal pick up their first home win of the season with a 1-0 victory over local rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Olivier Giroud scored the decisive goal in the 22nd minute to give the Gunners the points.

Anyway, that's all from me for now but don't forget that you can keep up to date with all of the weekend's football action right here on Sports Mole. We'll also be having a live blog to take you through the excitement of transfer deadline day tomorrow so make sure you check that out if you can. Enjoy the rest of your weekend and goodnight!