Good morning! Gameweek 27 of the Premier League season starts with a bang as
Tottenham Hotspur and
Arsenal get us underway with the final North London derby of the season at Wembley Stadium in the day's early kickoff!
There is a lot more than just bragging rights up for grabs today, though, with both clubs playing catch-up in the Champions League race and victory significantly improving the chances of either breaking into that top four. These big matches have not disappointed so far this season, and hopefully we will be in for another thriller this afternoon.
Before we take a closer look, though, let's first check out the team news...
TOTTENHAM STARTING XI: Lloris; Trippier, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Dembele, Eriksen, Dele, Son; Kane
TOTTENHAM SUBS: Vorm, Aurier, Rose, Wanyama, Sissoko, Lamela, Lucas
ARSENAL STARTING XI: Cech; Bellerin, Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal; Elneny, Xhaka, Wilshere, Ozil, Mkhitaryan; Aubameyang
ARSENAL SUBS: Ospina, Chambers, Kolasinac, Maitland-Niles, Iwobi, Welbeck, Lacazette
What can we make of those two sides, then?
Well, there are interesting inclusions and exclusion to speak of for both teams, but we'll start with the hosts who recall a host of big names following their FA Cup win over Newport County in midweek. Indeed, Son Heung-min is the only player to keep his place from that team, with Mauricio Pochettino making 10 changes for what is very nearly a first-choice team.
The most notable absentee is Toby Alderweireld, who returned from injury by playing the full 90 minutes against Newport but is not deemed fit enough for Premier League action just yet.
Arsenal will not need telling that they must keep a very close eye on those Spurs attackers, most importantly
Harry Kane, whose late penalty against Liverpool last weekend brought up a century of Premier League goals and kept him at the top of the scoring list this season.
Kane averages a goal per game in Premier League North London derbies, netting six times in his six such appearances, including four in three outings at home. Indeed, in London derbies overall Kane has a hugely impressive record of 21 goals in 32 games - an average of 0.66 per game.
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Kane is by no means the only dangerman Arsenal need to be worried about, though, with Eriksen, Son and Alli all more than capable of winning matches for the hosts too.
Behind them, Dier and Dembele return as the holding midfielders while Davinson Sanchez - who had an unconvincing game at Anfield - continues alongside Vertonghen at the heart of the defence. Indeed, it is an unchanged side from the one which earned such a dramatic point at Anfield.
There is one notable change on the bench for Spurs, though, as Lucas Moura is included in a matchday squad for the first time since his deadline day arrival from Paris Saint-Germain.
The winger has pace to burn and Tottenham fans will hope to get their first glimpse of him in a Tottenham shirt this afternoon, but he also has a difficult job on his hands to try to break into the team ahead of the likes of Son, Alli and Eriksen.
As for Arsenal, their main concerns going into this game surrounded goalkeeper Petr Cech, who has been unable to train all week after limping off during the win over Everton with a calf injury.
It was expected that David Ospina would need to fill in for the veteran shot-stopper, but he has passed a late fitness test and gets the gloves once again this afternoon, ensuring that he maintains his record of starting every league game so far this season.
There is worse news for Arsenal in that Aaron Ramsey is an unexpected absentee, though, missing out through a minor groin injury. The Welsh midfielder scored his first ever career hat-trick against Everton last weekend so would have come into this match full of confidence, but the Gunners will have to do without him this afternoon.
Mohamed Elneny comes into the side in place of Ramsey - one of two changes made by Arsene Wenger to the side which thrashed Everton last time out with Jack Wilshere also replacing Iwobi.
Nacho Monreal, like Cech, was a doubt for this match having been forced off against Everton due to illness, but he also starts this afternoon and will be hoping to keep up his recent purple patch in the opposition area.
It was his fellow defender Shkodran Mustafi who opened the scoring in the reverse fixture, although Arsenal will mainly be looking to their new-look attack to hurt Tottenham today, while Mesut Ozil pulls the strings.
The likes of Xhaka and Wilshere will no doubt look to get forward when they can in support of those forward players, but overall it is a relatively defensive midfielder chosen by Wenger.
Questions remain over the sturdiness of Arsenal's defence, but for now fans will be relishing the chance to see Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang link up once again.
Mkhitaryan registered three assists on his home debut against Everton last weekend - as many as Alexis Sanchez, the man he replaced in the swap deal, managed in 1507 minutes of action for Arsenal this season.
One of those set up his old Dortmund pal Aubameyang for a debut goal too, and the Gabon international just so happens to boast a good record against Spurs too, netting four times in four previous appearances against them. Another this afternoon will only further endear him to those Arsenal fans.
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There is plenty of talent on show for both teams, then, and beyond the bragging rights and usual importance which comes with a North London derby, today's game could be pivotal in the race for Champions League football too.
Both clubs currently sit outside the top four, although Chelsea's poor start to 2018 has brought them well within Tottenham's reach. Pochettino's side are certainly in the strongest position to replace one of the current top four, and even a draw this afternoon would see them temporarily move fourth, at least until Chelsea face West Brom on Monday night.
A victory for Spurs, meanwhile, would lift them above both Chelsea and Liverpool into third, with the latter not in action until they face Southampton on Sunday.
Pochettino's side are four points and four places worse off than they were at the same stage of last season, when they sat second - albeit still 10 points off the leaders - but their main goal for the remainder of the campaign is to finish in that top four and victory this afternoon would be a very valuable step towards that.
Spurs come into this match unbeaten in their last 11 games across all competitions and with only one defeat - away to leaders Manchester City - in their last 16 outings stretching back to November.
Pochettino's side are very hard to beat, then, but three of their last five games have ended in draws, which are still important dropped points in the Champions League race. In the Premier League alone Spurs have won three and drawn three of their six games so far in 2018 which, while not being a terrible record, isn't quite enough to have seen them capitalise fully on slip-ups from Liverpool and Chelsea.
Spurs are eight league games unbeaten, and they have so far traversed a very difficult period successfully, taking four points from their last two league outings against Manchester United and Liverpool - the latter of which saw them rescue a draw in dramatic circumstances.
The four points they earned from those games is one more than they have managed in five previous games against top-six opposition this season, which should set them up nicely for this showdown with Arsenal.
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The difficult games do not stop this afternoon, with the first leg against Juventus to come in Turin on Tuesday, but for now they will certainly be happy to be at Wembley, where they have well and truly banished all early-season talk of a hoodoo.
Spurs are unbeaten in their last 12 games here across all competitions, winning 10 of those since an EFL Cup defeat to West Ham United in October. That run also includes an ongoing streak of four successive wins without conceding, and another today would not only see them win five on the bounce for the first time at Wembley, but also keep five consecutive home clean sheets for the first time since May 2009.
Spurs took only two points from their opening three home league games of this season, but they have since dropped just four in the subsequent 10, picking up eight wins and amassing 26 points in that time.
Indeed, Spurs are unbeaten in 12 Premier League games at Wembley and, including their final season at White Hart Lane, they have lost only one of their last 32 Premier League home games.
That impressive home record extends to these matches too. Since Pochettino took charge of Spurs ahead of the 2014-15 season, Tottenham have the best home record from matches between the 'big six', winning 10 games and 35 points from 18 such fixtures.
This season alone Spurs also boast the second-best defensive record in front of their own fans, and a clean sheet this afternoon would mark three in a row for the first time at Wembley.
Arsenal's recent record away to Tottenham has not been particularly encouraging, but they will be more than happy to return to Wembley, where they have enjoyed some great success in recent years.
Indeed, the Gunners have already won here once this season - on penalties against Chelsea in the Community Shield - and will be back at Wembley again later this month for the EFL Cup final against Manchester City.
Arsenal have now won each of their last nine games at the national stadium, including shootouts, so this will feel almost as much a home to them as it will to Spurs today.
The Gunners will certainly hope for a performance more akin to their home outings as it is their away form which has let them down hugely so far this season.
Arsenal have only won one of their last six Premier League outings on the road and have picked up maximum points just three times away from home all season, drawing four and suffering six defeats. Their tally of 13 away points this season would leave them ninth in the table if only away form counted, and it is also their second-lowest tally ever at this stage of a Premier League season.
Arsenal have picked up 32 points and scored 36 goals at the Emirates Stadium this season, but away from home they have found the back of the net just 15 times and average only a point per game.
Indeed, they come into this match off the back of successive away defeats in the Premier League, and could lose three on the bounce for the first time since April 2017 today. Arsenal have only played Bournemouth and Swansea on the road so far this calendar year, but they are still without an away Premier League point in 2018.
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Arsenal are also winless in their last 15 Premier League away games against current top-five clubs, stretching back to a 2-0 victory over Manchester City in January 2015. That result was seen by many as a potential turning point in Arsenal's philosophy for such big games, but it proved to be a false dawn, with the Gunners losing nine and drawing six since.
Across all competitions Arsenal are winless in their last five away games, while they have only managed two victories from their last 11, losing five of those.
However, there does seem to be a breath of fresh air surrounding Arsenal now, with the Sanchez saga no longer hanging over their heads, Ozil having signed a new deal and Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang both making encouraging starts to their Arsenal careers.
The 5-1 win over Everton last time out certainly hinted at a new dawn, but this will be a much more revealing test for a side that has only won three of their last nine games across all competitions.
Worryingly, Arsenal have not won back-to-back Premier League games since November, picking up maximum points on just four occasions from 12 matches since then, with five draws and three defeats, while they have also failed to keep a clean sheets in their last eight league games stretching back to December 16.
All of that has left the Gunners closer to 19th place than they are to leaders Manchester City and five points worse off than the same stage last season, although a victory here would temporarily move them to within two points of the top four.
Defeat, on the other hand, could prove fatal to Arsenal's top-four hopes, and it would give them a poor start to a very important run of fixtures across three different competitions.
This is actually Arsenal's final Premier League game until March 1, with both legs of their Europa League last 32 tie with Ostersunds following thisa North London derby due to their exit from the FA Cup in the third round. Arsenal will then be back here at Wembley for the EFL Cup final on February 25, and then must face Guardiola's side again in the league on March 1.
PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes away from kickoff at Wembley, which means that it is time for a prediction!
These derbies are also highly-charged affairs and they rarely disappoint, but it is hard to see past a Tottenham win for me today. Arsenal's win over Everton was encouraging, but their away record cannot be ignored while Tottenham have been very good at Wembley recently.
SPORTS MOLE SAYS: Tottenham 2-0 Arsenal
Should it be a 2-0 scoreline then it would be a reverse of the most recent meeting between the two sides, with Arsenal running out winners by the same scoreline at the Emirates Stadium in November.
Mustafi opened the scoring in that match before Sanchez added the second just before half time, giving Arsenal their first win in their last seven attempts against Spurs in the Premier League.
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That November victory means that Arsenal have the chance to do the Premier League double over their North London rivals for the first time since 2013-14, and only the fourth time overall having also achieved the feat in 2004-05 and 2007-08.
The Gunners shouldn't panic if they fall behind in this match either, as they have rescued 37 points from losing positions against Spurs in the Premier League era - the most by one club against any single opponent in the competition's history.
Spurs won their most recent home games against Arsenal by a two-goal margin, with Alli and Kane on the scoresheet in quick succession, but that came at White Hart Lane whereas today's game is, of course, at Wembley.
This will be the first North London derby at the national stadium since April 1993 when the two sides met in an FA Cup semi-final, with Tony Adams getting the only goal of the game on that occasion.
Overall these two have met 194 times in all competitions, with Arsenal leading the win count by 81 to Tottenham's 62.
Right, the players are out and we're almost ready to go here! Let's have a quick reminder of the team news before kickoff...
TOTTENHAM STARTING XI: Lloris; Trippier, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Dembele, Eriksen, Dele, Son; Kane
ARSENAL STARTING XI: Cech; Bellerin, Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal; Elneny, Xhaka, Wilshere; Ozil, Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang
KICKOFF: Here we go then! Arsenal get this North London derby underway!
Tottenham have started this match on the front foot, quickly putting the pressure on Arsenal's defence in the opening exchanges. There is a cracking atmosphere inside Wembley at the moment.
Aubameyang gets the first chance to stretch his legs and, despite a nudge from Sanchez, he stays on his feet and wins an early corner for the visitors. Arsenal's first foray forward.
Good break from Spurs at the other end as Son finds space down the left channel, but the ball just gets caught up in his feet and eventually the momentum goes out of the attack.
Spurs have seen 67% of the early possession here at Wembley and they have certainly made the brighter start to this match. Arsenal are yet to really settle here.
SAVE! Cech is called into action for the first time as Alli bursts down the left flank and plays a low pass in towards Kane. The final touch comes off Mustafi, who slides in to prevent Kane getting to the ball and almost turns it into his own net.
Kane is unhappy here as he is penalised for a foul on Mustafi when he seemed to be racing through. There was a bit of contact as Kane just levered Mustafi away from the ball, so you can see why the ref gave that one.
This time it is Aubameyang who thinks he is clean through on goal, but the flag denies him a one-on-one against Lloris. It was a brilliant piece of vision from Wilshere to release him, and the replays show that it was a very tight offside call.
Half a chance for Tottenham as Dier beats three Arsenal defenders to a corner, but cannot steer his subsequent header on target.
Spurs just enjoy a spell of calm and controlled possession. The game has been played at a good pace so far, but Spurs are just keeping the ball amongst themselves right now.
Prolonged pressure from Spurs as they probe for a way through this Arsenal defence. The visitors hold firm, though, until Dier sends a pass straight out for a goal kick.
SAVE! A poor clearance from Mustafi invites the pressure back on Arsenal, but Eriksen's subsequent long-range effort is tame and easy for Cech to collect.
CHANCE! Half a chance at the other end as Bellerin's cross is partially blocked and loops into the path of Wilshere. The Arsenal man has a swing at it, but completely misses the ball!
Both of these sides are very well matched at the moment. Tottenham are seeing more of the ball and are marginally on top here, but Arsenal are not giving much away whatsoever.
Arsenal fans will have been delighted with their attacking display against Everton, but this performance will be just as pleasing for many fans so far as they are looking very solid in defence at the moment. It has been a disciplined display, which is not a word we usually associate with Arsenal.
This game as settled down following a quick-tempo start, with both teams still trying to figure out a way around each other. It is all very tactical at the moment.
SAVE! Clever attempt from Eriksen as he tries to lob a header from Trippier's cross over Cech, who for a moment looked like he was off his line. It is all Eriksen can really do, but Cech comfortably plucks it out of the air.
CHANCE! The first big chance of the afternoon falls to Tottenham, and it is the man they would want it to fall too to! Eriksen whips a dangerous ball into the box and Kane beats the offside trap to completely lose both of his markers. He only has Cech to beat, but he gets up too early and ends up sending his header well over the crossbar. You would have expected him to score that!
CHANCE! A mini-scramble in the Arsenal box as a corner makes it all the way through to Trippier, whose attempted volley is skewed back towards Dembele. Dembele rushes his effort from the edge of the box, though, completely mis-hitting it when he should have done better. It almost arrives to Dier, but he cannot react in time to turn it goalwards.
Spurs again break down the left channel and Alli tries to feed it into Eriksen, but he puts too much on it and Cech collects. That final ball has just been lacking for Spurs, with the exception of Eriksen's cross for the Kane chance.
Good defending from Mustafi as he bides his time before nicking in and stealing the ball off the feet of Kane. It is still Tottenham asking all the questions going forward, but so far Arsenal's defence has all the answers.
Just 10 minutes left of this first half now, and in truth this match hasn't caught fire as much as we had hoped. It started quickly enough, but it has developed into a bit of a stalemate at the moment.
Still just that Harry Kane chance in terms of really good openings at either end of the pitch so far in this opening 45 minutes. Wenger will be pleased with how his side have defended, but they have offered very little at the other end.
Arsenal do come forward here with one of their more promising attacks as Mkhitaryan gives it out to Ozil, who in turn finds Monreal at the back post. Monreal turns it back inside, but Sanchez is there and his miskick sends the ball trickling into the arms of Lloris.
SHOT! Arsenal get forward again and this time it is the other full-back Bellerin who has the chance, but his effort from the corner of the box flies off target.
Who will be the happier of these two men if it stays this way? Well, Arsenal may be more in need of a victory, but considering their away record and Tottenham's home record, a draw certainly wouldn't be the worst result. Arsenal look a lot more intent on keeping a clean sheet than scoring at the other end at the moment...
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This has been such a tactical contest, which we're not really used to seeing in this fixture. There has been none of the fire, intensity and passion we usually associate with the North London derby.
HALF TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Arsenal
No stoppage time at the end of the first half, and that speaks volumes about the nature of that opening 45 minutes. There wasn't much to shout about for either side, with only one big chance and one shot on target.
The game began at a good tempo, but it soon developed into a tactical contest rather than the blood-and-thunder nature of a normal North London derby.
The outstanding chance of the first half fell to Tottenham and Harry Kane, but the league's top scorer squandered it to let Arsenal off the hook.
Eriksen created the chance with a wicked cross into the box which Kane got on the end of after beating the offside trap. However, Kane seemed to rise too early and send his header over the crossbar.
Aside from that, there really has been very little of note in terms of goalmouth action. The only shot on target of the half was a tame long-range one from Eriksen which Cech comfortably saved, while the Arsenal keeper has also been called upon to deny Mustafi from turning the ball into his own net.
The overriding narrative of the first half was Tottenham's attack against Arsenal's defence, with the latter holding firm so far.
The Gunners will want to see more going forward in the second half, with Ozil, Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang all struggling to get into the game so far.
Spurs will worry that Arsenal can't be as toothless going forward in the next 45 minutes, but should Arsenal begin to show more attacking intent then that could also open up more space at the back which Spurs will be confident of exploiting.
STATS!
Possession: 58%-42%
Shots: 6-2
Shots on Target: 1-0
Corners: 4-1
Fouls: 6-3
KICKOFF: Tottenham get us back underway for the second half at Wembley!
Petr Cech, what are you doing here?! It wasn't long ago he gifted a goal away with a poor clearance, and this time he takes on Kane inside his own area. He gets away with it, but it was far from convincing from the Arsenal keeper.
GOAL! Tottenham 1-0 Arsenal (Harry Kane)
Tottenham finally make the breakthrough, and it is Harry Kane once again!
It comes out of nothing much, it is just a brilliant cross and a brilliant header. Davies swings it into the middle and Kane leaps higher than all others inside the penalty area before planting a perfect header into the bottom corner. He always seems to do it in London derbies!
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This game needed that goal. Arsenal will now need to come out of their shells more and attack Tottenham, which should help to open things up.
CHANCE! Glorious chance for Kane to make it two goals in the space of three minutes! Dier is the man who delivers the cross this time and Kane is this time left free in the middle. It is an easier chance the one he buried moments ago, but this time he glances his header wide of the target.
CHANCE! Kane could have had a hat-trick in the space of five minutes here! This time he meets a cross from the right with a thunderous volley which he could not have struck any better. Fortunately for Cech, though, it is straight at him and he is able to parry the ball away.
Kane could well top this list by the end of the day if this game continues like it is. Spurs are swarming all over the Gunners right now.
SAVE! Spurs win a free kick right on the edge of the box which Eriksen floats over the wall and towards the top corner. It is a really good effort from the Dane, but Cech makes a fine flying save.
CHANCE! The resulting corner is met by Vertonghen at the back post, but he is unable to turn his header on target. It is all Tottenham at the moment!
Alert play from Lloris as he is immediately off his line to clear up a through-ball which Aubameyang was threatening to get on the end of.
Spurs win another free kick in a good position and this time Eriksen whips it into the middle, but Son's flick hits Dier and Spurs eventually have to make do with just a corner.
ARSENAL SUB: Wenger has seen enough here - he makes a double change as Mkhitaryan and Elneny are replaced by
Alexandre Lacazette and Alexi Iwobi.
That is a positive change from
Arsene Wenger, and it also means that we will see Lacazette and Aubameyang playing together for the first time.
The Spurs players and fans are not happy again here as Anthony Taylor calls play back for a foul by Kane on Wilshere. For all of Tottenham's dominance in this second half, the gap remains just one goal here.
SAVE! Finally, Lloris has something to do! It is a flying save from the Tottenham keeper too as he is at full stretch to keep out Wilshere's wicked curling effort from the edge of the area.
CHANCE! Another chance for Spurs here as Alli bursts forward before teeing up Son, but he goes for power and blasts his effort a long, long way off target.
TOTTENHAM SUB: The hosts make their first change of the match here as Erik Lamela replaces Son.
CHANCE! Cech really has been dodgy with the ball at his feet in recent weeks. This time he collects a pass from Mustafi before trying to give it back to the Arsenal defender, but he instead gives it to Alli, who cannot control it. He got away with one again there!
CHANCE! Another huge chance for Spurs to give themselves a cushion as this time Alli is played clean through on goal, but with Cech in no-man's land the midfielder can only get a tame toe on the ball and poke it wide of the target. He should have scored there!
CHANCE! Will Spurs live to rue these missed chances? Another one goes begging here as Lamela streaks clear down the right channel and pokes the ball towards goal with only Cech to beat, but the Arsenal man makes a big save to keep his side in this game.
YELLOW CARD! Mustafi picked up a yellow card in the midst of those chances for a foul on Vertonghen.
CHANCE! Cech has not been at his best in this match, but right now he is keeping Arsenal in this game! A cross from the left makes it all the way through to Trippier, who steers a first-time half-volley towards goal. It is once again straight at Cech, though, and the keeper makes another save.
Spurs have been sensational in this second half, and they are doing it in front of the biggest crowd to ever witness a Premier League game too - 83,222. They still lead by just one, though.
YELLOW CARD! Lamela picks up a booking for a rash challenge on Wilshere.
Just a little lull in proceedings here, much to Arsenal's relief. They have been completely outplayed so far in this second half, but they remain within touching distance. They just need one chance...
This second half has been world's apart from the first half, thankfully. It looked as though it might be an underwhelming North London derby, but Spurs have really stepped up a few gears since the interval.
TOTTENHAM SUB: Another change for the hosts here as Alli is replaced by Victor Wanyama.
ARSENAL SUB: Another change from Arsenal - their final one of the match - as Danny Welbeck replaces Xhaka.
Wilshere almost threads a brilliant pass through to Welbeck, but the new sub just couldn't take it in his stride.
CHANCE! Yet another chance for Spurs as a long ball forward beats the Arsenal defence all ends up. Lamela has all the time in the world to pick his shot, but he drags it wide of the target from a difficult angle.
There will be four minutes of added time at the end of this match.
CHANCE! Chance for Lacazette to spoil the Spurs party here, but he gets it all wrong and fires it well off target.
CHANCE! Huge chance for Arsenal to nick an undeserved draw! Iwobi slides the ball through to Lacazette, who gets the wrong side of Sanchez but then slides his finish wide of the far post with only the keeper to beat!
YELLOW CARD! Dier goes into the book for dissent as the referee gives Arsenal a free kick in the final seconds of stoppage time! Free kick in a very good position...
...but he blasts it into the wall!
FULL TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Arsenal
Well, it took a while to get going, but that was another really entertaining North London derby. Tottenham Hotspur claim the bragging rights, although how they only ran out 1-0 winners is anyone's guess.
Spurs missed a host of chances in the second half, when they were rampant against a poor Arsenal side. Harry Kane's towering header proved to be the difference, although Arsenal also nicked a draw at the death through Alexandre Lacazette. That would have been very harsh on Spurs, though, and in the end they fully deserved all three points.
Right, that is all we have time for this afternoon!
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for today's early kickoff at Tottenham Hotspur beat Arsenal in the North London derby to climb up to third in the Premier League table. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too. Coverage of the 3pm matches is also underway, so check out the site for even more live action.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
