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Attendance: 35,762
Spurs logo
Premier League
Mar 5, 2016 at 12.45pm UK
 
Arsenal logo

2-2

Alderweireld (60'), Kane (62')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Ramsey (39'), Sanchez (76')

Preview: Tottenham Hotspur vs. Arsenal

Sports Mole previews Saturday lunchtime's huge North London derby at White Hart Lane as Premier League title contenders Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal collide.

North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal collide in one of the biggest derbies in recent memory on Saturday lunchtime, with both clubs aiming to bounce back from surprise midweek defeats.

The duo sit second and third in the table and both missed the chance to close the gap to Leicester City on Wednesday after the Foxes could only draw at home to West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday night.


Spurs

Mauricio Pochettino looks on during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur on March 2, 2016© Getty Images

Mauricio Pochettino's side travelled to nearby West Ham United for a highly-anticipated derby on a six-game winning streak in the Premier League but were outfought and struggled, especially in the first half, against the Hammers' high tempo and pressure.

West Ham's players said after a 1-0 win that they had beaten Spurs at their own game and all eyes will be on White Hart Lane tomorrow lunchtime to see if Spurs can respond and prove their mettle having missed the chance to go top in midweek.

They have won four of their last five league games at White Hart Lane, but all four of those wins came against sides currently in the bottom half and they lost to Leicester in the other match on January 13.

Pochettino might be glad that his side kick off the weekend's action so that they have as much rest as possible before their mouthwatering trip to Europa League favourites Borussia Dortmund for the first leg of their last-16 tie on Thursday.

Masked man Harry Kane was one of the club's underperformers at the Boleyn Ground on Wednesday, squandering multiple chances in the second half, but he is confident that he and his teammates will bounce back against the Gunners.

He has good reason to believe so as well, having scored 13 goals in 17 Premier League London derbies and three in two Premier League appearances against Arsenal.

Recent Premier League form: WWWWWL
Recent form (all competitions): WDLWWL


Arsenal

Olivier Giroud of Arsenal sees his shot saved by Lukasz Fabianski of Swansea City on March 2, 2016© Getty Images

There was plenty of love from Arsenal fans for their players on Valentine's Day when Danny Welbeck's last-gasp header saw them topple Leicester, but since then it has been all downhill for Arsene Wenger's outfit.

They failed to beat Hull City at home in the FA Cup fifth round and will need a replay next week away at the KC Stadium, and they have gone on to lose the three games in all competitions since - the first time in almost six years that they have done so.

Should they make it four defeats in a row on Saturday it would be the first time since October 2002.

In the league, the Gunners have won just two of their last eight Premier league away games (D3, L3), but it was at home where they suffered a stunning loss on Wednesday night as Swansea City, previously without a win in four, fought back from a goal down to win 2-1 at the Emirates.

It came after a 3-2 defeat to a weakened Manchester United side on Sunday and the Gunners' readiness for a gritty title charge has been questioned by many, with former United and England midfielder Paul Scholes claiming that Wenger's men do not have "the bottle or balls" for the big occasion.

However, Arsenal have taken the most points from the head to heads between this season's top four (10), while Spurs have eight.

Wednesday's loss to Swansea was made worse just before the final whistle when Petr Cech went up for a corner and pulled his hamstring trying to get back into position, with the Czech keeper now expected to miss around a month of action.

Even Arsenal's star forward Alexis Sanchez has admitted that he and his teammates have lacked a "certain hunger". The Chilean has flattered to deceive of late, failing to score a league goal for 11 matches since October, with his only goal in his last 10 appearances in all competitions coming against Championship side Burnley in the FA Cup.

Recent Premier League form: LDWWLL
Recent form (all competitions): WWDLLL


Team News

Arsenal's Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech rolls the ball out during the FA Community Shield football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in north London on August 2, 2015© Getty Images

Cech's injury is a huge blow to Wenger and Arsenal, who will now start David Ospina between the sticks for the next month or so.

Laurent Koscielny also missed Swansea's visit with a calf strain and he will again be absent on Saturday, so Gabriel will keep his place despite some shaky recent performances.

Further forward, Wenger must decide whether to play Olivier Giroud or Theo Walcott as the main striker, while midfielders Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla remain out.

Spurs have a much cleaner bill of health and may be able to welcome back Moussa Dembele from a groin problem.

Dele Alli is also expected to start having only made the substitutes' bench at West Ham, meaning that centre-back Jan Vertonghen is the only first-team regular unavailable for Pochettino.

Spurs possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Walker, Alderweireld, Wimmer, Rose; Dier, Dembele; Eriksen, Alli, Chadli; Kane

Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Ospina; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Monreal; Ramsey, Coquelin; Campbell, Ozil, Sanchez; Giroud


Head To Head

Arsenal's French midfielder Mathieu Flamini celebrates after scoring their seond goal during the English League Cup third round football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at White Hart Lane in north London on September 23, 2015© Getty Images

Mathieu Flamini helped Arsenal to a 2-1 win in this season's first meeting in the League Cup before Spurs dominated the reverse league fixture at the Emirates only to be pegged back late on after Kane's first-half opener.

Tottenham have lost just one of their last seven Premier League games against the Gunners at White Hart Lane (W4 D2 L1), but the Gunners are chasing two wins away at Spurs in the same season for the first time since 1986-87.

Arsenal have scored exactly one goal in each of their last six Premier League games against Spurs and each of the last four trips to White Hart Lane.

A home clean sheet seems unlikely given that Arsenal have scored in 41 of their last 42 meetings with Tottenham Hotspur in all competitions.

This fixture is the most common in Premier League history to see the team scoring first not going on to win (14 draws and eight comeback wins).


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We say: Spurs 2-1 Arsenal

It should be a deafening atmosphere at White Hart Lane and that might just help Spurs get past their arch-rivals and top of the table for a few hours at least.



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Mauricio Pochettino looks on during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur on March 2, 2016
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014


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