Tim Sherwood wants North London derby of "blood and thunder"

Tottenham Hotspur manager Tim Sherwood has promised to make this weekend's North London derby with Arsenal into a clash of "blood and thunder".

Spurs meet their fierce rivals on the back of heavy defeats to Chelsea and Benfica, and their top-four hopes will be all but over with defeat on Sunday.

Sherwood has acknowledged that Arsenal may have the advantage if his side allow them to play, so therefore intends to make the match a throwback to the physical encounters that he played in.

"It is a fantastic occasion - always was to play in these games," the former midfielder told Spurs TV.

"It is my first time as a manager at the Lane to be standing opposite Arsene Wenger and hopefully I will get one over on them. I don't think there is much blood and thunder these days - I want it to be more of that.

"I think that gives us the edge. We are possibly more functional than they are, but if they get into their stride we know they can be very dangerous, so we need to knock them off their stride."

Arsenal have not won on any of their last five Premier League visits to White Hart Lane.