Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal

The 193rd edition of the North London derby rounds off a decisive weekend of Premier League top-half fights as Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal go head-to-head at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Following an underwhelming two-game run upon the Premier League return after the World Cup (D1, L1), Tottenham have steadied the ship, winning back-to-back domestic fixtures, including a 4-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace in their latest league outing. Antonio Conte’s side opened the scoring at Selhurst Park for the first time in eight Premier League games, which paved the way for a morale-boosting victory. Indeed, hard to be knocked off their perch, Spurs have racked up 16 wins in the last 18 top-flight matches when breaking the deadlock (D2), highlighting the importance of scoring first.

Meanwhile, Arsenal bounced back from an uneventful 0-0 league draw against Newcastle United by trouncing lower-league Oxford United 3-0 in midweek FA Cup action. But with second-placed Manchester City now within five points, the Gunners cannot afford to drop the points against a Tottenham side they’ve failed to keep at bay in only one of their last 17 Premier League H2Hs. Yet after easing past Spurs 3-1 in the reverse fixture in October, Mikel Arteta’s men could register their first top-flight double over their long-standing rivals for the first time since 2013/14. An impressive run of three straight away league victories bodes well for Arsenal’s bid to reach that flattering feat.