The stakes are not as high as when these two bitter rivals last met, but bragging rights are still at stake in Sunday’s north London derby.
It is the fixture that rarely disappoints, and there is plenty of intrigue surrounding the upcoming clash given the concerns surrounding Arsenal’s typically stable midfield. While some have rather curiously labeled the visitors as underdogs for Sunday’s game, there is no doubt that Martin Odegaard’s absence and Declan Rice’s suspension are major blows.
Ange Postecoglou could do so with a declared victory after a frustrating start to the new season, while the Gunners’ dropped points are likely to see them fall further behind Manchester City at the top with a trip to the Etihad on the horizon .
We’re set for a fascinating encounter at the N17, and here are four key battles that could decide Sunday’s North London derby.
Arsenal’s excellent centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel have repelled the best, and they will have no fear of what has been a lopsided Tottenham attack to start the 2024/25 campaign.
However, Spurs will be boosted by Dominic Solanke’s return to full fitness after a couple of weeks out. The big-money summer arrival will make his home debut this weekend and will be desperate to open his account on one of the biggest days in the calendar.
We know how the visitors will aim to attack the Gunners, who will congest the pitch in midfield. We’ll see plenty of isolation in wide areas, with the likes of Son Heung-min, Wilson Odobert and Brennan Johnson primarily tasked with creating separation and crossing into the box. Ange encourages his full-backs to drive the ball across the box where the likes of Solanke will be waiting to pounce.
Spurs lost their instinct to get goals from focal point Solanke at St James’ Park.
Arsenal’s centre-back duo will share the marking responsibilities, with Saliba more likely to follow the Tottenham forward in the channels. However, this is a battle that will be won and lost in Arsenal’s box. Both defenders need to position themselves shrewdly to ensure that Spurs’ driven crosses do not find Solanke’s intended target.
arsenal they will be without what could end up being their starting midfield. While Rice will only miss Sunday’s game, Mikel Merino is set for a more extended absence and we still don’t know the extent of Odegaard’s ankle injury.
Arteta has options in terms of mitigation but is unlikely to do anything drastic. He will opt for experienced heads, and we should see Jorginho come into the team to accompany Thomas Partey at the base of midfield.
Partey has a very important role to play on Sunday without Rice holding his hand. While the pair will offer plenty of quality in possession against an aggressive Tottenham press, some will be concerned about their work in defensive transition. Neither Partey nor Jorginho excel when forced to run towards their goal.
There are avenues for Spurs to explode on the counter, but Arsenal are likely to cede territory and control in an attempt to limit those situations. The Gunners, however, will pick their moments to press, and this is where the hosts must capitalise.
Arsenal’s midfield pairing have a difficult task given Ange’s emphasis on midfield overloads. Tottenham’s full-backs operate as auxiliary number ten, and their main playmakers will drift out of central space to try and overwhelm the Gunners’ pivot. Positional discipline will be key for Partey and Jorginho, who must have their schedules when it comes to pressing. Otherwise, they’ll leave a space haven for the Spurs creators to wreak havoc on.
The probable absence of Odegaard and the availability of Gabriel Jesús allow us to see Kai Havertz drop into a midfield role. However, even if the German plays deeper, he will still be tasked with penetrating from behind. Havertz operated as a left-back number eight in Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa in April and was excellent in the first half to exploit the space behind the defense of Villa.
The Spurs defensive line will be tall. Arteta knows this, and Havertz is the best space invader at his disposal. His ghostly runs from a deep position could be a major headache for the hosts’ backline.
Fortunately, Postecoglou has a supreme recovery defender in Micky van de Ven. An athletic wonder, Van de Ven can match Havertz on the ground and deny the in-form Gunner any influence at the back.
However, despite being exceptionally quick and strong when driving on the ball, Van de Ven has flaws. He suffers in the air, and this is a weakness that Arteta and Havertz could try to exploit. Arsenal will be more than willing to ditch their build-up in favor of the direct route. Bomb it to Havertz and win the second ball.
Arsenal were incredibly good at set-pieces last season, scoring 20 times in such situations, while Tottenham struggled to defend them. Only five teams conceded more set-piece goals than Spurs last season (14).
That mismatch was key to Arsenal’s victory the last time the north London rivals met. An inside corner forced Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg into an own goal before Havertz headed home the Gunners’ third unchallenged after Rice’s delivery.
Arsenal may opt for a similar plan that worked wonderfully for April this weekend, one that revolves around a compact defence, transitions and ball games.
The Gunners haven’t been as dominant from set pieces at the start of the new season… putting together a combined 0.5xG through three games – and while Spurs have shown considerable improvement when attacking set pieces, they still look vulnerable when called upon to defend. Only Leicester and Southampton have conceded more xG to set pieces than Postecoglou’s team (1.61) this term.
Arteta will have to find a new playmaker in Rice’s absence.
