BREAKING: Arsenal’s secret weapon unveiled as Ødegaard, Jesus,Merino & Calafiori back for Tottenham showdown
BREAKING: Arsenal’s secret weapon unveiled as Ødegaard, Jesus,Merino & Calafiori back for Tottenham showdown
This weekend’s Premier League main event comes from a raucous Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs and Arsenal clash in the first North London derby of the season on Sunday afternoon.
The Lilywhites entered the international break on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United, while the Gunners lost their perfect start in a controversial 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion
The St James’ Park curse continues to haunt Tottenham, who have at least managed to reduce their margin of defeat on Newcastle’s turf each season, from 6-1 in 2022-23, 4-0 in 2023-24 to a narrow 2-1 loss in the third gameweek of the 2024-25 campaign.
Strikes from Harvey Barnes and Alexander Isak either side of a Dan Burn own goal condemned Postecoglou’s charges to their first defeat of the Premier League season, one in which a familiar tale in front of goal arose for Tottenham, who were once again punished for not making the most of their dominance.
A 4-0 thumping of Everton had seemingly dusted off the cobwebs from gameweek one, where Tottenham’s wastefulness on the road cost them in their draw with Leicester City, but a lack of ruthlessness is still prevalent in the Spurs ranks if their Newcastle exploits are anything to go by.
Lying smack-bang in the middle of the table in 10th place, Tottenham will also endeavour to end a particular pattern of home results in the Premier League, having followed a win-loss sequence since the beginning of April.
Having crushed Everton in their first home contest of the season, the omens are not exactly promising for Postecoglou’s side if that streak is to continue this weekend, but the Lilywhites could arguably not be facing Arsenal at a more opportune time.
When Brighton defender Joel Veltman took a wild swipe at Declan Rice in Arsenal’s showdown with Brighton, the vast majority of supporters inside the stadium expected the Dutchman to receive punishment. Instead, the Emirates crowd were left aghast when Chris Kavanagh sent the equally bewildered Rice for an early bath.
Already on a yellow card, Rice lightly tapping the ball away from Veltman as he was lining up a free kick triggered the Englishman’s second yellow, allowing the Seagulls to fight back through Joao Pedro after Kai Havertz’s delicate first-half lob.
As Arsenal and Mikel Arteta were left to lament Rice’s highly controversial sending-off – which came after Pedro escaped a booking for kicking the ball away in the first half – the Brighton faithful were bouncing all the way home after denying the Gunners a third win from three matches in 2024-25.
Saturday’s visitors therefore occupy fourth place in the Premier League table at present, two points worse off than Manchester City and Liverpool ahead of their games on Saturday, but Gooners at least received one piece of good news this week with Arteta’s new contract signing.
Solace can also be taken from their last two Premier League wins away to Spurs in 2023 and 2024, but they have never triumphed against the Lilywhites in three straight road matches in the Premier League era and head to their rivals’ home without arguably their first-choice midfield.
Tottenham’s offensive efforts against Newcastle were not helped by the absences of their two main strikers in Dominic Solanke and Richarlison, but only the latter is guaranteed to miss out; there is a good chance that Solanke will be available.
The Lilywhites were handed a scare over the fitness of Yves Bissouma during the international break after the Mali midfielder suffered a heavy knock, but Postecoglou is keeping his fingers crossed that Micky van de Ven’s knee issue will settle down in time for the weekend.
Bissouma’s blow means that Rodrigo Bentancur – who is at risk of a lengthy ban after being charged by the FA over his comments about South Koreans – could be tasked with anchoring the Tottenham midfield, while Son Heung-min is out to make the net ripple against Arsenal for the ninth time; only three players have ever scored more in the history of the NLD.
Tottenham’s one midfield concern pales in comparison to Arsenal’s crisis, though, as alongside Rice’s suspension and Mikel Merino’s shoulder injury, captain Martin Odegaard sprained his ankle while on Norway duty and apparently faces at least three weeks on the sidelines; Arteta’s suggestion that he could be fit may have just been mind games.
Odegaard’s absence will likely force Arteta to drop Havertz into a three-man midfield also reinforced by Jorginho, although if Gabriel Jesus is not back from a groin issue in time for the derby, either Leandro Trossard or potential debutant Raheem Sterling could lead the line; the Brazilian is training again, though.
Kieran Tierney (hamstring) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) are definite absentees too, while Riccardo Calafiori hurt his calf in a bizarre incident while playing for Italy but would not have made his first Premier League start here either way.
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:
Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Bentancur; Kulusevski, Maddison, Son; Solanke
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Havertz, Partey, Jorginho; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli
