Premier League kicks off their weekend with a MASSIVE North London derby as Tottenham Hotspur host Arsenal at Wembley.
The battle for the last two Champions League places look like it is between these clubs alongside Chelsea and Liverpool.
Team news
Having been rested in midweek, Harry Kane is expected to lead the attack after joining the 100 goal club last weekend.
Deadline Day signing, Lucas Moura could make his English football debut here now that he has resolved personal issues and is eligible.
Long term absentees; Toby Alderweireld, Danny Rose and Harry Winks all returned in the midweek FA Cup replay win over Newport County.
Arsenal could be missing Petr Cech in goal after he was subbed in last week’s win over Everton.
Nacho Monreal has recovered from illness whilst Danny Welbeck is a possibility, if he regains sufficient match fitness.
Form
Tottenham come into this game on a league pattern since turn of year of WDWDWD.
They have also taken six points out of a possible nine from three home games against fellow top six sides.
During that run, they have had 11 goals by six different goal scorers with Kane leading on four goals.
Arsenal’s away form in 2018 so far has been poor in all competitions, with three defeats and one draw.
League wise, the Gunners have scored two away goals and conceded five in their two away games of 2018.
They however secured a thumping 5-1 home win over Everton last time out.
Stat Attack
- In the Premier League era, this fixture (Spurs at home) has seen 11 draws with Tottenham winning nine and losing five.
- These teams have met at Wembley twice before (1991 & 93) with both clubs winning one each. Tottenham however lead the aggregate score from those two meetings 3-2.
- Kane needs two more goals to join Emmanuel Adebayor as top scorer in the North London derby.
- Arsenal come here having suffered just two defeats at the New Wembley by an aggregate 16-9 goal score, winning their last six trips in the process after losing on their first two trips there (2008-09 FA Cup semi & 2011 League Cup final).
- In last two away games, Arsenal have scored first goal before going on to lose the match.
Where game be won and lost
| Per game average | Tottenham Hotspur (home) | Arsenal (away) |
| Corners | 8.15 | 5 |
| Fouls | 9 | 10.85 |
| Shots | 21.08 | 14.08 |
| Shots on Target | 6.77 | 4.77 |
| Goals | 2.15 | 1.15 |
| Yellow cards | 0.77 | 1.92 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |
* Stats provided by Footstats.co.uk
Tottenham dominate in attack and corners so if Arsenal want a win, they need to a solid defence and counter attack.
Their discipline however calls that into question, having earned an average of 1.15 more yellow cards than Spurs.
It makes trying to work out where the Gunners can win this game very difficult.
Prediction
For me, if Tottenham play like their attacking stats suggest then this will be a home win.
Arsenal however appear to be revitalised by the arrival of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, so don’t can’t rule out them turning up and delivering here.
The concern has to be their discipline and they have also lost their last two away games, after opening the scoring.
For that reason, I can see Spurs sitting back and letting Arsenal score first before delivering a from behind victory.
Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Arsenal
Jake predicts: Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Arsenal
Result: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Arsenal