2024-25 Premier League: Week 21 – Arsenal vs Tottenham

Premier League title-chasing Arsenal host Tottenham in the North London derby at Emirates Stadium. 

Victory or a draw will lift Arsenal back up to second in the table, whilst Tottenham can move back up to 12th with a win.

 

Team News

Gabriel is ruled out for Arsenal with a serious knee injury suffered in their eventual FA Cup exit on penalties against Manchester United.

Jurrien Timber and Jorginho (both cramp) and Riccardo Calafiori (fitness) are available for selection.

Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Ethan Nwaneri (muscle), Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White (both knee) remain absent.

Tottenham could welcome Fraser Forster back after he missed their last three matches due to illness.

Timo Werner is ruled out after he suffered a hamstring injury during their FA Cup win at Tamworth.

Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Mickey van de Ven (leg), Cristian Romero (quad), Rodrigo Bentancur (concussion), Destiny Udogie, Ben Davies, Wilson Odobert and Richarlison (all hamstring) are sidelined.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Arsenal host Tottenham at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday 15 January at 8pm GMT, live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

  • Arsenal are unbeaten in their last five North London derbies against Tottenham (W4, D1).
  • Tottenham are winless in their last 13 North London derby visits to Arsenal (D5, L8).
  • Spurs’ Son Heung-min has scored three goals in two of his last three appearances against Arsenal.
  • Kai Havertz has won more aerial battles than any other player for Arsenal in the Premier League this season (52).
  • James Maddison has played more through balls than any other Tottenham player in the top-flight this season (8).

 

Prediction

Impact of injuries and end product issues has summed up Arsenal’s start to 2025 which has seen them take no wins but given their form in the North London derby, you have to wonder if their end product might click into quality mode with local pride at stake and a chance to cut down Liverpool’s title lead to four points.

Tottenham likewise have their own end product issues to sort out after needing extra-time and some of their key players brought on just to beat Tamworth, but if they can defend as well as they did against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup last week then they might just nick this by one goal.

Arsenal however are difficult to beat at home in the North London derby and given the poor overall performances of both teams lately, I fancy this to be scrappy with a point apiece.

Prediction: Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham

Result: Arsenal 2-1 Tottenham

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