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Journalism of Courage
In October, Tottenham and Arsenal played the first North London derby of the season with just one point separating the two. Fast forward 3 months, the gap is now 11 points, with Spurs the architects of their own downfall after a spate of mediocre performances, while Arsenal continue to maintain an iron grip at the top of the Premier League table.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have been the embodiment of consistency this year, after years of being the also-rans. The Gunners have just lost once this season, to Manchester United, while winning 14 of their matches including against Liverpool and Chelsea. Their last Premier League match was a 0-0 draw against Newcastle while they defeated Oxford United 3-0 in a recent FA Cup encounter.
Mikel Arteta’s team, however, have never defeated Tottenham on the road ever since they shifted to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2019, coming up short in three encounters. Spurs also finished above Arsenal for the sixth season in a row with the 2021-22 season being the latest in Arsenal’s long list of setbacks against their rivals.
Arteta’s team were also dumped out of contention of the Champions League last season when Tottenham won their last match against Norwich and poured cold water on Arsenal’s hopes. The Gunners have already had a modicum of revenge when they defeated Spurs 3-1 in their last encounter in October and will be hoping to put a final nail in the coffin come Sunday.
The Gunners will have all their attacking talent, except an injured Gabriel Jesus, at their disposal with striker Eddie Nketiah in the form of his life having scored 5 times in 5 games this season. They also have Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka who, are at the moment, for the lack of a better term, electric on the wings while the dependable Martin Odegaard and Granit Xhaka will bolster their midfield.
That they have not depended on just one player to get them goals, with strikes coming from all fronts, is a big feather in the cap of Mikel Arteta.
Tottenham, meanwhile, will primarily be looking at their twin threats Harry Kane and Son Heung-min to tear through Arsenal’s defence. The player who has a chance of creating an instant impact, however, is Dejan Kulusevski, if he is cleared to return. The Swedish playmaker is one of their most consistent players and having him sidelined with a litany of injuries has cost Spurs dearly in this season.
Antonio Conte’s team will also have to go at it without the services of Brazilian Richarlison, one of the bright spots in the Selecao’s World Cup campaign, who had to undergo an MRI scan after picking up a hamstring injury in the aforementioned tournament. The date of his return is still unknown.
On Sunday, Tottenham will have to contend with Arsenal’s well-oiled teamwork while finding a way for their individual stars to work their magic. It’ll probably come down to a Tottenham forward’s individual brilliance against the might of the Gunners’ consolidated might.
