When is it?
Saturday 18th November, with kick-off at 12.30 PM at the Emirates.
How do I watch?
It’s live on Sky Sports PL and Main Event, and also via Sky Go and NowTV. Overseas viewers will be able to watch via NBC in the US and BeIN Sports for much of the east.
Arsenal
The Gunners finished below their hosts for the first time in 22 years last season also missing on Champions League football for the first time in 20, as they finished fifth in the league. They have already gone through some peaks and troughs during this campaign.
Despite this, they are not in a terrible position as far as their top four chances are concerned – they are 6th with 19 points, the same tally as Liverpool and just four behind Spurs and Manchester United in second. However, their concern has to be their form away home and when they play opposition that are above them in the table.
They have played three games against sides above them in the table and lost two, drawing one. Their one win on the road came against an Everton side that is currently in the relegation zone and aside from that they have four losses, the most recent of which was a 3-1 beating at the hands of Manchester City where Arsene Wenger was rightly aggrieved at Gabriel Jesus’ offside goal, but unable to claim that the side deserved anything but defeat.
Tottenham
Spurs are having the sort of season that shows how far they’ve come. Many worried about how they would adjust to Wembley given the strength of their record at White Hart Lane, around which suited their playing style uniquely, but it was their own wastefulness in front of goal combined with bad luck that cost them Premier League points early in the season and they were soon on the winning trail in front of their own fans.
Perhaps a bigger indicator of how good they’ve been is their progression in Europe. They can boast a pair of thoroughly deserved 3-1 wins over Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid in the Champions League and they should make it through to the knockout stages, perhaps top given that they have also taken a draw from the Bernabeu.
Their away form is one of the best records in the league, has also held up to close examination, with a 1-0 defeat against Manchester United not reflective of the whole game when a point would have been far more.
Domestically, they come here after a comfortable win against Crystal Palace.
Head to Head
Meetings between these two have been rather even in recent times even if Spurs have been on an upward curve compared to Arsenal. When the two last met in April Arsenal were essentially condemned to finishing below Spurs and also out of the Champions League when Dele Alli and Harry Kane scored in a deserved 2-0 home win. The previous meeting was a draw, as were both meetings in the 2015/16 season.
Team News
Tottenham: England internationals Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Harry Winks all sat out the international friendlies and should start, forming the crux of Mauricio Pochettino’s side. Their big doubt is Hugo Lloris, who missed the Palace game and France’s friendlies; Paulo Gazzaniga is the stand in. Jan Vertonghen could make it back in time, but Toby Alderweireld is out.
Arsenal: Olivier Giroud picked up a thigh strain in France’s 2-0 victory over Wales and he could struggle to make it but Alexandre Lacazette was in fine form when scoring two against Germany on Tuesday and he should make it along with Aaron Ramsey, who was one of the standout players against City. Danny Welbeck trained on Tuesday and could be set for a return with Giroud potentially out; Jack Wilshere was also left out of England’s two friendlies and could well start.
Predicted XI’s:
Arsenal: Cech; Koscielny, Mertesacker, Monreal; Bellerin, Ramsey, Xhaka, Kolasinac; Ozil, Sanchez; Lacazette
Tottenham: Lloris; Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies; Trippier, Dembele, Dier, Rose; Eriksen, Alli; Kane
Prediction
2-1 Spurs. Tottenham have hit their stride fully and have been playing like one of the best sides in Europe since hitting their straps. Their attacking quality will pose the same problems for Arsenal as Manchester City did.
