Arsenal host Tottenham in the first north London derby of the season this weekend.
The Gunners will go above Spurs on goal difference with a win, while a victory for Mauricio Pochettino’s men will open up a six-point gap between the sides.
Clearly, there is more up for grabs than bragging rights and both teams will be going for the three points at the Emirates.
Read on for Arsenal vs Spurs live stream options, team news, predicted XIs, stats, and TV channel info.
When is Arsenal vs Spurs?
Competition: Premier League
Venue: Emirates Stadium
Date: Saturday 2nd December
Kick-off: 2.05pm GMT
Match Preview
The rivalry between Arsenal and Tottenham has always been a fierce one during the Premier League era, but it has taken on extra significance since Spurs began to compete on a similar level to their old enemy.
Pochettino’s men have finished above the Gunners in each of the last two seasons, and they’ll be hoping to make do the same thing this term. A win on Sunday will give Tottenham a useful advantage over the hosts at a crucial stage of the campaign.
Arsenal’s trophy haul, even in Arsene Wenger’s worst years in charge, has been a sense of frustration for Spurs, who have been superior to their arch nemesis in the league for two years but have nothing to show for it.
What’s more, Tottenham haven’t been able to cement that domestic superiority with a win at the Emirates since Pochettino took over. Unai Emery will be hoping that’s the way things stay, but the visitors enter this in impressive form.
The Gunners won this fixture 2-0 last season. An identical scoreline this weekend would be more than acceptable for a fanbase desperate to regain their dominance of north London.
Where can I watch live?
Viewers in the UK will be able to watch Arsenal vs Spurs live on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky channel number 401 and Virgin Media channel number 501.
The game is also available to watch on fuboTV for US-based viewers.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about fuboTV
Can Tottenham’s great week get even better?
Spurs have had quite the week, beginning on Saturday evening with a convincing 3-1 victory over London rivals Chelsea at Wembley.
The hosts were simply irresistible going forward. Chelsea could do little about the interplay between the likes of Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen, Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane, something Arsenal are surely worried about.
On Wednesday, Tottenham were forced to dig in at Wembley against much more resilient opposition in the form of Inter Milan.
The hosts kept pushing and eventually made a breakthrough when Eriksen kept their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages alive with a late strike.
A victory over Arsenal would complete possibly the finest week of Pochettino’s tenure so far and would give Spurs plenty of confidence and momentum going into a gruelling festive schedule.
How will Emery cope in his first north London derby?
There is nothing Unai Emery would like more than winning his very first north London derby.
It would boost his already burgeoning reputation among the fans and ensure Tottenham aren’t too far ahead in the league standings.
But it will be interesting to see if the Spaniard understands the significance of the game, which is a must. Even late-era Wenger could still grasp the importance of a win over Spurs, as proven by last season’s 2-0 win in this fixture.
However, Wenger’s Arsenal failed to press Tottenham at Wembley last season and the Gunners paid for it with a 1-0 defeat that could have been far heavier.
Emery must ensure his players are instructed to do more than simply stop Spurs playing out from the back; they must understand what’s at stake.
Which attacking player will Pochettino leave out?
Tottenham have endured a luckless injury crisis so far this season, and they’re still paying for the fact so many of their players featured in the latter stages of the World Cup.
Eriksen and Son have missed multiple games already this term but both returned to torment Chelsea. Pochettino then took the decision to put the duo back on the bench for the Inter game, starting Lucas Moura and Erik Lamela instead.
In the end, Eriksen came on and saved Spurs. Son made an impact, too, which raises the question: who will Pochettino select in attack against Arsenal?
The obvious answer would see Eriksen and Son return to the starting line-up, but Pochettino has sprung plenty of surprises with his team selections in recent weeks.
It wouldn’t be a shock to see either Lamela or Lucas keep their places. Either way, Tottenham have an array of attacking talent to pose a threat in the derby.
Head-to-head
This will be the 196th north London derby in all competitions. The sides shared a win apiece last season, and Arsenal haven’t lost to Spurs at the Emirates since November 2013.
Between November 1999 – January 2008, the Gunners went on a 21-match unbeaten run against Tottenham, contributing hugely to Arsenal’s overall superior record.
Arsenal wins: 81
Draws: 51
Spurs wins: 63
Team news
Davinson Sanchez and Mousa Dembele have both been ruled out for Tottenham. Danny Rose was back on the bench against Inter and could start, while Kieran Trippier recently returned to training.
Alexandre Lacazette missed last weekend’s win at Bournemouth for Arsenal and could still be out. Danny Welbeck and Nacho Monreal are definitely sidelined, but Stephan Lichtsteiner is back in full training.
The Gunners could receive a boost at centre-back with Laurent Koscielny closing in on a return.
Predicted Arsenal XI: Leno; Bellerin, Mustafi, Holding, Kolasinac; Torreira, Xhaka; Mkhitaryan, Ozil, Iwobi; Aubameyang.
Predicted Spurs XI: Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Sissoko, Eriksen; Alli, Son, Kane.
Squawka Prediction
There is very little to separate these sides at the moment. While Tottenham are in fine form, home advantage should ensure Arsenal don’t lose. Arsenal 1-1 Spurs.
Predictions and betting tips
Get the BetBull sign-up offer HERE – Ts&Cs apply. +18 only. BeGambleAware.org
1. Score draw @ 13/5
Prior to Arsenal’s 2-0 win last season, this fixture finished 1-1 three times in a row.
Tip: Score draw @ 13/5 with BetBull – Bet here
18+ only. Ts&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.Org
Odds correct as of 12.45, 30/11/18
2. Harry Kane to score anytime @ 5/6
Harry Kane has scored seven goals in eight appearances against Arsenal. He is responsible for Spurs’ last two goals at the Emirates.
The 25-year-old also found the net in the last meeting between the sides, Tottenham’s 1-0 victory at Wembley last season.
Ever the man for the occasion, Kane will be desperate to follow up his strike against Chelsea last week with another against the Gunners.
Tip: Granit Xhaka the first player to receive yellow card @ 15/2 with BetBull – Bet here
18+ only. Ts&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.Org
Odds correct as of 12.45, 30/11/18
3. Under 3.5 goals @ 11/8
In conjunction with tip No.1, this makes for a 1-1 scoreline prediction.
Neither side has scored more than two goals in any of the last 13 north London derbies across all competitions, since Arsenal beat Spurs 5-2 at the Emirates in November 2012.
More than three goals have been scored in just one of those 13 matches, a 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane in March 2016.
Given what’s at stake, this one might be even closer than usual with neither side likely to score more than once.
Tip: Liverpool to beat Arsenal by two or three goals @14/5 with BetBull – Bet here
18+ only. Ts&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.Org
Odds correct as of 12.45, 30/11/18
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