Arsenal and Spurs will go head-to-head in the League Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday evening.
This will be the second north London derby in just over a fortnight after both sides collided in the Premier League at the start of the month, with Arsenal securing a 4-2 victory over their neighbours.
Since then, Spurs have put together three consecutive league wins, taking them to third in the table and five points above the Gunners, while they also defied expectation to clinch qualification to the last-16 of the Champions League after picking up a point against Barcelona last week.
Meanwhile, Arsenal saw their 22-match unbeaten run come to an end against Southampton on Sunday, though they also progressed to the knockout rounds in European competition: the Europa League round-of-32.
Read on for Arsenal vs Spurs live stream options, team news, predicted XIs, stats, and TV channel info.
When is Arsenal vs Spurs?
Competition: Carabao Cup
Venue: Emirates Stadium
Date: Wednesday, 19 December
Kick-off: 7:45 PM GMT
Match Preview
Mauricio Pochettino has been lauded for his managerial exploits in north London, from helping nurture and blood in young players to making Spurs a consistent top four team, but there still remains the question mark of silverware looming over the Argentine’s shoulder.
Until Pochettino clinches something tangible with Spurs, there will remain doubt about his ability to truly take the club to the next level. And so, this competition offers the opportunity for the South American to finally put those uncertainties to rest.
For Unai Emery, his short tenure with Arsenal has largely been deemed a success despite the club currently sitting fifth in the Premier League. The Gunners have played with more flair than in previous seasons and have proven a more resilient and defensively sound side.
And like Pochettino, Emery will be seeking silverware of some kind this season, but unlike Pochettino, the Spaniard is something of a cup specialist, clinching three successive Europa League titles with Sevilla, and five domestic cup crowns with Paris Saint-Germain – this will be an interesting battle.
Where can I watch live?
Arsenal vs Spurs can be viewed by UK residents on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football, channels 401 and 403 respectively on Sky and channels 501 and 503 respectively for Virgin Media users.
The game is also available to watch on fuboTV for US-based viewers.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about fuboTV
Can Spurs exact revenge?
Having lost 4-2 to Arsenal earlier this month, Spurs midfielder Harry Winks has revealed that he and his teammates are using defeat as motivation to make amends.
‘Revenge is on our minds’ was the rallying call from Winks, and having already overcome Premier League opposition in West Ham and Watford during this competition, Spurs know just what it takes to get the job done.
This will certainly prove a far more difficult task, but they are full of confidence after a quite sensational week, while Arsenal will be deflated after losing to the Saints, so this could be the perfect time to spring an attack.
Which player will take centre stage?
Lucas Torreira came of age in the first derby, and truly endeared himself to the Arsenal faithful for his spirited and tenacious performance – it was an emphatic man-of-the-match display from the South American enforcer.
But one man who has proven a consistent thorn in recent years is Harry Kane, who netted his eighth Premier League goal in north London derbies a couple of weeks back, taking him joint-level with Emmanuel Adebayor.
Expect another ruthless performance from the clinical finisher, who will also be keen to ensure that he clinches his first piece of silverware this season.
Head to head
This rivalry has been contested 183 times since the club’s first encounter in 1896, with Arsenal leading the scorecards on 77 wins, while Spurs have mustered 57 down the years, and there have also been 49 draws.
Arsenal wins: 77 Draws: 49 Spurs wins: 57
Team News
READ MORE: We asked five writers: would you rather have Christian Eriksen of Mesut Ozil in your team?
Emery has been hit by a defensive injury crisis in recent weeks, with Hector Bellerin joining a long-list of absentees when he was forced off through injury at the weekend with a calf agitation.
The right-back will join Konstantinos Mavropanos and Rob Holding on the sidelines, while Sead Kolasinac is also a doubt for the match. Danny Welbeck and Emile Smith Rowe are also out through injury, but Emery will be buoyed by the returns of Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis, who were both serving suspensions against Saints.
Pochettino will be without Eric Dier, Mousa Dembele, Jan Vertonghen, Victor Wanyama and Vincent Janssen. Juan Foyth, Davinson Sanchez and Serge Aurier are all battling to pass late fitness tests and play a part in the match.
Predicted Arsenal XI: Leno; Lichtsteiner, Koscielny, Sokratis, Monreal; Torreira, Xhaka; Iwobi, Ozil, Mkhitaryan; Aubameyang.
Predicted Spurs XI: Lloris; Trippier, Alderweireld, Davies, Rose; Sissoko, Winks; Son, Alli, Eriksen; Kane.
Squawka Predictions
Arsenal looked uncharacteristically complacent against Southampton, though they were not helped by their defensive limitations, with Emery forced to deploy a makeshift backline consisting of Xhaka in central defence.
The return of key defenders will certainly put Arsenal in a greater position of authority, but Spurs are coming into this match off the back of three successive league wins and a brilliant performance against Barcelona. Pochettino is a shrewd coach and will not allow a repeat of the previous encounter to unfold. Arsenal 1-2 Spurs.
Arsenal vs Spurs betting tips from FansBet
Arsenal will be desperate to get back on track after their 22-game unbeaten streak came to an end rather surprisingly at Southampton. However, Spurs will also see this as an opportunity to claim the first trophy under Mauricio Pochettino, with their appearance in the final of this tournament back in 2015 the closest they’ve come to landing silverware under the Argentine.
The Gunners have not lost at home to Spurs since November 2010 – a 3-2 Premier League defeat – and will be hoping to maintain another unbeaten run, extending their fierce rivals’ winless streak at the Emirates to 10 games on Wednesday night.
The post Arsenal vs Spurs predictions, match preview & betting tips appeared first on Squawka News.
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