On Sunday, you will need to buckle up your seatbelts tight as we head to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for what looks set to be another thrilling installment of Tottenham v Arsenal.
All eyes on North London
The EPL has some mouth-watering fixtures for fans to look forward to this weekend, none more so perhaps than Tottenham v Arsenal, which will represent the 172nd meeting of these two great rivals. Tottenham find themselves in a rat race to finish in the top four, but they will be pleased with their recent turnaround in form, which has seen them record two wins on the bounce in all competitions. Arsenal, in the meantime, have produced their best-ever start to the campaign, as they seek to end a 20-year wait to lift the title. At the time of writing, the Gunners have a five-point cushion at the top of the table, but their lead could be cut to two by the time they kick off should Manchester City beat Manchester United on Saturday afternoon.
As you might expect, there have been plenty of talking points down the years, and here are a few interesting stats that are worth bearing in mind before Tottenham and Arsenal face off.
- Arsenal boasts the better record with 69 wins from this fixture, while Tottenham have emerged victorious on 55 occasions.
- The Gunners — who beat Tottenham 3-1 at the Emirates earlier this season — are aiming to complete their first league double over their rivals since the 2013/14 season.
- Tottenham have dropped more points against Arsenal (45) than any other club against a single opponent in EPL history.
- Intriguingly, there has never been a goal scored in the 90th minute or later in matches between Tottenham and Arsenal.
On the injury front, the Gunners will be monitoring Bukayo Saka who hobbled off and was substituted in the 3-0 FA Cup third round win against Oxford on Monday, while Tottenham could have Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur available for this fixture. This match will garner serious interest from the most reputable US online betting sites, so let’s pore over a few tips that are worth exploring further before kick-off.
Tottenham to gain revenge
This blockbuster will be vital for both teams – for Arsenal, this is a defining month as they also face Manchester United in the EPL and then Manchester City in the FA Cup, so we could learn a lot about how their season might pan out over the next couple of weeks. Whereas for Tottenham, they need to keep the pressure on United to finish in the top four, so they can’t afford to lose this one. As mentioned, the Gunners have enjoyed their best-ever start to an EPL campaign recording 44 points, and last season, it took them until their 24th game to reach this tally — seven matches more.
Of the metrics that are worth gauging, Arsenal are undoubtedly more superior at holding the ball in more attacking areas than Tottenham, as their field tilt stands at 65.1% in the EPL compared to Tottenham (45.5%) which puts them in 13th spot for this stat. There have been plenty of complaints leveled at Antonio Conte for his side being slow out of the blocks and waiting until the second half of games to take control. But Tottenham will want to put the wrongs of past games right, and in the corresponding fixture against the Gunners, they were very ordinary offering little attacking threat. And Tottenham could reap the benefits if they press higher, and could come out with a win. While the Correct Score section can be profitable, we are leaning more towards the result and Both Teams to Score. So, if you fancy Tottenham to win and Both Teams to Score, then BetMGM is advertising a tasty price of +450.
Harry Kane to add another to derby tally
With 15 goals to his name in the EPL this term, Harry Kane has been prolific, and it is remarkable given the mediocre service he receives at times. He may be left in the shadows of Manchester City hitman Erling Haaland (21 goals and counting) for the Golden Boot, but he has his eye on other records. No other player has netted more times in north London derbies than Kane (14), and he is trailing Tottenham’s all-time leading scorer Jimmy Greaves by one (265). Kane, more often than not, rises to the occasion when Arsenal rolls into town, and he would love to add to his impressive tally. As such, our second tip is for Kane to score at anytime, which is available at +130 with BetMGM.
Red mist to descend
Usually, it is a bit of magic that decides such games and the margins between victory and defeat are often fine. However, this fixture has at times been marred by mistimed challenges and scuffles breaking out. In each of the past two meetings between Arsenal and Tottenham, the referee has brandished a red card. This match may not end up with all 22 men on the pitch. So, if you are tempted by a game prop, PointsBet has obliged with a price of +350 for a dismissal during the 90 minutes.
