| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
TOTTENHAM  Friedel Walker, King, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto Krancjar, Parker, Modric, Bale Defoe, Adebayor | ARSENAL  Szczesny Sagna, Mertesacker, Song, Santos Arteta, Frimpong, Ramsey Walcott, Van Persie, Arshavin |
Tottenham will recall their first-teamers after the Europa League win over Shamrock Rovers, though Jermain Defoe should keep his place after scoring in that match as well as in the 4-0 win over Liverpool, with Harry Redknapp surely keen to test the Gunners’ leaky defence. Steven Pienaar may be fit to make his first appearance of the season, most likely off the bench. And, of course, Emmanuel Adebayor will once again face the side he left in 2009.
Theo Walcott should be fit to return to the side after a knee problem, and will likely displace Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain despite the fellow Southampton graduate’s impressive showing in the Champions League in midweek. Captain Robin van Persie will start in place of Marouane Chamakh, while Aaron Ramsey and Tomas Rosicky will vie for a place in midfield after Jack Wilshere was ruled out for several more months.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
- Arsenal have not beaten Tottenham in a league match in their last three attempts, and only once in their
last six.
- Spurs have not lost the north London derby at White Hart Lane since being vanquished 3-1 by the Gunners in September 2007.
- Robin van Persie’s Premier League record in the year 2011 is 21 goals in 23 appearances.
- Mike Dean is a bad luck charm for Arsenal – they have not won a game which he has refereed since November 2008, when they beat Chelsea 2-1 away.
- Dutch striker Van Persie is currently tied with Joe Baker as Arsenal’s sixteenth highest goalscorer of all time, with exactly 100 goals in all competitions.
- White Hart Lane is used to seeing stalemates, with eight of the last 11 league matches played there ending in a draw.
- The Gunners have not won an away match in the Premier League in the last seven attempts. This is the longest they have gone without winning away in the league since the 1991-92 season when they failed to win eight in a row.
The north London derbies have produced some thrilling contests in recent years, and this should be no exception. Both sides have a lot to prove - Arsenal are desperate to record a victory over one of the top sides in the league after a horrendous start, and Tottenham smell blood and a chance to claim clear superiority over their rivals for the first time in a while. The Gunners have improved recently but Spurs were excellent in their 4-0 demolition of Liverpool, and Arsene Wenger still has a lot of work to do with his defence. If they keep up the attacking pressure for 90 minutes, the home side should come out on top.
Editor's Prediction
Tottenham 3-1 Arsenal 
