Who: Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal
What: English Premier League
The place: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, UK
When: Sunday, February 22 at 4:30pm (16:30 GMT)
Tips on how to comply with: We’ll have all of the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 13:30 GMT upfront of our dwell textual content commentary stream.
Arsenal will look to banish their premature bout of title race nervousness because the wobbling Premier League leaders head to bitter rivals Tottenham for the north London derby.
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Mikel Arteta’s males are at risk of blowing a commanding place within the title race after successive attracts in opposition to Brentford and Wolves left them with simply two wins of their final seven league matches.
The Gunners squandered the lead in each matches, with Wednesday’s 2-2 draw at bottom-of-the-table Wolves particularly galling as they conceded a stoppage-time equaliser having led 2-0.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester Metropolis aspect will transfer two factors behind Arsenal in the event that they beat Newcastle on the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
In the meantime, Tottenham’s new coach, Igor Tudor, faces a baptism of fireside in his first recreation in command of the membership as he’s tasked with steering Spurs out of a relegation battle.
Thomas Frank was sacked as Tottenham manager following the defeat to Newcastle earlier in February, as a dire home marketing campaign has left Spurs in sixteenth place going into the weekend, simply 5 factors above the relegation zone.
Saka urges Arsenal to ‘recover from the road’
On February 7, Arsenal gamers walked off the sphere after a convincing 3-0 residence win in opposition to Sunderland with their lead within the Premier League at 9 factors. Then issues began to go fallacious.
Defiant Arsenal ahead Bukayo Saka is adamant his aspect will ultimately “recover from the road” and finish their trophy drought.
After permitting Metropolis to overtake them within the 2023 and 2024 title races, the north Londoners, who haven’t gained silverware because the 2020 FA Cup, face pointed questions on their capability to deal with the mounting rigidity.
Saka mentioned Arsenal should silence the doubters by getting again on observe at archrivals Tottenham on Sunday.
“I consider the subsequent few years are going to be the years that we recover from the road, and we’re capable of win trophies and make historical past for this membership,” Saka mentioned. “We’re again the place we belong, combating for all the pieces.”
Arteta dismisses ‘bottlers’ discuss
Arsenal’s boss rejected the time period “bottlers’ forward of Sunday’s Premier League go to to Tottenham Hotspur.
“It’s not a part of my vocabulary and I don’t see it like this as a result of I don’t suppose anyone desires to try this as an intention,” Arteta advised reporters on Friday, when requested concerning the time period getting used concerning their newest wobble within the title race.
“That’s particular person opinion, perspective. It’s important to respect that. That’s what I mentioned after within the press convention. You lose two factors in opposition to Wolves within the method that the sport performed out, you must take it on the chin. It’s a part of our position.”
“What I’m very curious about is the subsequent one, what we’re product of, what we love about this and the way we write our personal future from right here.”
‘No time to seek out excuses’
Tottenham Hotspur’s new interim head coach Tudor says instilling the gamers with confidence is his most pressing job.
“First precedence is to offer all the pieces the crew wants in these moments. The crew want, I consider, to start with, to get some confidence, to get some braveness, but additionally, in identical manner, the concrete issues within the pitch,” Tudor advised Spursplay.
“In fact, I’m coming right here realizing that scenario will not be straightforward. There is no such thing as a time to seek out excuses. What I mentioned from the primary day right here, every of us, want to offer one thing extra, one thing additional.”
He added: “The place of the membership on this second is one which no person can settle for. Each Tottenham fan can’t settle for the scenario. We’re conscious of that. Nevertheless it’s not sufficient to simply concentrate on that.”
Tudor desires a crew ready to ‘undergo’
Whereas Tudor is conscious of the importance of a derby win over Arsenal, he’s extra involved with constructing a robust crew spirit to assist gas their survival bid.
“I perceive the significance of this recreation. It is a derby, a north London derby,” he mentioned.
“It is a crew that is filled with high quality, stuffed with gifted gamers, with good motor engines. However my aim in these first coaching classes is that we grow to be a crew, with a very proper manner of going to conflict.
“A crew who need to undergo. To struggle, to run, to have the fitting mentality. That is the beginning.”
Head-to-head
Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal have locked horns on 212 events; Arsenal gained 90 of the video games, whereas Spurs gained 67, and 55 had been attracts.
Arsenal at the moment are unbeaten in opposition to Spurs of their final seven video games. Earlier this season, Eberechi Eze scored a hat-trick in November because the Gunners thrashed Tottenham 4-1 on the Emirates.
Arteta’s aspect additionally did the double over their bitter native rivals in 2024-25, profitable 1-0 at Tottenham and incomes a 2-1 victory at residence.
Tottenham’s crew information
Spurs had been dealt an enormous blow when promising younger winger Wilson Odobert ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in opposition to Newcastle.
He joins an extended harm checklist of gamers who will miss the derby, together with James Maddison, Ben Davies, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Future Udogie, Kevin Danso and Lucas Bergvall.
Cristian Romero will serve the second of his four-game suspension after the Spurs captain was despatched off within the defeat to Man United earlier this month.
Brazilian ahead Richarlison is again in coaching after a knock and may very well be accessible for choice, whereas Pedro Porro faces a late health take a look at as he appears to be like to return from harm.
Predicted beginning XI:
Vicario (GK); Palhinha, Dragusin, Van de Ven; Grey, Gallagher, Sarr, Spence; Kolo Muani, Simons; Solanke
Arsenal’s crew information
Versatile midfielder Mikel Merino has undergone surgical procedure for a stress fracture in his proper foot, an harm sustained in January, and will miss the remainder of the season.
Leandro Trossard is a critical doubt for the derby after he went off injured in stoppage time in opposition to the Wolves.
However Arteya has mentioned he hopes to have captain Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz accessible for choice after they had been fighting accidents, and teenager Max Dowman has returned to coaching after an ankle drawback.
And whereas Saka additionally limped off in opposition to Wolves, he’s anticipated to be declared match for this match.
Predicted beginning XI:
Raya (GK); Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli
