Tottenham welcome Arsenal to N17 for a huge North London derby on Sunday in a match which will have big implications on the title race and who will finish fourth. Spurs will have had 15 days off since a 4-0 humbling at Newcastle, in which time Aston Villa have taken firm control of fourth spot having played three times during the gap.
The Gunners meanwhile, looked to be almost out of the title race after losing at home to Aston Villa, but back-to-back wins over Wolves and then their thrashing of Chelsea mean the pressure is back on Manchester City to produce the goods in their two games in hand.
Another Arsenal win would surely end Spurs’ hopes of of Champions League qualification for next season. A win for Spurs could similarly end the Gunners’ season aims.
Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal Team News
Arsenal fans can breathe a sigh of relief as the team has virtually a fully fit squad to choose from. Takehiro Tomiyasu, who recently recovered from a minor knock, is available for selection. He proved his fitness by completing 65 minutes against Chelsea in their recent encounter.
Arsenal possible starting lineup: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
The only player missing from the lineup is Dutchman Jurrien Timber. After suffering an ACL injury, Timber made his long-awaited comeback with the U23’s recently. He scored an impressive goal during the win and got some much-needed game time under his belt. Although he hopes to make his first-team return before this season ends, it seems that the upcoming Tottenham game might come too soon for him.
On the other hand, Tottenham will be without Destiny Udogie for this match as he has been ruled out for rest of campaign due to a thigh injury.
Pedro Porro is expected to recover from a hamstring injury in time to start at right-back position while Richarlison is also set to be passed fit following recovery from a knee injury.
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bentancur, Bissouma; Johnson, Maddison, Werner; Son
However, Fraser Forster remains sidelined with an ankle injury and will miss Sunday's game along with Ryan Sessegnon and Manor Solomon who are also out due to injuries.
Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal Prediction
Spurs will face a significant challenge in their upcoming match against Arsenal due to the absence of some key players. Udogie's absence is expected to have a considerable impact on Spurs' performance.
On the other hand, Arsenal enters this game brimming with confidence and ambition as they gun for the title. Their recent performances have shown them to be formidable opponents who are not easily subdued. This high morale combined with their current form makes them a daunting adversary for any team.
In their previous encounter at Emirates Stadium earlier this season, Ange Postecoglou almost led Spurs to victory against Gunners', resulting in an intense 2-2 draw. However, it is important to note that circumstances have changed since then; we are now entering into what can arguably be considered as one of the most critical phases - 'the season run-in'.
The upcoming match between Spurs and Arsenal is set to be an exciting one. With key players missing from Spurs' line-up and Arsenal in top form, it will undoubtedly be a challenging encounter for both teams. However, if players like James Maddison can rediscover their best form, there's every chance that we could see some surprises on the pitch.
Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal will be televised on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League, and Sky Sports Ultra HDR
