This Saturday, at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal and Tottenham play the great London derby that finds them both at the top of the Premier League and a victory will be crucial to keep up with Manchester City, the only team with a perfect record.
Why it's important
Because it's the North London derby, the match takes on greater significance for both teams. While there will be three points at stake, for the fans on both sides, there is much more at play. What happens in this match will affect the mood of the entire city.
Aside from the emotional aspects, both Mikel Arteta's team and Ange Postecoglou's team have had a good start to the season, with both sides remaining undefeated and sitting on 13 points, just two points behind the top. In other words, the winner could top the table, depending on what happened a day earlier with City.
Players to watch
Arsenal has several valuable players, especially in the attacking phase. Undoubtedly, Bukayo Saka to provide the finishing touch and Martin Ødegaard, who is more involved in the build-up play but also has a knack for scoring. But the Spurs also need to be wary of Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, and Eddie Nketiah, among others.
In Tottenham, Heung-Min Son is the standout figure after Harry Kane's departure. The South Korean is their main goal threat but also possesses a good dose of footballing ability. James Maddison is the man they can rely on to create the goals, as he is their leading assist provider.
Dejan Kuklusevski will be another piece that the Gunners must be cautious of, while still keeping an eye on world champion Cristian Romero: a beast in the Spurs defense who has recently shown his goalscoring prowess.
The recent history
The most recent memory of the North London derby dates back to January 15, when Arsenal triumphed 2-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with an own goal from Hugo Lloris and a goal from Martin Ødegaard.
The last time at the Emirates? It was also a Gunners victory: on October 1, 2022, in the Premier League, they won 3-1 thanks to goals from Thomas Partey (20'), Jesus (49'), and Granit Xhaka (67'). Harry Kane had equalized from the penalty spot in the 31st minute, and Emerson Royal was sent off after an hour of play.