Thomas Frank is starting a back three – with Kevin Danso named in the Spurs XI alongside Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.
Mohammed Kudus has missed the last two games with injury but he returns for the away side.
Lucas Bergvall has been named on the bench following question marks over his fitness.
Piero Hincapie will make his first Premier League start for Arsenal, partnering William Saliba in central defence with Gabriel Magalhaes ruled out of today’s game against Spurs.
Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke are deemed fit enough for the bench but Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz haven’t made the squad.
Eberechi Eze has been named in the No.10 role with Mikel Merino up top. Riccardo Calafiori starts at left-back despite an injury scare.
Premier League legend and Betfair ambassador Alan Shearer has revealed his Arsenal vs Tottenham prediction to Metro.
‘Arsenal’s mentality is that they have to win the game,’ Shearer said. ‘It’s always tough to predict a derby game but I think I’m just going to go for Arsenal to edge it. I usually go for a draw but I think I’ll just go for Arsenal to edge it.
‘From 17th last season to where they are now, the football hasn’t been great from Spurs, but you can see a stamp from Thomas Frank on that team. They’ve improved at set-pieces and I think it’ll take time. I think Thomas Frank will be quietly pleased with how things have gone so far.’
Prediction: Arsenal win
Speaking ahead of today’s showdown, Spurs head coach Thomas Frank said: ‘[I am] super excited. Before I stepped into the club, of course, I knew about the north London derby, but it’s when you are in it, you sense it and feel that this is important.
‘You feel it from the fans, you feel it from the staff members, the players, the people that have been working here for years. This is the big one. I always say the next game is the most important game and we always have that.
‘But I’m very, very, very aware there are two games in a year that are even more important – and this is the first of them. We are ready, we are up for it, we are looking forward to it and we will do everything we can to win.’
Quizzed about what makes the north London derby so unique, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said: ‘It’s just different.
‘It’s a big city, but it’s a big rivalry; it’s a part of London that we want to conquer, and they want to do the same. There’s been a lot of shifts as well over the years, we’ve been more dominant, and it’s just beautiful, especially when we play at home in front of our people.
‘We know what it means to them and the energy that they’re going to bring, the energy that the team is going to bring in every single action and it’s just a privilege to play those kind of games.’
Yes! Today’s north London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham is indeed on TV in the UK today.
You can watch the match live on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event with streaming also available through the Sky Go app and NOW TV.
Good afternoon from north London! One of the biggest rivalries in English football is back as Arsenal host Tottenham at the Emirates.
The Gunners are top of the league – and in the title hunt – but Spurs have shined on the road this season and are unbeaten away from home in the top-flight.
That means we should be set for a cracker of a game today… Stay with Metro for all the build-up, team news, live updates and reaction.