North London Derby day beckons, as relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur take on stuttering Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.
A winless start to 2026, combined with a perilous league position, means Spurs finally parted ways with Thomas Frank after eight miserable months. So, former Juventus manager Igor Tudor will lead the Lilywhites into battle this weekend for a significant derby.
Tottenham missed out on derailing Arsenalâs title tilt two seasons ago, but they have a huge opportunity to kick their fiercest rivals while theyâre down on home soil. Mikel Artetaâs side should be cantering towards the league title, but theyâve instead contrived to lose control of the race.
After collapsing late on against bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday marked another setback, Arsenalâs grip on first place has been weakening at the wrong time of year.
Derby day is typically tense, and Sundayâs clash boasts huge ramifications at both ends of the table. While Arsenal are aiming to get their title charge back on track, Tudor has been tasked with steering Tottenham safely clear of the relegation zone. Theyâre just five points better off than West Ham United with 12 games to go.
Hereâs Sports Illustratedâs preview of the North London Derby.
What Time Does Tottenham vs. Arsenal Kick-Off?
Location: London, England
Stadium: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Date: Saturday, Feb. 22
Kick-off Time: 4:30 p.m. GMT / 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT
Referee: Peter Bankes
VAR: Darren England
Tottenham vs. Arsenal Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
Tottenham: 0 wins
Arsenal: 4 wins
Draws: 1
Last meeting: Arsenal 4â1 Tottenham (Nov. 23, 2025)âPremier League
Current Form (All Competitions, Last Five Games)
How to Watch Tottenham vs. Arsenal on TV
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Tottenham Team News
Tottenham may have changed managers, but thereâs been no miracle on the injury front since Tudor arrived. The Croatian expects to have no players back this weekend, and he also confirmed that Dominic Solankeâs week was disrupted by a sore throat.
The striker should be okay to start in Sundayâs derby, though.
Tudor has historically opted for a 3-4-2-1, but Tottenhamâs available personnel may force a subtle tweak. Solanke could partner Randal Kolo Muani in attack, with Xavi Simons operating between the lines.
João Palhinha may be used in defence, given that Cristian Romero is suspended and Kevin Danso is still injured. Also on the sidelines are James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Destiny Udogie, Pedro Porro, Wilson Odobert, Lucas Bergvall, Mohammed Kudus, Richarlison, Rodrigo Bentancur and Ben Davies.
Tottenham Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal
Tottenham predicted lineup vs. Arsenal (3-4-1-2): Vicario; Palhinha, Dragusin, Van de Ven; Gray, Sarr, Gallagher, Spence; Xavi; Kolo Muani, Solanke.
Arsenal Team News
Arsenal have received a couple of timely boosts with the derby looking. Arteta has said that Martin Ãdegaard and Kai Havertz could both be back in action this weekend.
Ãdegaard has missed the last two games with a knee injury, while the muscle injury Havertz sustained was originally expected to keep him out until March. The captainâs return should see Bukayo Saka drift out wide again, having started in a central role against Wigan Athletic and Wolves.
Mikel Merino is absent due to a foot injury, and little is known about when young Max Dowman will make his comeback from a fitness setback.
Leandro Trossard should be fine after coming off late on at Molineux.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Tottenham
Arsenal predicted lineup vs. Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapié; Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Ãdegaard, Trossard; Gyökeres.
Tottenham vs. Arsenal Score Prediction
Nothing but ignorance means plenty have been quick to write Tudor off, but he certainly has a knack of getting a tune out of a new group of players right away.
Thomas Frankâs removal and Arsenalâs sustained blip means N17 will be alive on derby day, with a fixture that so many were dreading now regarded as one that the hosts could potentially get something from.
Tudorâs aggressive principles out of possession could catch a few teams cold, and Tottenham should soon be drilled like an Italian regiment. However, heâs only had a few days to work with this depleted group, and although Arsenal are floundering at the minute, itâs still a big ask for Spurs to snatch a result against a side that has utterly dominated the head-to-head duel as of late.
Prediction: Tottenham 1â2 Arsenal
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