The North London Derby is right around the corner, and Tottenham Hotspur fans are desperate for a reprieve from the miserable form that has consumed their season.
There's still time to turn things around, of course, with Igor Tudor taking control of a side who have waltzed right through to the last 16 of the Champions League.
However, relegation talk in the Premier League cannot continue, and if Spurs are to change that narrative this weekend, they are going to have to beat an Arsenal side who boast a formidable record against their neighbours.
Tottenham's recent record vs Arsenal
There's no sugarcoating it: Tottenham have struggled against their north London rivals for a while. In each of the previous three Premier League campaigns, the Gunners have taken all the points down N17, and you'd have to trace back to 2021/22, eight meetings ago, to find the last time Spurs secured a win in this fixture.
Tudor is looking to salvage something from Tottenham's weary campaign, and beating Arsenal in his first contest would be an incredible way to lift the mood, putting some much-needed breathing room between Tottenham and the dreaded dotted line at the foot of the league table.
You would think that Spurs have the capabilities to end this losing run against their neighbours, who have indeed won three in a row over the road.
On top of that, the Lilywhites have suffered deeply at their home ground since the start of last season, winning eight, drawing seven and shockingly losing 17 fixtures since the start of the previous Premier League season.
If Tottenham are to pull this one off, they are going to need passion and inspiration. Tudor will expect his players to fight for each other and chase down every possible cause.
With the aggressive Romero still absent, Spurs are going to need another leader to step up, and Tudor might just find one in his answer to Declan Rice.
Tudor must unleash Spurs' answer to Rice
Rice is Arsenal's talisman, and if he is allowed to assert his authority in the engine room on Sunday, it will spell danger for the hosts, whose dynamism in the centre of the park has been anything but impressive this season.
And with Cristian Romero sidelined through suspension, there's a distinctive lack of leadership that could prove Tottenham's undoing. That said, Archie Gray has emerged as one of the Londoners' most important players, and he could actually be the one to rival Rice.
Gray, 19, is one of the brightest talents in England, and he's already chalked up 71 appearances for Spurs after leaving boyhood club Leeds United in a deal jsut shy of £30m in 2024.
He has not been fazed by the tricky circumstances the club have been bothered by in recent years, and he has played every minute of his team's past three Premier League matches, a midfielder moonlighting at right-back.
Gray is young and inexperienced, but he's got the potential to become the main man for his club, already showing himself to be more committed and more tenacious than some of his teammates.
Indeed, Harry Redknapp has even gone as far as to claim that "the future Tottenham captain" has been outshining his so-called senior peers.
There's something to be said about that. Gray scored, completed two dribbles and won four duels as Tottenham lost to Newcastle United last time out, that one proving the end of Thomas Frank's miserable tenure. He stood up, a leader, age-belying in his performance.
Not only is Gray considerd skipper material, but he's also tipped to become one of the most valuable players in the Premier League, with analyst Ben Mattinson declaring he is a “future £100m” footballer.
Given that Arsenal signed Rice for £105m back in 2023, Gray might just prove himself to be the Lilywhites' own version, and he'll have a chance to prove his quality in the centre of the park on Sunday.