Arsenal Insider

Raheem Sterling made his Arsenal debut as a substitute against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Raheem Sterling made his bow as an Arsenal player with a late cameo in yesterday’s North London Derby.

The 29-year-old winger was able to kick off his Arsenal career with a bang, as he played a part in helping the Gunners secure all three points against Spurs. Sterling became the first Arsenal player in 27 years to make his debut for the club in a North London Derby.

The Chelsea loanee will now be hoping to be handed his first start when Mikel Arteta’s side get their Champions League campaign underway against Atalanta in a few days.

Sterling did not have much chance to make an impact against Tottenham, but he will be keen to show the Arsenal faithful what he can do as soon as possible.

Raheem Sterling makes statement after Arsenal debut vs Tottenham Hotspur

Following the win over Spurs, Sterling took to Instagram to celebrate the occasion of having made his first appearance as an Arsenal player.

The 82-cap England international said: “Delighted to make my debut and hear you unbelievable fans. What a result by this team!! So much more to come Gunners. Let’s go.”

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Arsenal’s match-winning hero Gabriel Magalhaes was quick to respond to Sterling, as he replied with a fire emoji.

Why Arsenal need Sterling this season

Sterling’s experience and quality will be real assets to Arteta this season.

With Gabriel Martinelli struggling to impress, there is certainly an opportunity for Sterling to establish himself as a regular starter at the Emirates Stadium.

If he can rediscover his best form with Arsenal, after a difficult spell at Chelsea, he could quickly have a huge impact for the Gunners.

Ian Wright and Bukayo Saka both singled out one Arsenal star for praise after their victory in the North London Derby.

Many Arsenal stars impressed as Mikel Arteta’s side beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 on Saturday.

Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz both caused problems in the final third, whilst Bukayo Saka notched up another assist. Whilst Gabriel Martinelli came in for criticism for this finishing, the Brazilian did work hard and contribute defensively.

Meanwhile, as veteran duo Jorginho and Thomas Partey started together in midfield for the first time, their experience and composure helped the Gunners to manage the fixture.

However, it was Arsenal’s defensive effort that truly made this triumph possible. Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba were imperious at the back, with the former even grabbing the winning goal.

David Raya was impressive between the sticks, and Jurrien Timber caught the eye with his physical, committed, all-action performance.

Ian Wright and Bukayo Saka hail Arsenal ace Jurrien Timber

Having arrived at the Emirates Stadium in a £38 million switch from Ajax last summer, Timber’s first campaign in North London was decimated by an ACL injury.

He is clearly eager to make up for lost time this time around, and the Dutchman already looks to have settled into Arteta’s back four.

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Having now taken part in his first North London Derby, the 23-year-old defender took to Instagram to discuss the experience.

Timber said: “Painting North London 𝒓𝒆𝒅 for the first time.”

Saka responded to this statement, adding that Timber was: “Soo good.”

Meanwhile, iconic former Arsenal striker Ian Wright also replied, crediting Timber with being: “Unreal today.”

Jurrien Timber makes statement for Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur

Timber will be desperate to play as often as possible this season. However, he faces a challenge in establishing himself as the Gunners’ first choice left-back.

As Riccardo Calafiori and Takehiro Tomiyasu are both currently sidelined, and Oleksandr Zinchenko picked up a late injury before the North London Derby, Timber was the obvious choice to start against Spurs.

When everyone is fit and available, though, there will be a great deal of competition for the left-back berth.

With his display on Sunday, though, Timber showed that he isn’t one to back down from a fight.

Arsenal secured all three points as they beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 in the North London derby, an impressive result given the circumstances.

Mikel Arteta was missing several key players as Arsenal travelled to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but his side were resolute defensively and kept a clean sheet to seal the win after Gabriel Magalhaes headed in from a corner in the second half.

The game also saw Raheem Sterling come on for his Arsenal debut, in a rare event where a player makes his club debut in this heated fixture.

One player who did make his debut in the North London derby was Danny Rose, who scored a screamer for Tottenham in a win against Arsenal. The defender went on to have a solid career at Spurs, but was always disliked by Gunners fans.

However, fans will enjoy what Rose has had to say about the latest victory over Spurs, which meant that for the first time since 1988, Arsenal have won three consecutive away North London derbies.

Danny Rose admits Arsenal deserved to beat Tottenham

Speaking on Match of the Day, Rose admitted that Arsenal deserved to beat his former side.

“I just think after twenty minutes, Arsenal sort of said ‘is this is this all you’ve got,’ and yeah they just look incredible,” Rose stated.

“They look like they enjoy defending, enjoy getting there first on the crosses. And yes I think Spurs – I won’t say they were unlucky, but I think Arsenal definitely deserved the win.”

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It was fairly tight game, but Gabriel Martinelli did squander a huge chance for Arsenal in the first-half, whilst the Gunners also kept Spurs at bay superbly despite missing Declan Rice’s defensive presence.

Danny Rose praises William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes after North London derby

Rose went on to praise the performances of defenders Gabriel and William Saliba, who were imperious at the back for Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, whilst highlighting that Spurs had to take advantage of their initially dominant opening 20 minutes.

“100% [When asked if Spurs had to take advantage of the first 20 minutes]. Especially when you’re playing against an Arsenal team where the goalkeeper won the Golden Glove last season,” he added.

“Gabriel and Saliba just look incredible together, they look like they really do enjoy defending, and Spurs had to capitalise on the first 15-20 minutes.”

Arsenal were the better team overall with the bigger chances, and despite sitting back after taking the lead, the sheer quality of their defending meant Spurs did not even come close to scoring.

Mikel Arteta has now opened up about the challenges that he faced in preparing for the North London Derby.

Arsenal were triumphant in Sunday’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

Mikel Arteta’s side were able to secure a 1-0 win on the road against Spurs, courtesy of a second half Gabriel Magalhaes header.

This victory meant that Arteta’s side have beaten Spurs away from home three times in a row, a feat that even Arsene Wenger never achieved in his time at the helm.

However, this was not an easy game for Arsenal, as Spurs had chances themselves, nor was there anything straightforward about the build-up.

Arsenal are currently enduring something of an injury crisis. The likes of Martin Odegaard, Riccardo Calafiori, and Mikel Merino, amongst others, were all absent for this clash. Oleksandr Zinchenko also picked up a late injury.

On top of that, Declan Rice was also sidelined with a suspension.

Mikel Arteta reveals North London Derby preparation woes

Speaking after the match, as quoted by the official Arsenal website, Arteta discussed how he coped with the absences afflicting his squad.

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The Spanish coach said: “I didn’t enjoy it because I didn’t sleep much. I looked at Spurs for four or five days. I had a super clear plan, how to do it.

“I prepared everything, the session, the meeting, etc, and then one news, we lose a player. Another news, we lose another player. Another news, we lose a player. So I had to completely change it.

“I liked the plan for the players that we had available, so it was a great challenge.”

How Arsenal adapted against Tottenham Hotspur

Arteta was forced to ring the changes against Spurs. Leandro Trossard moved infield, operating as a playmaker in the absence of Odegaard. The Belgian impressed in this role, carving out a number of chances, including one particularly enticing opportunity that Gabriel Martinelli was criticised for wasting.

Meanwhile, Jorginho and Thomas Partey started together in the middle of the park for the first time ever, and whilst they struggled to cope with the pace of the game at times, the duo’s experience saw them through the match.

All in all, Arteta deserves huge credited for concocting a successful game plan in such trying circumstances.

Arsenal are set to take on Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby, and they are very familiar opponents for attacker Kai Havertz.

Havertz has been outstanding as a centre-forward in 2024, and will hope to continue his strong start to the season with a goal against Arsenal’s biggest rivals.

The German is very familiar with the significance of Arsenal’s rivalry with Tottenham, having also played against them with Chelsea, and Havertz netted in last season’s victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Havertz is now playing alongside former Chelsea teammates Jorginho and Raheem Sterling, with the latter in line to make his Arsenal debut after joining on loan on deadline day.

Arsenal are set to come up against another one of Havertz’s former Chelsea teammates, and compatriot Timo Werner in the clash with Spurs, but the 25-year-old will not be in the mood for any friendly greetings.

Arsenal star Kai Havertz does not speak to Tottenham players

In an interview ahead of the North London derby, Havertz was asked whether he had spoken to Werner, but the Arsenal star gave an answer which fans will love.

“I don’t speak to Spurs players now,” Havertz replied.

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Havertz and Werner both joined Chelsea at the same time, as teammates in the German National Team, and have played against each other in the Bundesliga and the Premier League, with Werner coming off the bench in Arsenal’s win at Spurs last season.

Kai Havertz’s record against Tottenham Hotspur

Havertz performed superbly in the 3-2 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last season, assisting Bukayo Saka’s goal before heading in from a corner to make it 3-0 before half time.

In eight appearances against Spurs for Bayer Leverkusen, Chelsea and Arsenal, Havertz has scored twice and provided one assist, with his other goal coming for Chelsea in the Carabao Cup.

In the potential absence of Martin Odegaard, Havertz may be forced to drop into midfield, but he will nevertheless hope to make an impact in another huge game for Arsenal.

Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit seems to have angered former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie O’Hara just before the North London Derby.

Mikel Arteta and Ange Postecoglou’s men will both be going into the fixture looking for a win, and it could be a great game to watch.

Spurs have a better chance on Sunday than they have had in recent years because as many as seven Arsenal players could miss the North London Derby.

That is a big advantage for them, but Arsenal legend Petit believes the Gunners’ problems will have no bearing on the result whatsoever.

Jamie O’Hara reacts to Emmanuel Petit’s Arsenal and Tottenham combined XI

Petit left Arsenal over two decades ago, but he still remembers how fierce the rivalry is between the Gunners and Tottenham.

The legendary Frenchman, who won a number of trophies including the World Cup, played in plenty of derbies in his career, and he’s a great judge of players.

On talkSPORT, Petit was asked about his prediction for the upcoming North London Derby. Instead of giving a straight answer, he told Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent to name how many Spurs players would get into an Arsenal and Tottenham combined XI.

With Martin Odegaard expected to miss the game and Declan Rice suspended, those two players were not taken into consideration.

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Even then, only Heung-min Son and James Maddison made the cut.

“So maybe two (Spurs) players maximum (get into Arsenal’s team), even when Odegaard and Declan Rice are not there! So you have your answer (on who will win).”

O’Hara, who is a big Tottenham fan, was not happy at all.

He said on talkSPORT: “I think he’s talking garbage and I can’t believe I’m saying that about Emmanuel Petit because he’s literally one of the legends!

“Two players? What’s he talking about? How many Arsenal players get into Spurs’ team?”

O’Hara thinks six Tottenham players would get into Arsenal’s team

We don’t know what O’Hara is so upset about, Petit is absolutely right!

Son is the only Tottenham player who would even get close to the Arsenal team when everyone’s fit. Maddison could get the nod if Odegaard’s unavailable, but if not, he’s not getting anywhere near Arteta’s side.

We completely agree with Petit here, but O’Hara, to defend himself, has come up with his own combined XI, and we think it is absolutely ridiculous.

The pundit picked Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro in defence, with Yves Bissouma, Maddison and Son also in the side.

O’Hara believes only David Raya, William Saliba, Thomas Partey, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz would get into this Spurs side, which is simply absurd.

The three Spurs defenders he has picked conceded 61 goals in the Premier League in the 2023/24 season, which is more than twice as many as Arsenal’s backline did.

Bissouma is a decent player, but he doesn’t even get close to Partey if both players are fully fit.

O’Hara claimed that Petit’s combined XI is ‘garbage’, but we think he should have a long, hard look at his team before commenting on a World Cup winner’s opinion.

Arsenal have a few problems going into the game against Tottenham Hotspur.

Mikel Arteta seemed really positive in his press conference on Friday, but the Spaniard knows it’s not ideal to have multiple concerns regarding player availability.

As many as seven Arsenal players could be ruled out of the Tottenham clash on Sunday, and that is a massive blow.

One of those players is Declan Rice, who is suspended for the North London Derby following his red card against Brighton and Hove Albion.

One thing nobody is talking about as Declan Rice will miss Tottenham vs Arsenal clash

Everybody knows that Rice will be a huge miss for Arsenal against Tottenham on Sunday.

The Englishman is up there with the best midfielders in the world. He’s great on the ball, solid without it, and his presence in the middle of the park makes the Gunners incredibly strong.

However, Rice will not be available for the North London Derby, and with that, Arsenal will lose one of their biggest weapons – no, we’re not talking about his role as a midfielder.

Since the turn of 2024, one of Arsenal’s smartest decisions has been to make Rice their primary right-footed set-piece taker.

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The former West Ham man has been absolutely sensational in that role, and his corners are so good that they cause opposition defenders all sorts of problems.

Even in the North London Derby at Tottenham last season, Rice’s corner led to Arsenal’s third goal – a great header from Kai Havertz.

Nobody’s really talking about how big a miss Rice’s set-piece deliveries will be. It will be interesting to see what Arteta and Nicolas Jover have planned to fill that void on Sunday.

Arsenal’s set-piece takers with Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard out

Among Arsenal’s usual set-piece takers are Rice and Martin Odegaard, and it looks like both players will miss the North London Derby on Sunday.

We think Bukayo Saka will take over Odegaard’s duties – the Arsenal number seven already takes the corners from the right side, and he is pretty good at them.

As for Arsenal’s right-footed options to replace Rice, Arteta has a few choices, but we’re not sure if anyone can whip the ball in like the England midfielder does.

Gabriel Martinelli used to take the corners before Rice arrived and he could be tasked with that again. Leandro Trossard is another option, while Raheem Sterling could also do the job if he plays.

It will be interesting to see who Arteta will go with, but we think Rice’s absence is a massive blow against this Tottenham side who are awful at defending set-pieces.

Arsenal’s bitter rivalry with Tottenham Hotspur dates back over 100 years, but the red side of North London has almost always been dominant throughout this time.

Historically, Arsenal are the bigger and more successful club than Spurs, in terms of trophies and global fanbase, and Mikel Arteta has reestablished league dominance over Tottenham in the last two seasons.

Arsenal’s size and popularity across the globe also means that plenty of current footballers all over the Premier League grew up supporting the club.

Current players will have spent their childhoods watching Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal, with the likes of Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas inspiring generations of footballers, and this even includes some current Spurs players.

Tottenham’s record goalscorer Harry Kane was notably an Arsenal fan who came through the youth system at the club, whilst other former players including Serge Aurier and Darren Bent have also admitted that they supported the Gunners before or even after their spells at Spurs.

Four current Spurs stars did grow up supporting Arsenal, and it will be interesting to see how they fare in the upcoming North London Derby.

Dominic Solanke grew up supporting Arsenal

Spurs spent a record £65m to sign Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke this summer, but fans saw the funny side as his previous comments about Arsenal emerged.

“Would have probably been Arsenal,” Solanke replied when asked what his first football shirt was.

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“Yeah, my dad was an Arsenal fan, so I used to follow them. I went to a few Emirates Cups, back in the day.

“Back in the day, when you’re young, you love watching football and stuff. When you actually, like, grow up and you start playing against the teams, it’s a bit hard to support a team.”

Solanke has failed to score, assist or win in five games for Bournemouth against Arsenal, and it is hoped that this streak will continue as he returns from injury for his first North London Derby.

What Tottenham Hotspur star James Maddison previously said about Arsenal

Before Arsenal signed Martin Odegaard in the summer of 2021, they were heavily linked with Leicester City midfielder James Maddison, who then moved to Spurs two years later.

Fans were quick to point out a series of now-deleted posts on X from the England International, in which he praised Arsenal players and slammed Spurs sensation Gareth Bale over 10 years ago.

“I hate Gareth Bale with a passion, calm down you monkey, [Jack] Wilshere is 10x better than you chimpanzee,” Maddison tweeted on 17th November 2012, the same day as Arsenal’s second 5-2 victory over Spurs at the Emirates Stadium.

“Hope Luis Suarez destroys Tottenham today, don’t like Spurs! Especially that monkey everyone’s on about!” He posted a few months later.

However, it is unclear whether his previous dislike for Spurs does make him an Arsenal fan despite all evidence pointing towards it, as he denied any Arsenal links shortly after joining Spurs.

“I’ve never in my life been a Gooner, just for the record,” he commented on his Instagram early on in his Spurs career.

Dejan Kulusevski admitted his love for Arsenal

Tottenham winger Dejan Kulusevski had a fast start in North London after arriving in January 2022, but has been fairly inconsistent since.

Nevertheless, the Swedish winger is talented, and given his position and nationality, he has been compared with Arsenal legend Freddie Ljungberg.

Kulusevski probably grew up idolizing Ljungberg, and he has actually admitted his admiration for The Gunners on several occasions.

“My favourite team is Arsenal because I like everything about the club, the city, the players and the way they play football,” he stated on the Swedish Lundh Podcast early on in his career in Serie A.

Kulusevski then caused fury as he hinted at his desire to play for Arsenal whilst still at Spurs. He joined Tottenham on an initial loan with an obligation to buy, but before the permanent deal was confirmed, he hinted that he would one day love to play on the other side of the North London divide.

“There’s one team I’ve always wanted to play for, and I think I will play there one day. But I don’t want to say what team it is because it’s sensitive stuff. But people close to me know,” he stated in the summer of 2022.

Who knows, perhaps we could see Kulusevski follow the path of Sol Campbell, in playing for both Arsenal and Tottenham.

Yves Bissouma has previous connections with Arsenal

Before he joined Spurs, Arsenal were interested in signing Yves Bissouma from Brighton, and it was reported at the time that he was a fan of the club.

Bissouma even played alongside Gabriel Magalhaes at Lille, but he ended up joining Tottenham two years ago.

The midfielder did anger Arsenal fans back in 2019, as he was pictured laughing at the crestfallen players after Unai Emery’s side drew with Brighton, costing them a place in the top four, despite his boyhood admiration for the Gunners, and it is easy to see why a move never materialised.

Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur welcome Arsenal for the North London Derby on Sunday.

The two sides share a very fierce rivalry, and anything but a win for the two clubs, especially Arsenal, will be viewed as a disappointing result.

Mikel Arteta will go for the win on Sunday, but Arsenal could be without seven players for the North London Derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

That, in all likelihood, makes them weaker, but Postecoglou is just not prepared to allow his players to think that way ahead of the big game.

Ange Postecoglou reacts to Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard missing Tottenham vs Arsenal

Arsenal will definitely be without Declan Rice when they face Tottenham because the Englishman is suspended following his red card against Brighton.

That is a huge blow in itself, but unfortunately for the Gunners, there’s more bad news.

Martin Odegaard could be out for a month due to an ankle injury he suffered while playing for Norway against Austria.

Everyone will agree that Arsenal are weaker without Rice and Odegaard in their side, but Postecoglou is having none of that.

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The Tottenham boss still believes the Gunners are ‘very strong’, and he has claimed that if his players think Arsenal will be weak without Odegaard and Rice, Spurs will get ‘punished’.

When asked if Rice and Odegaard’s unavailability gives Tottenham an advantage, Postecoglou said as relayed on HaytersTV: “That’s a hell of a trap to fall into if you think they’re relying on just two players.

“Yeah, they are two important players, we were missing key players last year as well but we still managed to have significant performances.

“I think it seems like Arsenal, like I said have been very, very consistent over the last two years, can fill whatever gaps they have, they’ve got some good quality in their squad. The key for us is to focus on our performance.”

Postecoglou further added: “If you go in there thinking they are going to be somehow weak, I think you’re going to get punished. I think we go in there thinking and believing they are very strong, which I think they will be.

“We’ve got to be at our best. We know, at our best and playing the football we can, we can match with them.”

How Arsenal could beat Tottenham in the North London Derby

Postecoglou has definitely improved Tottenham since he took charge of the club, and as annoying as it is to say, Spurs are a good side now.

However, there are still some very obvious weaknesses that Arsenal could exploit.

Individually, Tottenham’s first-choice backline of Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie are very good, but collectively, they can be a mess.

In the 2023/24 season, Spurs conceded 61 goals in 38 games – that’s over twice as many as Arsenal did in the entire campaign.

Tottenham play a high line that often gets them in trouble. If Arteta’s midfielders can get the ball in behind those defenders and release the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Raheem Sterling, Arsenal will destroy Spurs.

Arsenal will definitely have chances in the derby on Sunday. All they need to do is convert them.

Ethan Nwaneri is in contention to feature for Arsenal when they face Tottenham Hotspur.

The first North London Derby of the season is scheduled to take place on Sunday, and it is a massive game for both clubs.

Spurs will fancy their chances because as many as seven Arsenal players could be ruled out of the game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Martin Odegaard has suffered an ankle injury, and the Norwegian will likely be the biggest miss for the Gunners. However, that could open the door for Nwaneri.

Mikel Arteta hails Ethan Nwaneri’s maturity ahead of Tottenham vs Arsenal

Nwaneri is one of the biggest talents Arsenal’s academy has produced in recent years.

The versatile attacker, still only 17 years old, broke the Premier League record by becoming the youngest player to make an appearance in the history of the competition.

There’s real excitement at Arsenal around Nwaneri, who had a really impressive pre-season tour of the United States earlier this summer.

Now, with Odegaard injured, Nwaneri could be an option for Arsenal against Tottenham in the North London Derby on Sunday.

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Arteta, as he always does, kept his cards close to his chest when asked about the teenager playing against Spurs, but he admitted that he has seen ‘huge development’ in Nwaneri with respect to his maturity and understanding of the game.

He said, as per The Standard: “Huge development! I think big credit to everybody working in the academy, the coaches starting with Jack (Wilshere), Mehmet (Ali), all the coaches around him, Per (Mertesacker), that have prepared the player to be in the right position right now to shine and be prepared for the different context, and obviously the demands that he is going to be facing right now.

“He’s been doing really well, physically very mature, personally really mature, his game understanding has improved a lot. And then let him do. He has an enormous quality, a lot of talent and he needs the space to shine.”

When asked if Nwaneri could play a part in the derby, Arteta said in the live section of his press conference, as relayed on HaytersTV: “The young kids have given us a lot of hope and a lot of right reasons as well to count on them.

“If we need to, we will do it, for sure.”

Should Nwaneri start vs Tottenham in the North London Derby?

Odegaard’s absence is a significant blow for Arsenal ahead of what will likely be their toughest test of the 2024/25 season so far.

The Norwegian is the man who usually runs the show for the Gunners, but Arteta will have to find someone else to do it on Sunday.

Nwaneri is definitely an option, and for the reasons Arteta mentioned above, he has the quality to have a positive impact in the game.

However, throwing a 17-year-old into a high-pressure North London Derby away from home just seems a bit too risky for us.

We’d rather see Nwaneri come off the bench against Tottenham than start on Sunday.