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Eze has only started 14 games this season, and hadn't played 90 minutes for Arsenal since November 23. He was understandably delighted to be back in the limelight for Mikel Arteta's side, who restored their five point lead at the Premier League summit.

Speaking after the game, the playmaker said to Sky Sports: ""I'm always trying to get in those positions to be ready and to find the space and to work hard to get those opportunities. It takes a lot to get there and it's worked out today. We put in a good performance. We did what we needed to do today, which was the main thing."

Pressed on the importance of responding to their disappointing draw with Wolves in midweek, he replied: "Yeah, for sure that's the main thing. We know what we're capable of. We have to play games to dominate and to win and we've got the players in the team to do it. Important win for us and we keep going."

On Viktor Gyokeres, who also scored twice, he added: "Vik was hoping that all game. You can see how much he helps the team. Not just with his goals, with the effort he puts in and he puts players like me in good positions and it helps a lot, and he's got his two goals today which he deserves for sure."

Spurs are languishing in 16th and are very much in danger of relegation. The north London club sit just four points clear of 18th-placed West Ham United, and have managed to win just seven of their 27 games.

Per the BBC, Arsenal recorded their biggest away win against Tottenham in the league since a 5-0 victory in December 1978, while it is the second season in which the Gunners have won both league meetings with Spurs by three or more goals, after the 1934-35 season.

Defender Micky van de Ven said: "Arsenal were the better team. We were still in the game at 1-1 but after the second half, they scored straight away and then it was really difficult.

"We could do the press a bit better. We pressed high but Arsenal came out of it. It's something we need to work on. They were the better team today.

"It's a risk when you go man for man and if one man is late then you're going to be open but when you win the ball high, there are so many options for us. But on the opposite, when they come out, it's a big risk."

On interim boss Igor Tudor, who managed his first game against the Gunners, Van der Ven added: "He is on us all week. Every day we worked on it. It's his first week and he wants to help us in every way. We have all the week to prepare for Fulham. We need to win the games. Step by step. We play Fulham now."

Dele was Spurs' guest of honour for the north London derby against Arsenal and, when on the pitch at half time, he teased an imminent return to the game he loves. Dele has not been employed by a club since his exit from Como in September 2025.

Per Matt Law of the Telegraph, he said: “I can’t wait to get back on the pitch playing, hopefully it won’t be too long now.”

An emotional Dele, who has endured a steep decline since leaving Tottenham in 2022, sent a hugely endearing message to the north London faithful.

He said: "I hope you've missed me as much as I've missed you. A lot has happened in our journeys since we were last together but I'm back today and I hope you know that you'll always be my family."

Dele joined Tottenham in 2015 after seeing his obvious potential noted at boyhood club MK Dons. He settled quickly among the Premier League elite and became a two-time PFA Young Player of the Year.

He hit 67 goals for Spurs through 269 appearances, while earning 37 caps for England. Dele took on a new challenge when joining Everton in 2022, with struggles for form and fitness being endured since then.

Dele has struggled to find a permanent home since his exit from Como, where he made one appearance, and was sent off. In 2023, he bravely revealed to Gary Neville that he had suffered abuse as a child.

Dele revealed that throughout his career he had been dealing with the trauma of his upbringing. He said he began dealing drugs when he was eight years old and was exploited by gangs as police would never suspect and search a child.

"I was adopted by an amazing family, I couldn't have asked for better people to do what they'd done for me. If God created people, it was them," he said of how he got through those dark times.

"They were amazing, and they've helped me a lot, and that was another thing, you know – when I started living with them, it was hard for me to really open up to them, because I felt within myself, it was easy to get rid of me again.

"I tried to be the best kid I could be for them. I stayed with them from 12, and then started playing first-team, professionally, at 16. It all sort of took off from there."

David Raya (8/10)

Made one sharp save early in the second half and another late on when he showed great reactions to get back and scramble the ball off his line. Commanded his penalty area really well when crosses came in.

Jurrien Timber (6/10):

Linked up well with Saka down the right, with Arsenal looking very threatening down that flank. Played the ball in to Gyokeres for his first goal.

William Saliba (7/10):

Solid display. Used his pace and strength well and dealt relatively comfortably with everything that came his way.

Gabriel Magalhaes (7/10):

Bit fortunate when he went down under a little shove from Kolo Muani which led to the Spurs striker's second goal being ruled out.

Piero Hincapie (8/10):

Another good display from a player finding his form. Great pass to play in Saka in the first half.

Martin Zubimendi (7/10):

Kept things ticking over in midfield. Doesn't look at his very best at the moment, but solid enough display.

Declan Rice (6/10):

Really poor error to give possession away for Kolo Muani to equalise straight after Eze's opener. Not up to his usual standards.

Eberechi Eze (9/10):

Another north London derby, another great day for Eze against Spurs. Took his first goal expertly to fire the Gunners in front and was alert in the box to make it 3-1. Really enjoyed himself in the No.10 role.

Bukayo Saka (7/10):

A constant threat down the right. Excellent play in the build-up to Eze's opener.

Viktor Gyokeres (9/10):

Led the line really well and dominated Dragusin throughout. Had one good early effort which flashed just wide, but found the net with a thumping finish early in the second half and added his second late on to wrap up the win. His best game for Arsenal.

Leandro Trossard (6/10):

Was in and out of the game. Had one long-range effort cleared off the line and another which went inches wide just before half-time, but had other moments when he should have done better on the ball.

Cristhian Mosquera (6/10):

Replaced Timber early in the second half and performed well at right-back.

Martin Odegaard (7/10):

Brought on to add a bit of control to things as the clock ticked down and set up Gyokeres for his second.

Gabreil Martinelli (N/A):

Unable to make much of an impact.

Noni Madueke (N/A):

Replaced the injured Saka in injury time.

Mikel Arteta (8/10):

Made a big call starting Eze and it proved to be an excellent call.

While you might not have even noticed, and Arsenal's position at the top of the table hadn't really been under threat (until now), it has not been a happy start to 2026 for the Gunners. They have played eight league games since the turn of the year and won just three of them - drawing four times and suffering a home defeat to Manchester United to drop 11 points in what could ultimately prove to be a very costly winter.

For an expectant fanbase, there will be alarming echoes of last season, where six draws and two defeats in their last 13 matches of the campaign saw the north Londoners fall away spectacularly in the title race, with Liverpool ultimately finishing a comfortable 10 points clear at the top. Even before that, Arteta's side had ceded far too many points in draws to ever truly close the gap to the Reds.

This season was supposed to be different for Arsenal, who seemed to have built a squad and fostered a winning mentality so strong that they would be insusceptible to a mid-season wobble. However, their old problems have reared their ugly head.

Arsenal reached a new low in their downturn in form in midweek, surrendering a two-goal advantage away to basement boys Wolves as they stumbled to another damaging draw, with the agonisingly scrappy equaliser arriving in the 94th minute. To put the significance of that blunder into context, this was the first time in Premier League history that the team top of the table had let a lead of two goals or more slip against a side in the relegation zone, let alone bottom, per Opta.

When Piero Hincapie put the visitors 2-0 up in the 56th minute, the Gunners had a whopping 98.1% win probability - but their ill-timed recent fragility was exposed again in the final 30 minutes of the contest. Some scruffy defending from a corner around the hour mark saw Arsenal fail to clear properly and the ball was eventually recycled to Hugo Bueno, who wasn't closed down and whipped a wonderful finish beyond David Raya from the edge of the box.

Wolves' leveller deep in stoppage time was particularly ugly, as a breakdown in communication saw Raya and centre-back Gabriel jump for the same ball, with the goalkeeper only succeeding in patting it down for Tom Edozie, whose strike ricocheted in via Riccardo Calafiori and the post to spark pandemonium at Molineux.

The result means Arsenal's lead at the top of the table has been cut to five points, but they have played a game more than Man City. Arsenal have now dropped seven points from winning positions in 2026, with only relegation-threatened West Ham and Crystal Palace (eight apiece) boasting a worse record in that regard. As Arteta rightly pointed out afterwards, they only have themselves to blame.

Speaking in his post-match press conference, the downtrodden Gunners boss said: "We need to be critical of ourselves because it was not good enough. In the league, it is the reality that we have not been consistent over the last few months. You have to stand up. When you have a moment of difficulty, we have to show how much we want it and how good we are. We have to stand up."

The Spaniard continued: "We have to blame ourselves. I think the performance in the second half didn’t show anything close to the standards that are required in this league to win, and with the margins that I think should have existed today, especially in the manner that we played the first half.

"Any hit, any bullet, take it, because we didn’t perform at the level that is required. I think we need to go through the pain and you need to go through that looking in the mirror and understanding what the game requires now and the next action is on Sunday."

Inevitably, the result at Molineux saw Arsenal labelled bottle jobs on social media and among some pundits. Club legend Paul Merson told Sky Sports: "It's disappointing. You can't play in second gear. When Wolves went to 2-2, there was an urgency. They didn't have that before. You can't play like that. Every game is a cup final to the end.

"You've got to play at a high tempo. If Arsenal play at a high tempo, Wolves can't live with them. But to play the way they played, and it's slow and lazy, and they are giving the ball away, then Wolves are always going to be in the game. It's going come on full blast now, being bottle jobs, melting. It's full-on now - drawing away at Brentford and then being two goals up against the worst team in the league."

Responding to being labelled 'bottlers' in a press conference on Friday, Arteta said: "It's not part of my vocabulary and I don't see it like this because I don't think anybody wants to do that as an intention. I wouldn't use that word, but that's me. That's individual opinion, perspective. You have to respect that.

"You lose two points against Wolves in the manner that the game played out, you have to take it on the chin. What I'm very interested in is the next one, what we are made of, what we love about this and how we write our own destiny from here."

There have been long periods this season where second-placed Man City have not looked capable of reeling Arsenal in at the top of the table, with a new-look squad perhaps lacking the quality and know-how of years gone by. However, thanks mainly to their title rivals' sloppiness, they now find themselves within striking distance.

The schedule plays into their favour, too; with their win over Newcastle in the rear-view mirror, City have a favourable run of games that will see them take on Leeds, Nottingham Forest and West Ham. Arsenal, meanwhile, face a stern test against Chelsea after the north London derby this weekend, before another tricky midweek trip - this time to Brighton.

If they aren't careful, and Pep Guardiola's side build on the recent momentum, then March could see the Gunners dislodged at the top of the table for the first time since September, setting up a mouth-watering chase going into the run-in, with the clash between the two teams at the Etihad on April 18 already looking like a potential title decider.

First, though, is the small matter of Sunday's north London derby - a showdown that could either be the perfect tonic to Arsenal's recent woes, or potentially the match that is the catalyst for yet another 'bottle job' in a title race that they had largely dominated to this point. If it transpires to be the latter, then that will be the ultimate humiliation.

Losing to Tottenham in any given season is bad enough, but if they are beaten when they make the short trip to face this particular iteration of Spurs this weekend, it will go down as one of the most damning defeats the Gunners have suffered in the history of the rivalry. Not only would a loss mean that an advantage at the top of the table that once stood at seven points had all-but evaporated - bringing unbridled joy to their fierce local rivals - but they would also suffer the ignominy of going down to one of the worst Tottenham sides of all time.

Spurs are 16th going into the contest, hovering just five points above the relegation zone. Their horrific domestic campaign to date resulted in Thomas Frank being relieved of his duties in the wake of their latest reverse against Newcastle, with ex-Juventus and Marseille boss Igor Tudor drafted in to salvage something from the remainder of the campaign, even if that is just Premier League survival.

In the cauldron of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where the fervent home support will be absolutely desperate to see Arsenal slip up on their turf, the visitors will still be huge favourites. However, the atmosphere and a potential new manager bounce could have a huge role to play in the title race.

The potential psychological damage of failing to emerge with all of the derby spoils on Sunday - especially for a club that has beaten the 'mentality' drum all season long - cannot be understated. Lose, and this new-year blip becomes something much more sinister, especially given an expectant fanbase has shown it is liable to turning on the team quickly when things go awry. If the pressure isn't already getting to them, then it certainly will be if they leave their rivals' back yard licking their wounds.

Victory in the derby, however, could be the shot in the arm Arsenal need to get themselves back on track and, ultimately, over the line come May. To this point they have been worthy champions, albeit perhaps not the most watchable. They were a juggernaut earlier in the season, and heaping more misery on Tottenham should go some way to restoring their confidence.

Any negative result doesn't bear thinking about from an Arsenal perspective; it's win or bust. Anything less and they risk their season going down in the annals of the biggest Premier League bottle jobs of all time.

While you might not have even noticed, and Arsenal's position at the top of the table hadn't really been under threat (until now), it has not been a happy start to 2026 for the Gunners. They have played eight league games since the turn of the year and won just three of them - drawing four times and suffering a home defeat to Manchester United to drop 11 points in what could ultimately prove to be a very costly winter.

For an expectant fanbase, there will be alarming echoes of last season, where six draws and two defeats in their last 13 matches of the campaign saw the north Londoners fall away spectacularly in the title race, with Liverpool ultimately finishing a comfortable 10 points clear at the top. Even before that, Arteta's side had ceded far too many points in draws to ever truly close the gap to the Reds.

This season was supposed to be different for Arsenal, who seemed to have built a squad and fostered a winning mentality so strong that they would be insusceptible to a mid-season wobble. However, their old problems have reared their ugly head.

Arsenal reached a new low in their downturn in form in midweek, surrendering a two-goal advantage away to basement boys Wolves as they stumbled to another damaging draw, with the agonisingly scrappy equaliser arriving in the 94th minute. To put the significance of that blunder into context, this was the first time in Premier League history that the team top of the table had let a lead of two goals or more slip against a side in the relegation zone, let alone bottom, per Opta.

When Piero Hincapie put the visitors 2-0 up in the 56th minute, the Gunners had a whopping 98.1% win probability - but their ill-timed recent fragility was exposed again in the final 30 minutes of the contest. Some scruffy defending from a corner around the hour mark saw Arsenal fail to clear properly and the ball was eventually recycled to Hugo Bueno, who wasn't closed down and whipped a wonderful finish beyond David Raya from the edge of the box.

Wolves' leveller deep in stoppage time was particularly ugly, as a breakdown in communication saw Raya and centre-back Gabriel jump for the same ball, with the goalkeeper only succeeding in patting it down for Tom Edozie, whose strike ricocheted in via Riccardo Calafiori and the post to spark pandemonium at Molineux.

The result means Arsenal's lead at the top of the table has been cut to five points, but they have played a game more than Man City. Arsenal have now dropped seven points from winning positions in 2026, with only relegation-threatened West Ham and Crystal Palace (eight apiece) boasting a worse record in that regard. As Arteta rightly pointed out afterwards, they only have themselves to blame.

Speaking in his post-match press conference, the downtrodden Gunners boss said: "We need to be critical of ourselves because it was not good enough. In the league, it is the reality that we have not been consistent over the last few months. You have to stand up. When you have a moment of difficulty, we have to show how much we want it and how good we are. We have to stand up."

The Spaniard continued: "We have to blame ourselves. I think the performance in the second half didn’t show anything close to the standards that are required in this league to win, and with the margins that I think should have existed today, especially in the manner that we played the first half.

"Any hit, any bullet, take it, because we didn’t perform at the level that is required. I think we need to go through the pain and you need to go through that looking in the mirror and understanding what the game requires now and the next action is on Sunday."

Inevitably, the result at Molineux saw Arsenal labelled bottle jobs on social media and among some pundits. Club legend Paul Merson told Sky Sports: "It's disappointing. You can't play in second gear. When Wolves went to 2-2, there was an urgency. They didn't have that before. You can't play like that. Every game is a cup final to the end.

"You've got to play at a high tempo. If Arsenal play at a high tempo, Wolves can't live with them. But to play the way they played, and it's slow and lazy, and they are giving the ball away, then Wolves are always going to be in the game. It's going come on full blast now, being bottle jobs, melting. It's full-on now - drawing away at Brentford and then being two goals up against the worst team in the league."

Responding to being labelled 'bottlers' in a press conference on Friday, Arteta said: "It's not part of my vocabulary and I don't see it like this because I don't think anybody wants to do that as an intention. I wouldn't use that word, but that's me. That's individual opinion, perspective. You have to respect that.

"You lose two points against Wolves in the manner that the game played out, you have to take it on the chin. What I'm very interested in is the next one, what we are made of, what we love about this and how we write our own destiny from here."

There have been long periods this season where second-placed Man City have not looked capable of reeling Arsenal in at the top of the table, with a new-look squad perhaps lacking the quality and know-how of years gone by. However, thanks mainly to their title rivals' sloppiness, they now find themselves within striking distance.

The schedule plays into their favour, too; with their win over Newcastle in the rear-view mirror, City have a favourable run of games that will see them take on Leeds, Nottingham Forest and West Ham. Arsenal, meanwhile, face a stern test against Chelsea after the north London derby this weekend, before another tricky midweek trip - this time to Brighton.

If they aren't careful, and Pep Guardiola's side build on the recent momentum, then March could see the Gunners dislodged at the top of the table for the first time since September, setting up a mouth-watering chase going into the run-in, with the clash between the two teams at the Etihad on April 18 already looking like a potential title decider.

First, though, is the small matter of Sunday's north London derby - a showdown that could either be the perfect tonic to Arsenal's recent woes, or potentially the match that is the catalyst for yet another 'bottle job' in a title race that they had largely dominated to this point. If it transpires to be the latter, then that will be the ultimate humiliation.

Losing to Tottenham in any given season is bad enough, but if they are beaten when they make the short trip to face this particular iteration of Spurs this weekend, it will go down as one of the most damning defeats the Gunners have suffered in the history of the rivalry. Not only would a loss mean that an advantage at the top of the table that once stood at seven points had all-but evaporated - bringing unbridled joy to their fierce local rivals - but they would also suffer the ignominy of going down to one of the worst Tottenham sides of all time.

Spurs are 16th going into the contest, hovering just five points above the relegation zone. Their horrific domestic campaign to date resulted in Thomas Frank being relieved of his duties in the wake of their latest reverse against Newcastle, with ex-Juventus and Marseille boss Igor Tudor drafted in to salvage something from the remainder of the campaign, even if that is just Premier League survival.

In the cauldron of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where the fervent home support will be absolutely desperate to see Arsenal slip up on their turf, the visitors will still be huge favourites. However, the atmosphere and a potential new manager bounce could have a huge role to play in the title race.

The potential psychological damage of failing to emerge with all of the derby spoils on Sunday - especially for a club that has beaten the 'mentality' drum all season long - cannot be understated. Lose, and this new-year blip becomes something much more sinister, especially given an expectant fanbase has shown it is liable to turning on the team quickly when things go awry. If the pressure isn't already getting to them, then it certainly will be if they leave their rivals' back yard licking their wounds.

Victory in the derby, however, could be the shot in the arm Arsenal need to get themselves back on track and, ultimately, over the line come May. To this point they have been worthy champions, albeit perhaps not the most watchable. They were a juggernaut earlier in the season, and heaping more misery on Tottenham should go some way to restoring their confidence.

Any negative result doesn't bear thinking about from an Arsenal perspective; it's win or bust. Anything less and they risk their season going down in the annals of the biggest Premier League bottle jobs of all time.

Tottenham will hope for some of that new-manager bounce and a reversal in their horrible home form when they clash with fierce North London rivals and league leaders Arsenal.

Here is where to find English-language live streams of Spurs vs Arsenal, as GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the game today.

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Tottenham vs Arsenal kick-off time

Tottenham vs Arsenal will kick off on 22 Feb 2026 at 11:30 EST and 16:30 GMT.

Match preview

It's not quite panic stations for Arsenal fans, but they'll be concerned by the manner in which their side has dropped points in recent weeks. The Gunners will lead the table regardless of other results when they kick off for this North London Derby, but that lead will be trimmed to two points if Man City beats Newcastle on Saturday night.

Getty Images

Tottenham's injury woes continue to resemble a grocery list, but Spurs supporters will hope that the new-manager bounce is in full effect here. Croatian ex-Juventus boss Igor Tudor will take charge of his first game at the helm, and the 47-year-old's first job will be to address the club's woeful home record. Spurs have only picked up 10 points at their stadium this season, the third-worst record in the division.

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Arsenal's tendency to draw games on the road recently is threatening to derail their title chances after stalemates against Nottingham Forest, Brentford and most recently at bottom club Wolves.

This truly is a massive derby occasion at both ends of the table.

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Injury news, key NLD stats & facts

Spurs are without Wilson Odobert, Ben Davies, Destiny Udogie, Pedro Porro, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur and Mohammed Kudus with injuries. Cristian Romero is suspended.

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Mikel Merino misses the remainder of Arsenal's season with a broken foot. Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz are major doubts for this game after missing the 2-2 draw at Wolves.

Arsenal are unbeaten in the last seven Premier League H2Hs, winning six of those, and winning on each of their last three visits to Spurs in the top flight.

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Team news & squads

Form

Head-to-Head Record

Standings

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Clear Cache: Sometimes your browser holds onto your old location. Clear your cookies or refresh your browser to ensure the change takes effect.

Start Streaming: Go to your broadcaster's website and app and enjoy the game.

How to watch on the Big Screen

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Before Arsene Wenger became known as FIFA's man trying to radicalise the offside law for no good reason, he was a legendary football manager who revolutionised English football. Widely credited for transforming scouting and health among Premier League sides, Wenger's Arsenal won three Premier League titles, becoming the first team since Preston North End in the 19th century to go an entire season unbeaten. That 2003-04 campaign was the second time the Gunners clinched the league at Tottenham's home stadium.

That, however, remains the last time that Arsenal were crowned the kings of England. Wenger, despite offers from the likes of Real Madrid, chose to stay at the club as they navigated eight years of managing debt brought about by their move from Highbury to the £390 million Emirates Stadium. During this time, Arsenal couldn't spend as lavishly as their rivals - with Financial Fair Play rules not coming into effect until 2011 - and they had to sell key players in order to balance the books.

Arsenal ended a nine-year trophy drought in 2014 by clinching the FA Cup, while that summer they seemed to have been freed from financial restrictions that weighed so heavily on Wenger and the club for nearly a decade. Alas, football had changed plenty by that point, and debates over Wenger's long-term future never really ended once they started in around 2013, while the noise only became amplified in the new age of social media.

At the end of 2016-17, for the first time under Wenger's management, Arsenal failed to finish inside the Premier League's top four. He would last only one more season before standing down.

Amid the parliamentary arguments and fan referendums over Wenger down the road, Tottenham were quietly getting their act together again. Mauricio Pochettino was appointed head coach, later upgraded to manager, in 2014 and won over fans with his high-intensity style and likeable demeanour. Where before the likes of popular bosses Martin Jol and Harry Redknapp made fourth place seem like the limit of Spurs' capabilities, Pochettino smashed through that glass ceiling.

Tottenham battled Leicester City for the 2015-16 title, though only ever got to within four points of the fairy-tale Foxes down the stretch of that season. An inexplicable collapse saw Spurs drop to third place on the final day behind Arsenal, reminding everyone that the balance of power hadn't quite shifted in north London just yet.

One season on, it definitely had. In April 2017, for the first time in 22 years, Spurs cancelled the Arsenal tradition of 'St Totteringham's Day' - the date where it becomes mathematically impossible for Tottenham to finish ahead of the Gunners - by beating Wenger's side 2-0 in the last-ever north London derby at the old White Hart Lane.

"Spurs deserved to win, we have to accept that and analyse it. It is very disappointing, but the target at the beginning of the season is not to finish above Spurs, it is to win the league. They deserve it," a crestfallen Wenger said post-match.

Pochettino's men would finish with a club-record 86 points, second to only 93-point champions Chelsea. It showed this Spurs side were not a flash-in-the-pan and were deservedly a member of the Premier League's 'big six'.

Tottenham had their opening to wrestle control of north London away from Arsenal for good. They had one of the world's most promising coaches in Pochettino, who had grown a young core of stars such as Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Son Heung-min and Christian Eriksen, mixed with the experience of Hugo Lloris, Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld and Mousa Dembele.

Spurs' first XI that had flirted with the title was among the best in Europe, but they still sorely lacked depth. It didn't help that they had to leave White Hart Lane, where they had gone unbeaten for all of 2016-17, to spend a year-and-a-half at Wembley before returning to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Meanwhile, there always seemed to be some sort of civil war within the Arsenal space either side of Wenger's 2018 exit. Was Jack Wilshere better than Aaron Ramsey despite both being consistently injured? Should the team be built around Mesut Ozil or Alexis Sanchez? Why is Shkodran Mustafi still playing? Was Unai Emery the right man to take Wenger's job?

There was a sense of unity at Tottenham that had eroded at Arsenal since their 2004 title win. Everyone at Spurs seemed to be on the same page, until Pochettino in May 2018, for the first time as manager, called on the board to help him in the transfer market. They responded by failing to sign a single new player for the following two transfer windows.

Yet against all odds, Tottenham reached their first Champions League final in 2018-19, escaping a group of death after taking one point from three games, eliminating tournament favourites Manchester City via an infamous VAR call and scoring with effectively the last kick of their semi-final against Ajax. Arsenal had also qualified for the Europa League final, but the mood among their fans didn't improve.

In the three weeks or so leading up to both finals, many Arsenal supporters were uneasy at the prospect of Tottenham winning the Champions League before them. What happened in the Europa League paled in comparison to the thought of Spurs becoming the kings of Europe. It came as a massive relief when Pochettino's side lost 2-0 to Liverpool, softening the blow of the Gunners' own 4-1 defeat to Chelsea.

That was as close and clear an opening Tottenham have ever had to ruling north London on such a seismic scale.

Nearly six months on from the Champions League final, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy took the controversial step of replacing Pochettino with Jose Mourinho, hoping 'the Special One' would take Spurs from nearly-men to winners. Some reports also claimed Levy was wary that Arsenal were lining up Mourinho as a successor to the under-fire Emery, who was sacked a fortnight after Pochettino.

Levy claimed in Spurs' Amazon Prime documentary, 'All or Nothing', that he viewed Mourinho as one of the two best managers in football at that point, even despite his then-recent history of underperforming and being sacked by both Chelsea and Manchester United. Mourinho finished sixth in 2019-20 and was fired days before the 2020-21 Carabao Cup final against Manchester City, much to the confusion of players even if he was unpopular among fans.

Arsenal went down a different route. Where Tottenham looked to the short term, the Gunners stripped everything back and planned for the future. Former captain Mikel Arteta, who was assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and came close to succeeding Wenger in 2018, was appointed head coach. Like Pochettino, he would impress the board enough to be handed the title of manager later down the line.

There were several other behind-the-scenes changes at the Emirates Stadium, with Edu Gaspar - part of the 2003-04 'Invincibles' - promoted from technical director to sporting director, while Raul Sanllehi left to be replaced by Vinai Venkatesham as CEO.

Arteta's Arsenal, led by the heroics of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, won the 2019-20 FA Cup, though recorded back-to-back eighth-place finishes in the Premier League - their lowest since the pre-Wenger days. Nevertheless, there was an acceptance the rebuild would take a couple more years to bear further fruit.

The 2021-22 campaign brought back the halcyon days of a straight shootout between the north London rivals to finish fourth, again built on completely different philosophies. Arsenal rode out some poor early-season form and stood by Arteta, who was relying on a new generation of stars such as Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli to turn their fortunes around. Spurs, on the other hand, sacked new head coach Nuno Espirito Santo 10 games into his tenure, bringing in ex-Chelsea boss Antonio Conte.

Heading into the final three months of that season, it became clear Spurs and Arsenal were the only serious contenders for the final Champions League spot. Adding extra spice to the mix was a rearranged derby for the penultimate week of the campaign, with the original fixture postponed in controversial circumstances as Arsenal bemoaned they didn't have enough available players. Tottenham went into that game knowing a loss would have led to Arsenal clinching fourth, while they still needed the Gunners to drop points if they were to leapfrog them anyways.

Conte's men won 3-0, while Arteta's young side lost at Newcastle days later to allow Spurs to climb back above them into the top four. So much of the discourse in the closing weeks of that season was centred on what Champions League qualification would do for their respective and intertwined futures; Spurs were tipped to become title contenders again having done enough to keep Conte, Kane and Son around, while Arsenal were still a couple of years from such status. We couldn't have been more wrong.

Failure to secure Champions League qualification mattered little to Arsenal's summer 2022 plans, as they purchased Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City while welcoming back William Saliba from a fruitful loan spell at Marseille. Tottenham's marquee signings were Richarlison, Yves Bissouma, Clement Lenglet on loan and the ageing Ivan Perisic.

Conte, who has notably never been able to balance European football with domestic action, blew his lid during an extraordinary press conference in March 2023 and was sacked soon after, with the club and head coach never quite aligned on their vision. At the time, Spurs were fifth, while Arsenal were several points clear at the top of the table and were being rewarded for their patience in a long-term plan. They are yet to break their title duck, but three successive second-placed finishes isn't to be sniffed at unless you're Manchester City or Liverpool, and especially not if you're Tottenham.

This renaissance opened up new opportunities in the market for Arsenal, who fought off City to sign Declan Rice for £105 million in 2023 off the back of one title challenge, a show of intent Spurs never showed when they were in a similar position.

There has been a willingness at Tottenham to give their head coaches time, but they have committed very little to actually supporting them by improving the playing squad. As Ange Postecoglou attested on Sky Bet's Stick To Football podcast last week, his reward for guiding Spurs to fifth place after selling all-time leading scorer Kane was the signing of one Premier League-proven player (Dominic Solanke) and three teenagers.

The Australian had to win the Europa League last season by tanking the domestic campaign because Spurs simply didn't have the strength in depth - remember, an issue since the Pochettino era - to compete on multiple fronts. Thomas Frank deserved to be sacked earlier this month, but he too was let down by a hierarchy now led by ex-Arsenal chief Venkatesham, who left the Emirates just before they emerged as a powerhouse again.

There's no doubt Tottenham's current malaise has been compounded by Arsenal's relative success in recent years. Gunners supporters are beginning to realise that, like their Spurs counterparts of the Pochettino days, the teams you love the most aren't necessarily the ones who actually win trophies.

But that bonus is surely only around the corner for Arsenal. When they do win a major trophy and hold that parade, the capital may have to go into a form of lockdown. After all, they are the biggest club in London and the fruits of their labour will eventually prove that.

For example, a reported 70,000 people lined the streets for Chelsea's last title parade in 2015. Tottenham welcomed an estimated 150,000 for theirs last summer after winning the Europa League. Arsenal fans had to hear it all summer about the supposed 'champions of Europe', but their day in the sun is coming and their rivals from all over the country are going to know about it.

The north London derby is one of the greatest fixtures in the English football calendar, but there is a real danger that it won't be played next season.

Depending on results elsewhere, Spurs could enter the derby in 17th and only two points above the relegation zone. They are still without a win in domestic action in 2026 and have called upon Igor Tudor to rescue them from the drop ahead of a potential reunion with Pochettino in the summer. Fans who were around when Tottenham were last dumped out of the top-flight in 1976-77 claim there are stark similarities with this season and the threat of playing Championship football next year is far from alarmism.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have the chance to record a fourth-successive win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. For comparison, Spurs have only ever won twice at the Emirates. The Gunners are also favourites to win all four competitions they remain in this season, meaning the paths of these two clubs couldn't be any further apart than they are right now.

North London will be red for the considerable future regardless of Sunday's result, and it's incomprehensible how Tottenham managed to not only let their advantage in this arms race slip, but be completely reversed - and beyond.

Before Arsene Wenger became known as FIFA's man trying to radicalise the offside law for no good reason, he was a legendary football manager who revolutionised English football. Widely credited for transforming scouting and health among Premier League sides, Wenger's Arsenal won three Premier League titles, becoming the first team since Preston North End in the 19th century to go an entire season unbeaten. That 2003-04 campaign was the second time the Gunners clinched the league at Tottenham's home stadium.

That, however, remains the last time that Arsenal were crowned the kings of England. Wenger, despite offers from the likes of Real Madrid, chose to stay at the club as they navigated eight years of managing debt brought about by their move from Highbury to the £390 million Emirates Stadium. During this time, Arsenal couldn't spend as lavishly as their rivals - with Financial Fair Play rules not coming into effect until 2011 - and they had to sell key players in order to balance the books.

Arsenal ended a nine-year trophy drought in 2014 by clinching the FA Cup, while that summer they seemed to have been freed from financial restrictions that weighed so heavily on Wenger and the club for nearly a decade. Alas, football had changed plenty by that point, and debates over Wenger's long-term future never really ended once they started in around 2013, while the noise only became amplified in the new age of social media.

At the end of 2016-17, for the first time under Wenger's management, Arsenal failed to finish inside the Premier League's top four. He would last only one more season before standing down.

Amid the parliamentary arguments and fan referendums over Wenger down the road, Tottenham were quietly getting their act together again. Mauricio Pochettino was appointed head coach, later upgraded to manager, in 2014 and won over fans with his high-intensity style and likeable demeanour. Where before the likes of popular bosses Martin Jol and Harry Redknapp made fourth place seem like the limit of Spurs' capabilities, Pochettino smashed through that glass ceiling.

Tottenham battled Leicester City for the 2015-16 title, though only ever got to within four points of the fairy-tale Foxes down the stretch of that season. An inexplicable collapse saw Spurs drop to third place on the final day behind Arsenal, reminding everyone that the balance of power hadn't quite shifted in north London just yet.

One season on, it definitely had. In April 2017, for the first time in 22 years, Spurs cancelled the Arsenal tradition of 'St Totteringham's Day' - the date where it becomes mathematically impossible for Tottenham to finish ahead of the Gunners - by beating Wenger's side 2-0 in the last-ever north London derby at the old White Hart Lane.

"Spurs deserved to win, we have to accept that and analyse it. It is very disappointing, but the target at the beginning of the season is not to finish above Spurs, it is to win the league. They deserve it," a crestfallen Wenger said post-match.

Pochettino's men would finish with a club-record 86 points, second to only 93-point champions Chelsea. It showed this Spurs side were not a flash-in-the-pan and were deservedly a member of the Premier League's 'big six'.

Tottenham had their opening to wrestle control of north London away from Arsenal for good. They had one of the world's most promising coaches in Pochettino, who had grown a young core of stars such as Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Son Heung-min and Christian Eriksen, mixed with the experience of Hugo Lloris, Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld and Mousa Dembele.

Spurs' first XI that had flirted with the title was among the best in Europe, but they still sorely lacked depth. It didn't help that they had to leave White Hart Lane, where they had gone unbeaten for all of 2016-17, to spend a year-and-a-half at Wembley before returning to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Meanwhile, there always seemed to be some sort of civil war within the Arsenal space either side of Wenger's 2018 exit. Was Jack Wilshere better than Aaron Ramsey despite both being consistently injured? Should the team be built around Mesut Ozil or Alexis Sanchez? Why is Shkodran Mustafi still playing? Was Unai Emery the right man to take Wenger's job?

There was a sense of unity at Tottenham that had eroded at Arsenal since their 2004 title win. Everyone at Spurs seemed to be on the same page, until Pochettino in May 2018, for the first time as manager, called on the board to help him in the transfer market. They responded by failing to sign a single new player for the following two transfer windows.

Yet against all odds, Tottenham reached their first Champions League final in 2018-19, escaping a group of death after taking one point from three games, eliminating tournament favourites Manchester City via an infamous VAR call and scoring with effectively the last kick of their semi-final against Ajax. Arsenal had also qualified for the Europa League final, but the mood among their fans didn't improve.

In the three weeks or so leading up to both finals, many Arsenal supporters were uneasy at the prospect of Tottenham winning the Champions League before them. What happened in the Europa League paled in comparison to the thought of Spurs becoming the kings of Europe. It came as a massive relief when Pochettino's side lost 2-0 to Liverpool, softening the blow of the Gunners' own 4-1 defeat to Chelsea.

That was as close and clear an opening Tottenham have ever had to ruling north London on such a seismic scale.

Nearly six months on from the Champions League final, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy took the controversial step of replacing Pochettino with Jose Mourinho, hoping 'the Special One' would take Spurs from nearly-men to winners. Some reports also claimed Levy was wary that Arsenal were lining up Mourinho as a successor to the under-fire Emery, who was sacked a fortnight after Pochettino.

Levy claimed in Spurs' Amazon Prime documentary, 'All or Nothing', that he viewed Mourinho as one of the two best managers in football at that point, even despite his then-recent history of underperforming and being sacked by both Chelsea and Manchester United. Mourinho finished sixth in 2019-20 and was fired days before the 2020-21 Carabao Cup final against Manchester City, much to the confusion of players even if he was unpopular among fans.

Arsenal went down a different route. Where Tottenham looked to the short term, the Gunners stripped everything back and planned for the future. Former captain Mikel Arteta, who was assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and came close to succeeding Wenger in 2018, was appointed head coach. Like Pochettino, he would impress the board enough to be handed the title of manager later down the line.

There were several other behind-the-scenes changes at the Emirates Stadium, with Edu Gaspar - part of the 2003-04 'Invincibles' - promoted from technical director to sporting director, while Raul Sanllehi left to be replaced by Vinai Venkatesham as CEO.

Arteta's Arsenal, led by the heroics of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, won the 2019-20 FA Cup, though recorded back-to-back eighth-place finishes in the Premier League - their lowest since the pre-Wenger days. Nevertheless, there was an acceptance the rebuild would take a couple more years to bear further fruit.

The 2021-22 campaign brought back the halcyon days of a straight shootout between the north London rivals to finish fourth, again built on completely different philosophies. Arsenal rode out some poor early-season form and stood by Arteta, who was relying on a new generation of stars such as Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli to turn their fortunes around. Spurs, on the other hand, sacked new head coach Nuno Espirito Santo 10 games into his tenure, bringing in ex-Chelsea boss Antonio Conte.

Heading into the final three months of that season, it became clear Spurs and Arsenal were the only serious contenders for the final Champions League spot. Adding extra spice to the mix was a rearranged derby for the penultimate week of the campaign, with the original fixture postponed in controversial circumstances as Arsenal bemoaned they didn't have enough available players. Tottenham went into that game knowing a loss would have led to Arsenal clinching fourth, while they still needed the Gunners to drop points if they were to leapfrog them anyways.

Conte's men won 3-0, while Arteta's young side lost at Newcastle days later to allow Spurs to climb back above them into the top four. So much of the discourse in the closing weeks of that season was centred on what Champions League qualification would do for their respective and intertwined futures; Spurs were tipped to become title contenders again having done enough to keep Conte, Kane and Son around, while Arsenal were still a couple of years from such status. We couldn't have been more wrong.

Failure to secure Champions League qualification mattered little to Arsenal's summer 2022 plans, as they purchased Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City while welcoming back William Saliba from a fruitful loan spell at Marseille. Tottenham's marquee signings were Richarlison, Yves Bissouma, Clement Lenglet on loan and the ageing Ivan Perisic.

Conte, who has notably never been able to balance European football with domestic action, blew his lid during an extraordinary press conference in March 2023 and was sacked soon after, with the club and head coach never quite aligned on their vision. At the time, Spurs were fifth, while Arsenal were several points clear at the top of the table and were being rewarded for their patience in a long-term plan. They are yet to break their title duck, but three successive second-placed finishes isn't to be sniffed at unless you're Manchester City or Liverpool, and especially not if you're Tottenham.

This renaissance opened up new opportunities in the market for Arsenal, who fought off City to sign Declan Rice for £105 million in 2023 off the back of one title challenge, a show of intent Spurs never showed when they were in a similar position.

There has been a willingness at Tottenham to give their head coaches time, but they have committed very little to actually supporting them by improving the playing squad. As Ange Postecoglou attested on Sky Bet's Stick To Football podcast last week, his reward for guiding Spurs to fifth place after selling all-time leading scorer Kane was the signing of one Premier League-proven player (Dominic Solanke) and three teenagers.

The Australian had to win the Europa League last season by tanking the domestic campaign because Spurs simply didn't have the strength in depth - remember, an issue since the Pochettino era - to compete on multiple fronts. Thomas Frank deserved to be sacked earlier this month, but he too was let down by a hierarchy now led by ex-Arsenal chief Venkatesham, who left the Emirates just before they emerged as a powerhouse again.

There's no doubt Tottenham's current malaise has been compounded by Arsenal's relative success in recent years. Gunners supporters are beginning to realise that, like their Spurs counterparts of the Pochettino days, the teams you love the most aren't necessarily the ones who actually win trophies.

But that bonus is surely only around the corner for Arsenal. When they do win a major trophy and hold that parade, the capital may have to go into a form of lockdown. After all, they are the biggest club in London and the fruits of their labour will eventually prove that.

For example, a reported 70,000 people lined the streets for Chelsea's last title parade in 2015. Tottenham welcomed an estimated 150,000 for theirs last summer after winning the Europa League. Arsenal fans had to hear it all summer about the supposed 'champions of Europe', but their day in the sun is coming and their rivals from all over the country are going to know about it.

The north London derby is one of the greatest fixtures in the English football calendar, but there is a real danger that it won't be played next season.

Depending on results elsewhere, Spurs could enter the derby in 17th and only two points above the relegation zone. They are still without a win in domestic action in 2026 and have called upon Igor Tudor to rescue them from the drop ahead of a potential reunion with Pochettino in the summer. Fans who were around when Tottenham were last dumped out of the top-flight in 1976-77 claim there are stark similarities with this season and the threat of playing Championship football next year is far from alarmism.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have the chance to record a fourth-successive win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. For comparison, Spurs have only ever won twice at the Emirates. The Gunners are also favourites to win all four competitions they remain in this season, meaning the paths of these two clubs couldn't be any further apart than they are right now.

North London will be red for the considerable future regardless of Sunday's result, and it's incomprehensible how Tottenham managed to not only let their advantage in this arms race slip, but be completely reversed - and beyond.

He remains a fan favourite among Spurs supporters, and will be back in familiar surroundings when Arsenal pay a visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. An official statement on the club’s official website reads: “Dele returns to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday as our special guest for the north London derby.

“One of the most popular players of the modern era - 67 goals in 269 appearances in all competitions - the attacking midfielder won the hearts of Spurs fans over his seven years in Lilywhite, 2015-22. It says it all that his song 'we've got Dele...' was the first sung by fans at the new stadium, ahead of opening night against Palace in April, 2019.

“Supporters will be able to serenade him again at half-time on Sunday, when he will no doubt reminisce about some magical Spurs memories with Paul Coyte.”

Dele would prefer not to have a break in his schedule that allows a return to north London to be taken in. He was released by Como in September 2025 - having taken in just one substitute appearance for them that delivered a red card - and has been a free agent ever since.

He has been warned that it will not be easy to land another contract after seeing limited game time over the last three years. Ex-Spurs defender Stephan Carr has told GOAL of Dele’s bid to find a new club: “It’s scary how he’s fallen. He’s only 29, just gone past being in his peak, but the amount of football he has played in the last few years is very low.

“It’s very hard. It’s no different to when you get injured, you do all the training and getting back fit takes time. He’s missed a lot of football. The way he sounds, it seems he still has the hunger. But his chances are getting very slim now.

“Whether somebody else gives him an opportunity… He is a top player, has played for England, but that’s the past now. It’s about now and he hasn’t been playing, hasn’t been performing. It is last chance saloon for him. Whether he gets another very good opportunity, or whether his desire is there…

“Wherever he ends up, he isn’t going to get to pick. It could be a trial where you have to prove it. It’s whether he has the stomach for that. I’ve done it myself, going for a trial. For me, it didn’t bother me. It’s very difficult, it’s a different situation. I don’t know the lad, his personality or the people around him. He has fallen from grace dramatically. It’s very difficult to get back in. I know your head says it, but his body won’t be saying it because he hasn’t played in so long and he’s not used to it.”

Reported by The Telegraph, Spurs have received a latest blow in a tumultuous season as one long-time sponsor has already decided to cut ties with the club at the end of the campaign, as the damage caused by a prospective Premier League relegation fight becomes increasingly clear.

The unnamed sponsor has informed the club that their partnership will terminate at the end of the 2025/26 season, regardless of which division in which Spurs find themselves, with several factors believed to be at the centre of the breakdown in relationship with the well-known company. The deal was believed to have earnt Spurs millions over a number of years.

Sources have named Spurs’ decision to effectively sacrifice the Premier League under Ange Postecoglou last season, despite knowing the lucrative nature of the finances available, as a key factor. Sponsors are worried that a second disappointing season domestically this term could become an ongoing trend in future years unless new interim head coach Igor Tudor can turn things around, and deemed last term’s 17th-placed finish ‘unacceptable’.

A source told The Telegraph: “There has been no explanation from the club or acknowledgement of the domestic performance concerns from the club. Instead, their messaging was focused on the Europa League, which is not the tier of competition global sponsors expect from a so-called ‘elite club’.”

The growing disillusionment from home fans which has led to empty seats and a toxic atmosphere at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on matchdays is also cited as a factor, with a source saying: “Who wants to be associated with a club that is disliked by its own fans and nobody wants to entertain clients in a stadium that is not full and where people are angry? That is the reality.”

It is a concerning reality for sponsors when their branding is displayed inside a stadium which is half-empty and not happy, with Tottenham sponsors reportedly believing that declining attendance figures and fan satisfaction are impacting the perceived value of their sponsorship deals.

Furthermore, Spurs have shown that they lag behind their ‘big six’ rivals in terms of pulling power for high-profile transfers, with the likes of Arsenal hijack Eberechi Eze, Morgan Gibbs-White and Antoine Semenyo all snubbing the north London outfit in the last two transfer windows. The exit of Daniel Levy is also seen as a negative by sponsors, who felt greatly respected by the former chairman and have on occasion been left strikingly out of the loop by the new leadership structure.

Spurs could yet lose further sponsorship deals by the end of the season, while exit clauses are reportedly included in many deals.

A source told The Telegraph: “Even where agreements appear to be long-term or multi-year partnerships, they typically include termination or exit clauses that are not just based on relegation or European qualification. Some might even have the right to renegotiate their deals at the end of each contract year.

“That’s why some sponsors are already looking at the situation and making decisions even more seeing how the season ends. It might not only be one company who terminates.”

Earlier this week, a Tottenham spokesperson said: “We don’t disclose the commercial terms of our agreements with partners, this approach to confidentiality is standard in most industries.”

Reporting continues that while one of Spurs’ sponsorship agreements has already been confirmed to be over, another company also see a deal come to a conclusion with the Lilywhites at the end of the season and have yet to negotiate a renewal. A further company is also believed to be ‘considering their options’, and many remaining deals include lucrative bonuses based on European qualification which look almost certain to be missed out on.

The reality appears to be that until things improve for Spurs in the Premier League, issues off the field will only continue to multiply.