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Eberechi Eze might well have been preparing for the north London derby in the away dressing room had Tottenham Hotspur got their way in the summer. But a split-second decision from Mikel Arteta to sanction a €69.3million transfer in a board meeting changed the very course of their summer, with Eze choosing to sign for Arsenal over Spurs. Now, he faced them for the first time in a red shirt and the England international made it abundantly clear what they had missed out on with a sublime hat-trick in a 4-1 thumping Premier League victory on Sunday afternoon.

The warning signs were there when Eze, in the third minute, scooped a delightful chip over the Spurs backline to find Declan Rice but his England team-mate's effort was saved well by Guglielmo Vicario. Arsenal produced a few more waves of attack with Bukayo Saka's whipped free-kick stinging the hands of the Italian, with the Gunners dominating possession as they were practically camped in the Tottenham half. So it was no surprise when they took the lead in the 34th minute. Mikel Merino's clever dink sailed in between the Spurs back three and Leandro Trossard ghosted in behind them, springing the offside trap. On the swivel, the Belgian brilliantly found the corner with his back to goal, giving the hosts a deserved lead.

Despite fielding a front three with a combined market value of €100m, Spurs went into half-time without registering a single shot and Thomas Frank wore a frustrated look on the touchline. Yet the Dane's defensive 3-4-2-1 setup certainly contributed to his team being pinned back. The fact that the nine players on his bench totalled €340m in market value, compared to the €397m starting XI, told the whole story. Why were Randal Kolo Muani, Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Pedro Porro left on the bench?

Arsenal continued to press for another and got their reward when Rice supplied Eze this time, and the playmaker danced past one, two and three challenges before pulling the trigger from 15 yards, with Vicario unable to keep it out this time. If those 43 minutes proved anything, it demonstrated Eze certainly made the right call in snubbing the white side of north London for the red. Spurs looked jaded and incohesive in this shape, struggling to string passes together. How they could've done with a player of Eze's profile to take the ball up the field with his close dribbling and impressive speed. The player signed to take his reserved spot, Xavi Simons, was only named as a substitute following a disappointing start to life at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Dutchman was introduced at the interval for Kevin Danso as Spurs switched to a more attacking shape.

Within 60 seconds of that change, Jurriën Timber was able to have two bites of the cherry to find Eze waiting on the edge of the box and the playmaker placed his effort into the bottom corner. His second of the day, Arsenal's third, and the damage was done for Spurs. Frank's men were suddenly having to protect themselves from a hammering, such was the freedom Arsenal were getting in their half. They still hadn't attempted a single shot on David Raya's goal and, given their lack of threat in the defeat against Chelsea too, it is becoming an issue for Frank. Richarlison put an end to that with a spectacular effort from the best part of 45 yards out to catch out Raya and give Spurs the smallest glimmer of hope.

But Arteta's men, as they so often do, killed the game as a contest with Eze's third of the day to go six points clear of Chelsea ahead of their clash next week. Perhaps more importantly, they've secured a 20th home win against their bitter rivals since 1993 to secure the bragging rights again - and to Arsenal fans, nothing tastes sweeter than that.

©TM/IMAGO

A 5-4 at White Hart Lane in 2004. A 4-4 thriller in 2008. Back-to-back 5-2s at the Emirates in 2012. Arsenal vs Tottenham is a rivalry that not only provides animosity between fans, but a fixture that usually rains with goals. From Thierry Henry's iconic solo goal to Danny Rose's thunderbolt, the match-up has also seen it's fair share of mesmerising goal down the years. Just four miles separate the Gunner's stadium with Spurs' ground, and of all the derbies in the Premier League era, it has probably been consistently the closest between the two teams.

After 22 years of Arsenal finishing above Tottenham, leading to their supporters declaring their very own 'St.Totteringham's day' when it became mathematically unachievable for their rivals to surpass them, Spurs came above the Gunners for four seasons in-a-row between 2017 and 2021. Since then, Arsenal have re-asserted their dominance, with 16 places separating them in the Premier League last term. This Sunday, the pair meet at the Emirates with Mikel Arteta's team top of the table, and Thomas Frank's outfit in fifth. And if past meetings are anything to go by, we could be in for another goal-fest.

Club Comparison

Arsenal FC

Tottenham Hotspur

Premier League

Premier League

€1.31bn

Market Value

€920.60m

First Tier

League Level

First Tier

€293.50m

Expenditures 25/26

€210.60m

Mikel Arteta

Managers

Thomas Frank

Full Club Comparison

Premier League games with most goals-per-game

When we go back through the archives and look at all of the Premier League fixtures which have been played 60 times or more since the 1992/93 season, the North London derby actually ranks in the top 10 for the most goal-per-game. Which is surprising given the magnitude of pressure surrounding the fixture. The Premier League match-up with the most goals-per-game is actually none other than Tottenham vs Newcastle, which, in 60 meetings, has averaged 3.20 goals-per-game. Liverpool vs Newcastle takes second place with 3.16 goals-per-game from 61 encounters. Liverpool vs Spurs is the first ever-present Premier League fixture on the list in third with 3.12 goals-per-game from 66 meetings.

Fourth goes to Manchester United vs Newcastle with 3.05 goals-per-game, and that's followed by Arsenal vs Liverpool, which has averaged 2.97 goals-per-game. Then in sixth it's the North London derby with 2.88 goals-per-game from the 66 meetings between Arsenal and Tottenham in the Premier League era. Last season, the match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium finished 1-0 to Arsenal, whilst Arteta's side were 2-1 victors at the Emirates. But how does the North London derby goal ratio compare to the other iconic Premier League rivalries?

Premier League rivalries with most goals-per-game

We have lowered the threshold for Premier League rivalries to 50+ games to include the Manchester derby, but still focus on matches with a bigger sample size. As I'm sure readers would have deciphered from above, the North London derby comes out on top in this department. It's 2.88 goals-per-game narrowly betters the Manchester derby, which has boasted 2.86 goals-per-game from its 57 Premier League encounters. Chelsea vs Spurs is usually a confrontational affair, and is third with 2.76 goals-per-game. In fourth is another London derby between Arsenal and the Blues, with 2.73 goals-per-game in that fixture.

The North-West derby between English giants Manchester United and Liverpool ranks fifth with an average of 2.67 goals-per-game. The Red Devils vs the Gunners was the iconic fixture around the Millennium but only averaged 2.49 goals-per-game. The Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton used to be renowned for being a feisty affair, but has only averaged 2.27 goals-per-game down the years in the Premier League. Will the North London derby continue to deliver goals at the Emirates this Sunday?

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©TM/IMAGO

Manchester United manager Rúben Amorim will be desperate for all three points against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday for a number of reasons. First and foremost, the Red Devils boss will be keen to extend his side’s unbeaten run in the Premier League to five games. But perhaps second on the list will be an opportunity to take advantage of Spurs’ inconsistent form to finally claim a win over the North London side, since Amorim took over at Old Trafford.

Club Comparison

Tottenham Hotspur

Manchester United

Premier League

Premier League

€920.60m

Market Value

€730.20m

First Tier

League Level

First Tier

€210.60m

Expenditures 25/26

€250.70m

Thomas Frank

Managers

Rúben Amorim

Full Club Comparison

Indeed, while Sir Alex Ferguson may have famously poked fun at how easy the fixture once was for Man Utd - the Scot is quoted as once saying “Lads, it’s Tottenham” in a somewhat condescending team talk - his successor will be saying nothing of the sort on Saturday. In his first season at the club, Amorim suffered defeat on no less than three occasions when his team locked horns with Spurs with a 4-3 defeat in the quarter-finals of the League Cup, a 1-0 loss in the Premier League back in February and then, most notably, when Spurs overcame Man Utd by a solitary goal to win last season’s Europa League final.

However, while Amorim did very little to endear Man Utd fans to his tactics and methods when he joined the club last season and duly lost three consecutive games to Tottenham in the space of six months, the club’s poor run of form against their North London opponents actually predates Amorim’s move to the club. And when we compare it to Man Utd’s record against the other “Big Six” clubs in the Premier League, we find that Spurs have actually become something of a bogey club for the Old Trafford giants in recent seasons.

As we can see from the graphic above, when we look at Man Utd’s points-per-game average against the English top-flight’s five other big clubs in all competitions, we can see that Tottenham have inflicted the most grief on the Red Devils since the start of the 2022/23 season. In that time, Spurs have won five of their eight encounters, drawn two and lost just once to Man Utd since October 2022. When we break that down to a per-game average it works out at just 0.6 for Man Utd and is considerably less than their record against their other Premier League rivals.

While Arsenal can lay claim to an equally impressive record against Man Utd in that time (five wins and one draw in eight games), these figures show that the Old Trafford club have averaged twice as many points against Manchester City and almost three times as many points against Liverpool and Chelsea than they’ve managed against Tottenham in the last three seasons.

Xavi Simons’ troubling start to life at Tottenham Hotspur reached a new low on Saturday when he suffered the ultimate embarrassment for a footballer. The 22-year-old was introduced early on after Lucas Bergvall sustained a concussion issue, but Thomas Frank hauled him off again on 73 minutes after a miserable performance. Tottenham were awful against Chelsea, recording their lowest xG in history (0.10) but Simons was culpable for their insipid attacking display.

In his 66 minutes, Simons managed to lose possession on 15 occasions - more than any other player - and he has struggled badly to adapt to the demands of the Premier League following his €65m arrival from RB Leipzig. Simons is Tottenham’s record signing and is on a substantial wage in North London but Spurs fans are developing growing concerns over the attacking midfielder.

Xavi Simons: Poor start to Tottenham career

It’s imperative to stress that it’s still early in Simons’ Tottenham career and players generally require time to acclimatise to a new league, but the Netherlands international’s performances are worrying. Simons is unquestionably a technically gifted footballer but he's failed to adjust to the intensity and physicality of the Premier League. This was exemplified by a lovely turn against Chelsea before getting caught in possession and Sky Sports commentator Jamie Carragher highlighted these issues. He said: “It was fantastic initially, but when you’re in the Premier League, the pace and physicality of players coming back at you. He thinks he’s got all the time in the world to run away, but you just don’t have it.”

As the graphic above illustrates, Simons has registered just a solitary goal involvement with Tottenham - an assist for Pape Matar Sarr on his debut in the 3-0 win over West Ham. But despite showing glimpses of his undoubted quality, Simons has laboured in a Spurs attack that often lacks cohesion and creativity. Fifteen attack-minded players moved for fees in excess of €60m this summer but only Newcastle’s Anthony Elanga has a worse attacking contribution record than Simons.

Xavi Simons: Bundesliga vs Premier League form

It was a fascinating summer with Premier League clubs investing heavily to sign attackers from Bundesliga clubs. Simons was one of five players to move for fees of €65m or higher and they’ve experienced mixed fortunes. Nick Woltemade and Hugo Ekitiké looked inspired signings, while Benjamin Sesko is acclimatising fairly well at Manchester United. It’s arguably Simons and Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz that have experienced the most difficulties and there are similarities in their physical composition and style of play. Simons was the fifth most valuable player in the Bundesliga last season and his attacking output of 0.69 g/a per90 in the German top-flight was impressive.

©IMAGO

For the fourth successive home game, Tottenham Hotspur fell short in front of their own fans after a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea. João Pedro scored the only goal of the game on 34 minutes after some fine work from Moisés Caicedo, the best player on the pitch. When the ball crashed into the net, the atmosphere fell flat. If there was noise throughout the game, it emanated from the away end. But there was a sense of resignation that it was always going to go this way. The margin of victory should've been greater too - indeed, it would've been without Guglielmo Vicario's reflexes in goal. Pedro Neto, Reece James and Enzo Fernandez all had chances for the visitors. At the other end, only Mohammed Kudus really tested Robert Sanchez. Thomas Frank, if he didn't know it already, is facing with an urgent problem: Spurs simply can't win at home.

Club Comparison

Tottenham Hotspur

Chelsea FC

Premier League

Premier League

€920.60m

Market Value

€1.14bn

First Tier

League Level

First Tier

€210.60m

Expenditures 25/26

€339.15m

Thomas Frank

Managers

Enzo Maresca

Full Club Comparison

Since their opening day 3-0 victory over Burnley, Spurs have played four, lost three and drawn one at home in the Premier League. During that disappointing run of form, Frank's men have produced five goals, while conceding five at the other end. And failing to find the net against Chelsea, one of the least-impressive teams on the road in the top flight, would have been deemed a failure against their bitter rivals. Curiously, their form on the road has yielded much more positive numbers: five games, four wins and a draw, 12 goals for and three against. So, is it the burden of expectation on them from 60,000 demanding Spurs fans, who pay one of the highest prices in the league for their season ticket? Or is it merely a case of Frank's football being more suited to away fixtures, whereby the onus isn't necessarily on Spurs to break teams down? Against Enzo Maresca's Chelsea, the likes of Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani struggled to stand out.

At Brentford, Frank had a knack for picking up surprise results against bigger teams. Now, with the pressure of winning much higher at a club of Tottenham's stature, the 52-year-old may be struggling to make that transition from a mid-sized club to a bigger one after spending hundreds of millions in the transfer market. Of course, it must be noted that Spurs look a more organised outfit under his tutelage than the tail end of Ange Postecoglou's reign. They don't look like a team that will lose 22 of their 38 games this season, that's for sure. But there is understandable concern at their inability to beat teams that many would expect them to. A 1-1 draw against Wolves at home, for example, was deemed to be unacceptable given that Vitor Pereira's men at rooted to the bottom of the table. The 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth exemplified many of their issues - both in creating chances and putting them away. Then a 2-1 loss against Aston Villa, a team with indifferent form this term, came after they took the lead.

It's difficult to judge a team after 10 games, and for Spurs, being third in the Premier League at this stage is a definite improvement on their 17th-place finish in 2024/25. But the gap to 11th is just three points, offering a warning of how quickly things could go south. Sooner or later, Spurs have to start winning at home if their ambition is to finish in the top five this season. Competition is rife, perhaps more now than ever before, with Bournemouth and Sunderland proving to be surprise packages. Manchester United have improved, Crystal Palace are a force to be reckoned with, and it's fair to say those teams have established they can win tough games at home. But can Tottenham? The jury is still out - especially after extending their winless run to four games in N17.

©IMAGO

For the fourth successive home game, Tottenham Hotspur fell short in front of their own fans after a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea. João Pedro scored the only goal of the game on 34 minutes after some fine work from Moisés Caicedo, the best player on the pitch. When the ball crashed into the net, the atmosphere fell flat. If there was noise throughout the game, it emanated from the away end. But there was a sense of resignation that it was always going to go this way. The margin of victory should've been greater too - indeed, it would've been without Guglielmo Vicario's reflexes in goal. Pedro Neto, Reece James and Enzo Fernandez all had chances for the visitors. At the other end, only Mohammed Kudus really tested Robert Sanchez. Thomas Frank, if he didn't know it already, is facing with an urgent problem: Spurs simply can't win at home.

Club Comparison

Tottenham Hotspur

Chelsea FC

Premier League

Premier League

€920.60m

Market Value

€1.14bn

First Tier

League Level

First Tier

€210.60m

Expenditures 25/26

€339.15m

Thomas Frank

Managers

Enzo Maresca

Full Club Comparison

Since their opening day 3-0 victory over Burnley, Spurs have played four, lost three and drawn one at home in the Premier League. During that disappointing run of form, Frank's men have produced five goals, while conceding five at the other end. And failing to find the net against Chelsea, one of the least-impressive teams on the road in the top flight, would have been deemed a failure against their bitter rivals. Curiously, their form on the road has yielded much more positive numbers: five games, four wins and a draw, 12 goals for and three against. So, is it the burden of expectation on them from 60,000 demanding Spurs fans, who pay one of the highest prices in the league for their season ticket? Or is it merely a case of Frank's football being more suited to away fixtures, whereby the onus isn't necessarily on Spurs to break teams down? Against Enzo Maresca's Chelsea, the likes of Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani struggled to stand out.

At Brentford, Frank had a knack for picking up surprise results against bigger teams. Now, with the pressure of winning much higher at a club of Tottenham's stature, the 52-year-old may be struggling to make that transition from a mid-sized club to a bigger one after spending hundreds of millions in the transfer market. Of course, it must be noted that Spurs look a more organised outfit under his tutelage than the tail end of Ange Postecoglou's reign. They don't look like a team that will lose 22 of their 38 games this season, that's for sure. But there is understandable concern at their inability to beat teams that many would expect them to. A 1-1 draw against Wolves at home, for example, was deemed to be unacceptable given that Vitor Pereira's men at rooted to the bottom of the table. The 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth exemplified many of their issues - both in creating chances and putting them away. Then a 2-1 loss against Aston Villa, a team with indifferent form this term, came after they took the lead.

It's difficult to judge a team after 10 games, and for Spurs, being third in the Premier League at this stage is a definite improvement on their 17th-place finish in 2024/25. But the gap to 11th is just three points, offering a warning of how quickly things could go south. Sooner or later, Spurs have to start winning at home if their ambition is to finish in the top five this season. Competition is rife, perhaps more now than ever before, with Bournemouth and Sunderland proving to be surprise packages. Manchester United have improved, Crystal Palace are a force to be reckoned with, and it's fair to say those teams have established they can win tough games at home. But can Tottenham? The jury is still out - especially after extending their winless run to four games in N17.

It's transfer window may be closed in Europe's top leagues, but the rumours continue to circulate as clubs plan out future moves. Teams are working tirelessly behind the scenes on identifying targets and figuring out their budgets.

Managers will be constantly assessing their squads with sporting directors and recruitment staff scanning the market for potential deals. The rumour mill is still gathering pace and we've collated some of the biggest current transfer stories.

Today's biggest transfer stories

Real Madrid forward Endrick has struggled for game time this season and reports in Spain suggest that he could be on the move in January. West Ham, Real Sociedad and Valencia have all been linked with loan moves for the 19-year-old talent.

According to Fabrizio Romano, MLS side Orlando City are set to launch an audacious move for Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison. The transfer guru claims the US club have already made contact with the 28-year-old striker.

It's transfer window may be closed in Europe's top leagues, but the rumours continue to circulate as clubs plan out future moves. Teams are working tirelessly behind the scenes on identifying targets and figuring out their budgets.

Managers will be constantly assessing their squads with sporting directors and recruitment staff scanning the market for potential deals. The rumour mill is still gathering pace and we've collated some of the biggest current transfer stories.

Today's biggest transfer stories

Tottenham are reportedly now among the leading contenders to sign 25-year-old Crystal Palace and England defender Marc Guéhi, after his deadline day move to Liverpool fell through.

According to reports in Spain, Real Madrid's 27-year-old Uruguay midfielder Federico Valverde has emerged as a target for Manchester United next year.