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Igor Tudor is missing multiple first-team players for his first game as Tottenham boss against Arsenal, but is set to welcome two back on Sunday afternoon

Tottenham interim head coach Igor Tudor will begin his reign in England with a mouth-watering North London Derby against Arsenal. Spurs welcome Mikel Arteta to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, looking to deal a blow in their arch rivals' title hopes.

The Gunners have slipped up in their previous two games against Brentford and Wolves. Manchester City's 2-1 win over Newcastle United on Saturday means the gap at the top of the table is now just two points.

Like Thomas Frank, Tudor will be forced to work with a limited squad due to injuries to a number of players. Just 13 fit senior players are available, with the hope that Dominic Solanke can make that 14.

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Here, football.london brings you the lowdown of the injuries at Spurs....

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Dominic Solanke

Solanke has played just 11 games for Tottenham this season after an ankle injury kept him out for several months. He returned to action last month, but has suffered from a throat problem this week.

The issue has required antibiotics and Tudor confirmed he will have to decide if the striker is well enough to feature.

What Tudor said: "Solanke, Dominic, had some problems with his throat, but he made today some training. So, all others, probably someone next week."

Possible return date: Arsenal (H) - Sunday February 22

Pedro Porro

There had been hope that Porro would push for a return this week after suffering with a hamstring injury in the 2-2 draw against Burnley last month. However, the defender is still out.

What Tudor said: "[Porro] no."

Possible return date: Fulham (A) - Sunday March 1

Richarlison

The Brazilian picked up a hamstring injury in the FA Cup defeat to Aston Villa on January 10 and was initially ruled out for up to seven weeks. Frank had previously suggested that he could return in time for today's north London derby and Tudor confirmed in his pre-match press conference that he will be available.

What Tudor said: "Richy is back."

Possible return date: Arsenal (H) - Sunday February 22

Lucas Bergvall

After being a key part of the Spurs team, Bergvall has been out with an ankle injury since the 2-0 Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund over a month ago.

He has undergone surgery and no timescale has been put on his recovery. However, reports in Sweden have suggested he is no longer wearing a protective boot and his rehabilitation is "going in the right direction."

Possible return date: Late March/early April

Kevin Danso

Danso has missed the last three games after snapping a ligament in his toe in the Champions League win over Eintracht Frankfurt. It's expected that the defender will miss weeks before returning.

Potential return date: Late February/early March

Destiny Udogie

Udogie is expected to miss up to five weeks after his hamstring injury, which he picked up in the 2-0 loss to Manchester United, forced him to endure another period out.

Potential return date: Mid-March

Mohammed Kudus

Kudus has missed nearly two months of action after suffering a hamstring injury against Sunderland on January 4. He was initially ruled out until after the March international break, but recent reports have claimed he was in Amsterdam to see a specialist to speed up his return.

Potential return date: April

Wilson Odobert

Odobert is the latest player to join the long list of absentees for Tottenham following his knee injury picked up against Newcastle. The winger has since had surgery and no timescale has been provided.

Potential return date: Late 2026

Dejan Kulusevski

Kulusevski hasn't played for Tottenham since the end of last season due to a patellar injury. Before being sacked, Frank admitted he was unsure if the forward would play again this season.

What has been said: “It's a complicated injury where it’s important to make sure there’s no pain in the knee,” said Frank. “That’s why he got an injection and it hopefully will help. So in three to four weeks’ time, he’ll be on the grass pain-free."

Potential return date: Unknown

Rodrigo Bentancur

Bentancur is expected to miss the majority of the season after undergoing surgery on his hamstring last month. The midfielder was ruled out for three months at the time.

Potential return date: Spring 2026

Ben Davies

In the 2-1 loss to West Ham United, Davies suffered a broken ankle and has had two operations. He is a doubt for the World Cup, should Wales qualify, with his contract in north London due to expire at the end of the season.

Potential return date: Unknown

James Maddison

Maddison suffered a serious knee injury in pre-season and has yet to play for Spurs this campaign. He has undergone surgery but is expected to be out until the summer.

Latest injury news on Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, and Martin Odegaard as Arsenal take on Tottenham in the Premier League looking to get their title challenge back on track

It's North London Derby day and Mikel Arteta will hope to guide the Gunners back to winning ways with as many healthy players as possible. After giving up leads to record draws in two consecutive matches, the Spaniard might even be more desperate than usual to get one over Tottenham.

Manchester City sit just two points behind following their win over Newcastle on Saturday, and anything but a win will allow Pep Guardiola's side a significant opportunity to leapfrog Arsenal with their game in hand. Tense times.

Arteta has uncertainty over a number of his stars heading into the clash against the Lilywhites. football.london takes a look at the Spaniard's injury situation going into this afternoon.

Mikel Merino

Spain midfielder Mikel Merino is a long-term absentee and is likely ruled out for the season. The ex-Borussia Dortmund ace is recovering from an ankle injury and has undergone surgery.

"Well, I think the doctors were really happy the way it went," Arteta said earlier this month. "Yeah, now it starts.

"Obviously, it's a long process. You're talking about bone healing, so you need to be patient. You respect the timings, and I'm sure Mikel is going to do everything that he possibly can to speed up the process. We're talking about months, whether it's three, four or five, we don't know."

Return date: 01/06/2026

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Martin Odegaard

Arsenal's captain has been out with a knee injury but could return in time for this afternoon. The ex-Real Madrid ace has a 'big possibility' of being available to face Spurs, according to Arteta.

Return date: 22/02/26

Kai H avertz

Like Odegaard, Havertz is in contention to make his return this afternoon. The German star has only recently returned from a serious knee injury and missed much of the month due to a hamstring injury.

Return date: 22/02/26

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Max Dowman

The youngster is getting closer to a return from the ankle injury that has kept him out for two months.

"He's doing very well," said Arteta. "I think he will be with us in a week or so, and then he just needs to pick up the rhythm and be available for us. He's doing very well. I think he will be with us in a week or so, and then he just needs to pick up the rhythm and be available for us."

Return date: 01/03/2026

Bukayo Saka

Arsenal's talismanic figure came off the field during Arsenal's draw with Wolves but appears to be fine to return. Saka limped off with what appeared to be an issue with his knee but conducted post-match media duties and has been pictured in training.

EXCLUSIVE: Tottenham handed relegation warning as financial implications laid bare - 'Could be farcical'

Tottenham are preparing for a crucial north London derby at home against rivals Arsenal under new boss Igor Tudor, as they sit close to the relegation places

Tottenham sit dangerously close to the relegation places with a clash against Arsenal next on the agenda. And a football finance expert has theorised what may happen should they unfathomably go down.

After finishing 17th in the Premier League last season, Spurs have suffered more domestic agony this campaign. Under the now-sacked Thomas Frank, they slipped close to the foot of the table and are yet to win a top-flight game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2026.

Igor Tudor now takes over as they prepare to contest a North London derby in home territory. But the prospect of being relegated, while inconceivable, still lingers.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has delivered his verdict on what may happen to the club should their poor run continue and the Championship beckon. He also points out that an absurd set of circumstances could develop regarding European football.

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Maguire told football.london: "We could be in a farcical situation where they win the Champions League this year and they qualify for next year's competition and are in the second tier of English football."

He continued: "But if we ignore that, the good news for Spurs is that it's now an entertainment complex with a football club as a sideline. So the other side of the business, the events, those would be protected. Those would just go on as before if they went down.

"I think the amount of ticket income would be impacted and there would be some big impacts in terms of a loss of revenue. They made around about £600million of revenue last season.

"So the chances of being able to repeat that, I think, would be fairly unlikely, if at all possible. There are other things that could sort of fly under the radar. Spurs do have an awful lot of debt. One season in the Championship, clearly not ideal. Based on my figures, they owe over £300m in unpaid transfer fees to other clubs. So that would need to come out of somebody's pocket.

"I think there would be constraints. They'd get parachute payments. But, again, looking at my numbers here, last season, they made around about £190m in TV money. In the Championship, even with parachute payments, that £190m drops to around about £45m. So there could be some big hits for the club. Less money coming in.

"You've still got the issues that they've made legacy transfers, which haven't worked. But not only have they bought the players, they've still got to go and pay for those instalments on players. So it won't be great."

Maguire does believe that if Spurs were to go down, one aspect of their finances could act as a saving grace. He added: "What Spurs do have in their favour is their wage bill. They pay, on average, around £100,000 a week.

"By the standards of the remainder of the Big Six, that is far, far lower. That would act in their favour. That is also highly incentivised to get into better positions than they are at present and so on. So they've got that sort of historic benefit. But even then, what the owners would have to do, the owners would have to go and provide some funding."

A footballing icon compared a potential transfer to Tottenham Hotspur to committing a criminal act

Transferring to a rival club is an occurrence in football that is traditionally frowned upon by fans, and rightly so.

In the case of iconic AC Milan defender Alessandro Costacurta, it was his love of Arsenal that stopped him signing a contract to become a Tottenham Hotspur player. A veteran of 21 years for the Italian giants, the 59-year-old won seven Serie A titles and the Champions League five times.

Given his status as one of the world's best defenders during his career and Milan's downturn in fortunes in the mid-90s, the opportunity for Costacurta to seek pastures new was available several times.

In particular, a move to the white half of north London was a potential reality after he spoke to then-Spurs boss Gerry Francis in 1996 about making the stunning move from Milan to London.

Costacurta - who retired in 2007 after his Champions League final victory over Liverpool - said in 2016 ahead of AC Milan vs Arsenal legends match that a transfer to Spurs never came to fruition because of his life-long love for the Gunners.

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"The idea of living in London was very exciting," Costacurta said to Arsenal.com. "But I finally refused and you know why? Because I couldn’t betray my English love. The truth is that I’ve been a keen Arsenal fan since my childhood, and playing for ‘our’ bitter rivals would have been high treason.

"When I was younger I liked the Arsenal shirt, the stadium, and some of the players from the 1980s such as Liam Brady. And I’ve always gone against the tide. All my friends were Manchester United or Liverpool fans, so I picked Arsenal and I’ve never changed my mind."

With 24 major honours to his name, it was surprisingly his experience playing at Highbury in the 1995 Cup Winners’ Cup that he chose as one of the best moments of his legendary career.

He explained: "The first game is possibly one of the favourite matches of my entire career. Not so much because of the game itself, which was very intense but perhaps not very exciting as the final score was a 0-0 and the only time we were really under threat was at set pieces.

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"It was more for the setting of Highbury. [The] Emirates is wonderful and over time it will gain its own mythical aura, but Highbury was unique.’ The two bitter rivals clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday afternoon in the second north London derby of the season.

Here's the Tottenham team that we reckon Igor Tudor will select in his first match as the club's interim head coach as Arsenal come to N17

Igor Tudor is set to name his first Tottenham starting line-up and he must do so for a north London derby on Sunday afternoon.

Spurs' new interim head coach is looking to prove his worth in order to stick around beyond the short-term deal he has signed until the end of the season to take over from Thomas Frank The Dane was sacked last week with Spurs 16th in the table and they are now four points above the Premier League drop zone after West Ham's draw with Bournemouth.

Tudor must navigate the biggest of first games against Arsenal, who are looking to kickstart their stuttering title hopes, and the Croatian will have to tackle Mikel Arteta's side with just 13 fit senior players available. Dominic Solanke has just returned to training after a throat problem that required antibiotics and the new head coach will have to decide if the England international is well enough to start in a high energy derby.

If he isn't fit to start then Tudor knows Randal Kolo Muani well and the Frenchman impressed for him at Juventus so the new boss will not be worried about calling on a man who scored five goals in 11 appearances for him last season. Richarlison is back in training and could feature among the substitutes.

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The main choice for Tudor will come with the formation. If the 47-year-old goes for a back three and his favoured 3-4-2-1 then Archie Gray and Djed Spence are likely to be the wing-backs, although there could be a case for a first Spurs start for Souza to ensure left-sided balance to the team.

If it's a back three then Joao Palhinha could step into the defensive trio with Micky van de Ven and Radu Dragusin, while Tudor's arrival brings a fresh start for Yves Bissouma, which could see the Mali international get a chance in the centre of the pitch.

Here's the Tottenham team we reckon Tudor might go for to face the Gunners:

(3-4-2-1) Vicario; Palhinha, Dragusin, Van de Ven; Gray, Bissouma, Sarr, Spence; Gallagher, Xavi; Solanke.

Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard are predicted to start for Arsenal against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League

Arsenal take on Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby at their rivals’ ground, needing to win to recover their Premier League title-chasing form. The draw at Wolves was extremely damaging to their hopes, and has put the race back in Manchester City’s hands too.

Mikel Arteta has some big calls to make with some injury worries ahead of the game, not as many as new head coach Igor Tudor has to contend with, but all the same, there are some major absences. Question marks remain over the likes of Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz remain.

While Leandro Trossard received a head injury at Wolves, which forced him off too. Arteta needs to get his eleven spot on with rising pressure.

With that said, here is how football.london believes Arteta will select for his Arsenal starting XI...

David Raya

After making a glaring error in colliding with Gabriel Magalhaes, the Spaniard is perhaps under more scrutiny than ever before. But he'll still start this giant clash.

Jurrien Timber

Ben White has been called for by many supporters, but the likelihood is that the out-of-form Jurrien Timber is expected to continue.

William Saliba

Avoided the scrutiny from the Wolves game and had a decent performance, but will need to be at his best at Tottenham.

Gabriel

In the spotlight with Raya following Wolves' equaliser, but should arguably have been trusted by his keeper to just head the ball clear instead of being impeded.

Piero Hincapie

Another goal contribution at Wolves. That is two in two games for the defender, and he is perhaps one of the few players in good form.

Martin Zubimendi

After six months of top displays, Martin Zubimendi is facing considerable criticism of late, and calls for Christian Norgaard have never been greater.

Declan Rice

This is the game where you need your biggest players to step up, and there are none bigger perhaps now than Declan Rice.

Martin Odegaard

Mikel Arteta alluded to the attacking midfielder having a "big possibility" of being involved, and if he is ready, I can totally see him starting here.

Bukayo Saka

After signing a new deal and scoring against Wolves, the hope is that Saka has found some form and can end the season strongly.

Viktor Gyokeres

Zero shots and five miscontrols against Wolves; not ideal, and not good enough. But neither was Gabriel Jesus, and with questions over Kai Havertz's fitness, the Swede starts.

Leandro Trossard

Mikel Arteta confirmed that the Belgian is fine despite being substituted following a clash against Wolves with what appeared to be a head injury.

Igor Tudor will lean on Micky van de Ven to lead Tottenham Hotspur through a difficult period

Micky van de Ven has revealed what he thinks about Igor Tudor. The 47-year-old, who was appointed as interim Tottenham Hotspur head coach at the start of the week, has only had a few days on the training pitches, and he appears to have made a great first impression.

Tudor will hope his hard work has paid off when the Lilywhites lock horns with Arsenal on Sunday afternoon. In an interview with Sky Sports, Van de Ven claimed that he's appreciated the Croatian's honesty and directness.

"It's good – he's on us," said the Netherlands international. "He's really honest. He's straight into it, straight forward, and tells us, straight away, what he wants us to do and what he expects from us.

"Of course, it needs some time, but you can see in the way how he behaves. He wants to go into it straight away, and just wants to do it as quick as possible."

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On what Tudor said to the players upon his arrival in north London, Van de Ven said: "He came in, obviously, with a job also, because we're in a tough time right now.

"He said to us: 'I want to do everything to help you guys come out of this tough moment, and we're playing in a beautiful competition with the Champions League, where we're still on the top 8 and straight into the round of 16, and I want to come there as far as possible, but I want to do everything about it to help you guys.'"

Tudor has won the first match in charge in each of his last five stints in the dugout, starting with his second spell at Hajduk Split in February 2020. On the North London Derby, Van de Ven said: "Yeah, we know it's a massive game.

"Arsenal's doing really well, top of the league. We're struggling this season, but everybody knows, in these type of games, anything can happen.

"We know how big it is for the fans, and also, in here, for us, we know how big this game is, so, we're gonna go into it with a good mindset, and ready to make it really difficult for Arsenal."

Tottenham have been dragged into a relegation battle this season, having failed to win a Premier League game since the turn of the new year. When asked what his and the club's targets are for the remainder of the campaign, Van de Ven made his feelings clear.

The Dutchman said: "Just play every game this season and just come out of the season with as many games as I've played already and a better position in the league.

"That's the most important thing right now, and obviously, we have 12 more games, but we need to watch step by step, but the most important is that we climb up the ladder."

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal need to bounce back with a win in the north London derby

Arsenal find themselves at a pivotal juncture in their season, one which will ultimately determine whether it is deemed a success or a bitter disappointment.

Mikel Arteta's men are coming off the back of two disappointing draws in the Premier League that have thrown the title race wide open. Despite taking the lead, they were held to a 1-1 draw at Brentford before blowing a two-goal lead against Wolves earlier this week and settling for a 2-2 draw against the bottom-of-the-table side.

The Gunners now hold a narrow lead in the Premier League title race, with Manchester City breathing down their necks. However, Arsenal have the perfect chance to respond with a huge victory over rivals Tottenham in Sunday afternoon's north London derby, which could provide the momentum they desperately need.

football.london now examines two of the most recent developments involving the Gunners.

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Saka's dressing room comments

Declan Rice has revealed how Bukayo Saka educated him on the significance of the north London derby upon his arrival at Arsenal nearly three years ago. With their title pursuit hanging in the balance, the Gunners will undoubtedly feel extra pressure when they travel to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

Yet, the players understand the importance of a derby victory, even without the context of a title race. This stems largely from dressing room figures like vice-captain Saka, who came through the club’s youth system with an ingrained rivalry towards their N17 neighbours and have ensured newer players understand that losing to Spurs is simply not an option.

Rice, who experienced similarly intense derbies against Tottenham during his West Ham days, revealed to The Sun: "I remember Saka saying: ‘You can’t lose derbies here to Spurs’. For the fanbase, everyone, the players, the staff, that’s the game you can’t lose."

He went on to say: "The north London derby is always special. I've been able to play in a few of them now and understand the rivalry, understand who you're playing against and what it means.

"Sunday isn't just going to be about football, it's going to be about how much you want it as well. You're going away to Spurs, they have a new manager, they've had loads of injuries but it's going to be a game both of us are going to want to win. But that day, it's all in your mind, ‘How much do you really want it?’ You've got to fight for it and trust me, I want it."

Eze's 'not easy' confession

Eberechi Eze has spoken about the physical and mental pressures of representing a club of Arsenal's stature. The England international completed a dream transfer to his boyhood club last summer from Crystal Palace.

Eze has found it challenging to recapture the impressive displays that led to his return to north London this season, although he'll take confidence from netting a hat-trick against Tottenham in the derby earlier in the season.

Speaking to the official Arsenal website, the midfielder opened up on his mentality, explaining: "Nervous? I'd say I get nervous, yes. But nervous in the sense that I probably see nerves in a different way. I see nerves as my body preparing me for the moment that's coming.

"That's a natural thing that happens because you want to do well, you want to perform, you want to help the team, you want to win. I think that's just part of elite sports and I love that feeling. I love going onto the pitch and thinking ‘OK, this is the moment.’ This is what football is about. That's what makes it special."

He went on to speak about the physical demand of playing intense fixtures every few days, adding: "Yes, 100 per cent. It's not easy at all. You talk about the physical side, but the mental side is probably the more difficult part. Staying on it, staying prepared, staying locked in for a full season, when every game matters. It's not easy, but if you want to win, if you want to achieve stuff, this is the sacrifice and this is the cost. It’s what we've all bought into."

Tottenham look for revenge in the North London Derby as Igor Tudor takes charge of his first game against an Arsenal side reeling from their title race wobble at Wolves

The latest North London Derby arrives on Sunday afternoon with Arsenal and Tottenham in very different predicaments. Despite a recent blip, Mikel Arteta's side are favourites for the Premier League title while Spurs are just a few points off the relegation zone.

The latter's situation forced a decision to be made at the helm with Thomas Frank sacked and replaced by Igor Tudor as interim head coach until the end of the season. The Italian spoke to the press for the first time on Friday and was brutally honest on the task at hand.

The Gunners meanwhile, have played twice since Spurs' defeat at home to Newcastle but they failed to increase the gap to Manchester City following draws to Brentford and Wolves. Their most recent stalemate was a worrying collapse at the Premier League's bottom side with concerns increasing that

Overall form and squad quality places Arsenal as firm favourites over Spurs, but this is a derby and anything can happen. With that being said, football.london's writers have made their predictions for the huge clash that impacts both ends of the table.

Kieran Horn

A managerial change and Arsenal's recent setbacks means the North London Derby could not have arguably come at a better time for Tottenham.

On paper, the Gunners are far superior and undoubtedly have the best defence in the league but it has shown fragility and in front of what is likely to be a red-hot atmosphere, I expect Spurs to score.

The desperation for three points suggests an open and chaotic encounter with the phrase 'can't lose the derby' changing to 'must win the derby'.

I'm going for a repeat of Arsenal's last result with the hosts coming from a goal down to go in front before having a player sent off in the second half that allows Arteta's side to snatch a point.

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Luke Thrower

A week ago, I feel as though it would've been quite clear how this game will end up. However, it feels like the entire dynamic of the match has been turned on its head and the wider context of the encounter only ramps up the importance of a fixture that already has bragging rights on the line.

Tottenham could spring a few surprises with Igor Tudor in the dugout, in what may be viewed as a free hit for a first match in charge. The main concern I have for him is whether the players at his disposal will be capable of playing the way he wants, which usually involves a back three.

For Arsenal, their poor Premier League form means they need a real shot in the arm, and this could be just the fixture for it. That will require them standing up and taking the game by the scruff of the neck, viewing it less as their title to lose and seeing it more as theirs to win instead.

With how feisty a North London Derby can get, and with high stakes for both teams, I think we could be in store for another classic. But I think Arsenal should have just too much where it really counts, and their quality in both boxes should eventually shine through, with Bukayo Saka primed to make an impact off the back of penning his massive new Arsenal contract this week - so I'm going for a slim 1-0 win to the visitors.

Spurs 0-1 Arsenal

Matty Hewitt

Despite Arsenal's recent draws with Wolves and Brentford, I'm still backing the Gunners to have come away with all three points from the North London Derby. Spurs will be hoping for a new manager bounce under Igor Tudor, but I think Mikel Arteta's men will response to their recent poor performances with a strong display on the road.

The Gunners may have injury problems, but it's nowhere near the size of Tottenham's and Spurs have struggled at home in the Premier League.

It's made for a strange atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season, with the LilyWhites winning just twice in the top flight.

I'm not expecting Tudor to work miracles in such a short period of time, and Arteta's men should show their title prowess on Sunday.

Spurs 1-2 Arsenal

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Amie Wilson

If you’d have asked me for my prediction to this game just a few weeks ago, you would have got a clear and confident answer, but a lot can change in just a few days in football.

Spurs will be looking for the new manager bounce following the appointment of Igor Tudor as interim manager, while Arsenal’s title hopes were handed a body blow midweek with Wolves’ late equaliser.

While I do rate Arsenal as a better team than Tottenham on performances this season, a derby does seem to equal things out. In a way, I think it will be better for the Gunners that the game is being played away from home, and any nervous energy that could be around the Emirates Stadium.

Despite the last week, I’m still backing Arsenal to come out on top. I think now is the time for the team to step up and show that they are capable of winning the title, and what better way to do that than by winning the North London Derby.

I don’t think the score will be as emphatic as November’s 4-1 win, but I’m going to back the Gunners to come out as 2-1 winners.

Spurs 1-2 Arsenal

Bruna Reis

Football is a funny old game, isn't it? A few weeks ago, predicting the outcome of the North London Derby would have been straight forward, given Arsenal's strong form and Spurs' downward slide.

But things look very different now after the Gunners' recent results and the arrival of Igor Tudor as Spurs' new interim head coach. We all know the impact a new manager bounce can have, and that could well come into play on Sunday.

Spurs will head into the game feeling confident and eager to show their new manager what they're capable of, while Arsenal's confidence has taken a hit in recent matches - especially after that late equaliser at Wolves on Wednesday.

I'm still backing Arsenal to win the Premier League, but there will be some nervousness among fans and players if things don't start well for them.

They desperately need a win here, and they must do whatever it takes to come away with three points, because Manchester City won't mess about. A draw or defeat could potentially spell the end of their title bid.

With all that in mind, I'm predicting a narrow 1-0 Arsenal win.

Declan Rice hasn't lost to Tottenham Hotspur since joining Arsenal from West Ham in July 2023

Declan Rice has revealed what Bukayo Saka first told him about the North London Derby, and it speaks volumes about the mentality at Arsenal. Since joining the Gunners from West Ham in a deal worth over £100milion back in the summer of 2023, the 27-year-old midfielder has relished the big occasion.

Rice had struggled to overcome Tottenham Hotspur during his time at the Hammers, winning just three of the 11 meetings in the Premier League. He had also only beaten the Lilywhites once in the first of three tries in the Carabao Cup.

But since swapping the London Stadium for the Emirates Stadium, the England international has had much more success. During his time at Arsenal, Rice has faced Spurs four times, winning three and drawing one.

While the midfielder will be keen to get another victory under his belt, Saka would seemingly settle for a draw if push came to shove. Shortly after joining the Gunners, the Hale End graduate gave Rice a short and sharp message.

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Speaking to The Sun, Rice recalled: "I remember Saka saying: ‘You can’t lose derbies here to Spurs’. For the fan base, everyone, the players, the staff – that’s the game you can’t lose."

While Arsenal certainly can't afford to lose against Tottenham with Manchester City in their rear-view mirror, a win would – and has always been – far more valuable. The winger's comment perhaps speaks volumes about the mentality under Mikel Arteta: the Gunners would rather draw than do whatever it takes to bank three points.

Such a mentality has already proven costly. Under the Spaniard, Arsenal have finished second in the Premier League three years in a row, with their only major piece of silverware being the FA Cup in an empty Wembley Stadium during Covid in 2020.

Manchester City capitalised on the Gunners' conservative approach during the 2023/24 campaign when they won the Premier League title by just two points. After lifting the trophy for a fourth season in a row, Rodri recalled Arsenal's particularly poignant visit to the Etihad Stadium which ended goalless.

During an interview with Optus Sport, the midfielder was asked how his side continue to achieve such success. As quoted by Sky Sports, pointing to his head, Rodri said: "To be honest, I think it's in here.

"It's the mentality. Arsenal, also they deserve [to win the league], they did an unbelievable season, but I think the difference was in here [pointing to his head again].

"When they came here, they faced us at the Etihad, I saw them and said: 'Ah, these guys, they don't want to beat us, they just want a draw.' And that mentality, I don't think we would do it the same way.

"And we caught them. At the end, if you give us one point, we will win the last seven, eight games even though it's so tough. So I think it comes down to mentality."