Daily Express

A special moment unfolded in the Arsenal dressing room following the North London derby. The club released a video on social media showing all the players returning to the tunnel after their resounding 4-1 victory over Tottenham. The spotlight was firmly on hat-trick hero Eberechi Eze. Piero Hincapie put in a flawless performance, stepping in for Gabriel.

Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard were also exceptional. Bukayo Saka was seen dancing joyfully to the music post-match. The scenes were truly inspiring. And, wonderfully, it wasn't just about them. Players like Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Odegaard were waiting in the dressing room. Even the injured players wanted to join in the fun.

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Gabriel was no different. Once he'd left the pitch, donning an Arsenal scarf, he joined in the celebrations.

All of the absent players, and there were quite a few, were eager to partake in the festivities. Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are well-liked and valuable members of the squad.

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta often speaks about the unity within the squad, and he discussed the celebratory scenes in the dressing room and what they meant to the players.

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Of course, rival fans might argue that this is perfectly normal. And it's only what you would expect.

But this is football. There are egos, disgruntled players, and those who don't want to celebrate if they haven't played.

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It might surprise you.

Some footballers are dreadful when they're injured, showing no interest in recovery. Jesus is a prime example of the opposite - he's eager, can't wait to return to the pitch and is an incredibly positive influence.

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Gyokeres is incredibly motivated. His mindset is outstanding.

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Odegaard is a strong leader and a highly respected captain. You don't have to be a showy gladiator to lead.

Arteta admires Odegaard because he sets the pace and leads the press. If you understand football, you'll recognise that this is what being a courageous leader looks like today.

Mikel Merino had an odd game. Initially struggled trying to play with his back to goal.

He dropped deeper, played with the goal in front of him and then was excellent. This is another testament to a player who is such a valuable team member.

There's a unity in this group that stems from winning. But it's more than just that.

Arteta and Arsenal have specifically sought out individuals with character. They want players who contribute to dressing room unity. This is a serious player.

He's enjoyed success at Bayer Leverkusen and Ecuador are gaining a reputation as World Cup dark horses. They've got some fantastic players.

Arsenal signed a player who came knowing he might have to play second fiddle to Gabriel for a while. But they clearly did their homework as he has patiently waited his turn, and will now seize his opportunity.

He didn't put a foot wrong.

This is all about squad building. Arteta firmly believes that Arsenal has what it takes to clinch the title this season.

They are in it together. Arsenal have a tough fixture list ahead.

They will need to rest and rotate. It's Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Chelsea on Sunday.

Then the following week sees Brentford on Wednesday night, followed by an away game at Aston Villa on Saturday lunchtime. That is downright criminal.

However, after football authorities rearranged Crystal Palace's Carabao Cup tie to ease their fixtures, one would presume the Premier League will intervene at some point. Anyone?

That's when the depth of the squad becomes crucial - and all of the big guns will be returning over the next few weeks and games.

Arsenal star Eberechi Eze ruthlessly dismissed questions about his Tottenham transfer snub after netting a historic hat-trick against Spurs on Sunday. The 27-year-old became the first player in almost 50 years to score three goals in a north London derby. His first-half strike, followed by his brace after the interval, compounded the misery for the Gunners' rivals, just months after Spurs were unsuccessful in their attempts to sign him from Crystal Palace.

Leandro Trossard broke the deadlock in the opening period as he slotted home after the Spurs defence were caught out by a delicious pass from Mikel Merino. With just four minutes of the first-half remaining, Eze then grabbed his opening goal and Arsenal's second as Mikel Arteta's men capitalised on their first-half dominance. And Eze then scored twice more either side of a 45-yard strike from Spurs forward Richarlison.

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Yet, having fulfilled a childhood ambition on Sunday, the Arsenal hero refused to discuss the summer transfer window drama that saw him reject Spurs for the Premier League table-toppers, stating: "Let's not speak about that."

Turning his attention to the match, Eze added: "That's a good one, enjoyable day, I'm happy to help the team. It's special, you know.

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"Special man, I'm grateful again. I prayed for it, I prayed for a hat-trick, I'm grateful man. That was a prayer today and God delivered."

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Arsenal secured Eze's signature ahead of north London rivals Tottenham in a £60million deal in August, with the England international admitting his childhood allegiance made the decision straightforward.

The midfielder previously told The Athletic: "I was prepared to go to Tottenham, but from the moment Arsenal came, it was always going to be them.

"My first [senior] Arsenal game was special. It almost didn't feel real because it's something I've been dreaming of for a long time.

"Playing for Arsenal from eight to 13, it's been in the back of my mind wanting to go back. It felt like the realisation of a dream."

The victory proved vital for Arsenal beyond merely defeating their local adversaries, as the Gunners took full advantage of their title competitors faltering elsewhere.

Liverpool's struggles deepened on Saturday as they dropped further behind in their championship defence after losing to Nottingham Forest, while Newcastle dampened Manchester City's ambitions with a 2-1 triumph at St James' Park.

Eze's hat-trick, combined with Trossard's opening goal, extends Arsenal's advantage at the Premier League summit to six points heading into a demanding festive schedule.

The Gunners face second-placed Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next weekend, shortly after their Champions League clash with Bayern Munich in mid-week.

Jamie Carragher has issued an apology after previously criticising Arsenal's summer signing of Eberechi Eze. The mercurial 27-year-old midfielder, who turned down Tottenham Hotspur to join Arsenal, propelled Mikel Arteta's team to a 4-1 triumph over Spurs at the Emirates on Sunday evening that strengthens their Premier League title bid.

Following Eze's hat-trick in the north London Derby, the former Liverpool defender admitted on Sky Sports: "I must be honest I think when Arsenal signed him and when I had my Liverpool hat on, and I looked at the signings Arsenal made.. Beside Viktor Gyokeres, it felt like a loy of them were to strengthen the squad really. So where Arsenal had problems the year before was when [Bukayo] Saka was out, they bought [Noni] Madueke. [Martin] Odegaard was out, they bought Eze.

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"One of the centre-backs was out so they got a couple of centre-backs. It was only really Gyokeres who I felt was going to go into the team. If I am being honest I think if [Kai] Havertz was one hundred per cent fit, Havertz would probably be the centre-forward in this team I think."

"So, when Eze came in I thought, 'OK maybe he's not a game-changer' and Les [Ferdinand] knows him a lot better than me and he still said earlier on in the show 'there's still a lot more to come'. But then we still see some of his highlights this season and there are a fee great goals in there and then he goes and scores a hat-trick, so apologies.

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"Certainly undervalued the importance that signing was because he looks like he could make a real difference for Arsenal this season and go on and win the title."

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Eze refused to acknowledge the fact he almost joined Spurs in the summer before his switch from Crystal Palace to Arsenal. Speaking on the pitch after his hat-trick, the England international said to Sky Sports: "Let's not speak about that."

The boyhood Arsenal supporter added: "That's a good one [feeling], enjoyable day, I'm happy to help the team. It's special, you know? Special man, I'm grateful again. I prayed for it, I prayed for a hat-trick, I'm grateful man. That was a prayer today and God delivered."

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And Eze's manager Mikel Arteta said of the playmaker to BBC Match of the Day, on being told he is only the fourth player ever to score a hat-trick in a north London derby: "That tells you about the difficulty and what he's done today. To be fair he could have scored four or five. He's a big player who can create magic moments which unbalance a team."

Tottenham Hotspur suffered a crushing 4-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon as Eberechi Eze scored a hat-trick to blow Spurs away. The England international, who nearly signed for Tottenham in the summer, scored three well-taken goals after Leandro Trossard's opener.

Richarlison scored a stunning goal to pull it back to 3-1 before Eze's hat-trick goal confirmed a well-deserved victory for the hosts. Express Sport rates the Spurs players after a disastrous performance...

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Tottenham player ratings vs Arsenal

Guglielmo Vicario - 6

Managed to block Rice's early volley and deflected Saka's free-kick after the half-hour mark. Couldn't stop Trossard's goal. He managed to touch Eze's shot despite bodies in front of him but couldn't keep it out. Wasn't close to Eze's second effort but did save Saka's curling shot with 20 minutes remaining. Couldn't reach Eze's hat-trick goal but made a good save to prevent him scoring a fourth. Could have been worse if not for the Italian.

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Kevin Danso - 3

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Played on the right of the back three but failed to stop Trossard's shot rolling behind him. Substituted at half-time with Spurs 2-0 down.

Cristian Romero - 4

The captain didn't contribute much and his passing was often inaccurate.

Micky van de Ven - 5

Had a few decent defensive moments amidst the chaos of Spurs' performance, but that's not saying much. Played Mikel Merino onside for Eze's third goal.

Djed Spence - 3

Struggled with Trossard on his flank and never seemed in control.

Rodrigo Bentancur - 3

Struggled to establish himself in the midfield tussle and appeared sluggish at times. Earned a yellow card in the first half.

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Joao Palhinha - 6

Seemed to be the only player who grasped the significance of the derby, despite only being at the club for a few months. Attempted to make his mark in the centre of the pitch against his Arsenal midfield rivals, succeeding with the sliding tackle that led to Richarlison's goal.

Destiny Udogie - 3

Caught out of position, playing Trossard onside for the Belgian's first-half goal. Saka gave him trouble almost every time he advanced.

Mohammed Kudus - 5

Appeared like a player who has been sidelined for a few weeks. Showed some nice touches but never really made progress with the ball.

Wilson Odobert - 3

Operated as one of the attacking midfielders behind Richarlison but lacked the physicality needed for a derby clash. Contributed little of significance.

Richarlison - 6

Had minimal possession in the first half and struggled when he did get it, except on a couple of occasions. However, he provided Spurs with a glimmer of hope with a superb effort from near the centre circle that sailed perfectly over Raya as he dashed back. Receives three extra points for the quality of the goal.

Substitutes

Xavi Simons - 5

Introduced for the second half. Tried to make things happen and fired a shot at Raya after the hour mark and another wide.

Pape Matar Sarr - 4

Brought some energy to the midfield but no additional quality.

Randal Kolo Muani - 4

Entered the fray on the left but saw little of the ball.

Pedro Porro - N/A

Substituted in for Spence during the final minutes, but struggled to make an impact.

Brennan Johnson - N/A

Entered the pitch as a substitute for Kudus in the closing stages, but had limited interaction with the ball.

This time a year ago, Liverpool beat both Manchester City and Real Madrid within days of each other. The win over City put the Reds nine points clear of second-placed Arsenal while reigning champions City were 11 adrift. Those games, followed by a strong November, underlined that Liverpool were the best team in England (and briefly Europe). So it proved as they won the league.

Arsenal's 4-1 win over Tottenham today puts them six ahead of second-placed Chelsea, seven in front of their main challengers City and 11 clear of reigning champions Liverpool. Like the Reds a year ago, the dominant manner of the Gunners' derby day victory simply puts in bold font that Arsenal are the best team in this league. They're one of the very best in Europe too.

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Barring an unprecedented spate of injuries or the most extraordinary collective head loss, Arsenal will be named champions in May. Maybe even earlier, actually. Excluding a phenomenal Richarlison goal, which was a freak long-range finish, Arsenal absolutely thrashed Spurs. This was a hammering. Eberechi Eze was incredible.

And yet this was an Arsenal team without talismanic centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes and captain Martin Odegaard. Both would have started if fit. Also on the list of absentees? Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres. Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli were only just back from knocks and started on the bench.

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Those absentees mattered not at the Emirates. Yes, Spurs offered extremely little. But Arsenal blew them away and played some magnificent football. They could have scored six.

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Their challengers? Liverpool are well, well out of the title race. City, with four defeats in 12 games, have shown they are far from infallible despite improving on last season. Chelsea could yet assert themselves as Arsenal's main challengers but are not without issues of their own. They don't look ready to win a league.

Arsenal have by far the best defence in the division, even without Gabriel, and perhaps the best in Europe. And after dismantling a very defensive-minded Spurs team with ease, their next opportunity to prove themselves? Bayern Munich at the Emirates in midweek.

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Bayern are one of just three teams in the Champions League to have also won four of four. They have scored three more goals, but also conceded three while Arsenal have leaked none in Europe. Win that, and it is another massive statement from the Gunners.

Chelsea at Stamford Bridge await next weekend. Win that, and Arsenal have one hand on the trophy already, similarly to how Liverpool did a year ago. The chips are falling for the north Londoners in terms of having no elite-level title rival but immense credit must go to Mikel Arteta and his staff because it's easy to forget how many injuries they have dealt with this season.

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And Arsenal have prepared so well, across multiple campaigns, for this. They can play pretty football, as they did against Spurs, and they can also beat you up in a physical battle. Want to put all your defenders on the pitch and play for a point? Well they'll probably just score from a set-piece then. They're pretty good at that.

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Arteta's Arsenal have their critics but they are a serious football team. It's hard to see what stops them confirming that with a league title in the spring.

Arsenal cruised to a 4-1 victory over Tottenham in the first north London derby of the campaign as Eberechi Eze bagged a sensational hat-trick. Mikel Arteta’s side had far too much for the Lilywhites as they killed the match off as a contest by half-time.

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Arsenal dominated their rivals from the outset as they pinned the visitors back inside their own territory. And the hosts took the lead nine minutes before the interval as Leandro Trossard stole in and fizzed a shot past Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario via a deflection off Micky van de Ven.

The Gunners went 2-0 up in the 41st minute as Eze swivelled on the edge of the box before firing home. And the England winger then grabbed his second and Arsenal’s third moments after the interval with another fine finish from just inside the penalty area.

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Tottenham were handed a huge lift when Richarlison chipped David Raya from 45 yards after Martin Zubimendi was dispossessed. But Eze put the game to bed with his team’s fourth as the Gunners bagged the three points. And Express Sport rates and slates the Arsenal players.

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Arsenal player ratings (4-3-3)

David Raya: 5

Didn’t have much to do for much of the game as Arsenal dominated, but was caught in no man’s land as Richarlison embarrassed him from 45 yards. Was called into action later into the match.

Jurrien Timber: 9

Was a rock in defence as he used his strong physique to bully his opponents. And supported his team-mates in attack as he teed up Eze’s second.

William Saliba: 8

Comfortable in possession as he got on the ball often in the first-half. And talked his centre-back partner Piero Hincapie through the match. Could have played forward at times to launch attacks rather than play the easy ball.

Piero Hincapie: 8

Filled in for the injured Gabriel at the heart of the backline, but didn’t appear to be a downgrade as the Arsenal defence looked solid as usual. Was aggressive and a constant threat at set-pieces.

Riccardo Calafiori: 6

Played a shaky pass in the second-half after Richarlison had given Spurs hopes of a comeback when Arsenal needed to calm things down. Put in a solid performance but didn’t offer as much as Jurrien Timber did down the right.

Eberechi Eze: 10

Unfazed in his first north London derby and oozed class throughout as he bagged a hat-trick. Was unplayable and even scooped a delicious pass to Declan Rice to carve out a chance for his colleague at one stage. Arsenal’s best player on the day by a long way.

Martin Zubimendi: 6

Drifted over to the Arsenal right to support Jurrien Timber on the few occasions Tottenham attempted to attack down the left. But gave the ball away unnecessarily as Richarlison gained possession and chipped Raya.

Declan Rice: 9

Forced a good save from Vicario early on when he should have scored and whipped in a string of excellent set-piece deliveries as usual. Assisted Eze’s first goal and stamped his authority on the match from start to finish.

Bukayo Saka: 7

Has been Arsenal’s main attacking threat for years and attempted to caused Tottenham problems all afternoon with his pace and technique. But was overshadowed by Eze as he failed to register a goal or an assist.

Mikel Merino: 7

Clipped in a sensational pass to Trossard to set-up the opener as he demonstrated his incredible technique. Was once again asked to fill in for Viktor Gyokeres up front and created space for his team-mates.

Leandro Trossard: 9

Made an intelligent run to latch on to Mikel Merino’s sumptuous pass and then kept his cool to fire in the first goal of the match. Was a menace throughout and even laid on an assist for Eze’s third goal before being replaced by Noni Madueke.

Substitutions

Noni Madueke: 6

Came on for Trossard with 12 minutes remaining but will be wondering how he’s supposed to win his place back.

Ethan Nwaneri: 6

Was given some game time towards the end when the match was already decided.

Cristhian Mosquera: 6

Had a run out for a couple of minutes at the end.

Myles Lewis-Skelly: 6

Has barely had a sniff of action this season and will be desperate for more minutes to win his England place back after coming on in stoppage time.

Former Arsenal defender Armand Traore once carried a knuckle-duster to the north London derby out of fear he might be attacked. Traore, 36, joined the Gunners in 2005 before making his first-team debut 12 months later.

Despite arriving in England from France as a teenager, the retired star had witnessed fierce atmospheres previously as a fan. He grew up supporting Paris Saint-Germain and regularly attended their heated encounters against Marseille, where he claimed rival fans would "batter each other." These experiences led Traore to take drastic measures when attending the north London derby as an Arsenal player. Concerned he might be spotted by a Tottenham supporter, he brought the weapon to a derby duel, which resulted in police involvement.

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Speaking in 2017, he said: "Coming from France, I used to go to PSG versus Marseille and the fans there would batter each other. I was only 17, and I had just started playing for Arsenal's first-team. I had these images in my mind.

"I went to the north ­London derby, but I was convinced ­someone might recognise me. I thought if a Spurs fan did, then I needed to be ready if ­something happened. So I had a knuckle-duster in my pocket - which was just stupid.

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"As I walked into the stadium, the police found it on me and I ended up in custody for more than 10 hours. I didn't see a ball kicked. Eventually they released me. Then Arsene Wenger found out about it. I was just stupid.

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"Young and naive. Can you imagine if ­something actually had ­happened? It would have been ­life-changing. I was young and I have learned my lesson. It was a stupid ­mistake."

Despite holding a five-year contract with Arsenal, Traore managed just 32 outings for the Gunners before his transfer to Queens Park Rangers. Throughout his time in north London, he spent periods on loan at Portsmouth and Juventus, and it was while with the Turin club that Traore witnessed the intensity of Italian football rivalries first-hand.

Reflecting on a memorable experience in Italy, he recalled: "There are some incredible rivalries in Italy. The one with Napoli was the worst. We arrived there the day before and there were about 300 Napoli fans outside the hotel.

"When we left to go to the ­stadium, they were ­following us on ­mopeds and ­crashing into parked cars. It was madness. I did not feel under threat ­exactly, no. But it did make you think, 'This is proper ­passion.'".

Traore could well be tuning in for Sunday's north London derby when Arsenal welcome Tottenham to the Emirates, with both teams missing some key men for the clash. On the back of a 14-match unbeaten run, Mikel Arteta's men will be hoping to hand their local nemeses a third loss in five outings.

Christian Norgaard, the Denmark international who joined Arsenal in a £12million deal from Brentford this past summer, has confessed that playing under Mikel Arteta is unlike anything he's experienced before in his football career. The move to Arsenal ended Norgaard's six-year stint with Brentford and his long-term association with then-boss Thomas Frank, who also left the club to replace Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham.

Frank had signed Norgaard for Brentford back in 2019 after they had already worked together at Brondby for three years. In September, Norgaard praised Arteta's demanding approach, saying: "It is different than what I've been used to, but it's brilliant how his mind works and the way he wants us to play," He admitted that Arteta's tactics are physically and tactically demanding, adding: "So sometimes I still don't know exactly the things I do, but of course being out there, trying to execute it will always help."

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After missing the first month of the season due to injury, Norgaard returned to action in mid-September.

Norgaard's remarks echo those made by Declan Rice just a month after his £105m transfer from West Ham to Arsenal in 2023. Before making his Premier League debut for the Gunners, the England star confessed that Arteta's guidance had already altered his perspective on football.

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Despite having been coached by David Moyes and Manuel Pellegrini at West Ham, Rice acknowledged that Arteta's tactical acumen was on "another level". He explained: "Tactically, on the ball, off the ball.

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"I'm happy to know I'm learning so much because I'm trying to push myself to learn. Since the Community Shield, I feel I've taken a big step; everything is starting to click. I was blown away [by Arteta]; and working with him day-to-day, it's just another level."

Before his first league match in Arsenal colours, Rice told TNT Sports: "In the last four weeks, I've grown so much already and learned so much about football that I hadn't seen before. I'm honestly seeing the game in a completely different way already.

"Seeing how he works, how his mind operates, picking up stuff, seeing how he goes into detail on the opposition, and how he wants to improve us as players, individually and collectively, is really impressive.

"It's just the finer details of what he goes into, so there are no excuses on matchday. You can't say, 'we've not worked on this or that'. You're given everything and it's literally down to you to go and perform. The finer details you go into are on another level, and I've never seen that before."

Joaoa Palhinha has expressed his desire to remain at Tottenham but acknowledged that the final decision lies with the club's management. The 30-year-old is currently on loan from Bayern Munich, but the Europa League winners have the option to activate a £27million clause to make the move permanent next summer.

When asked about his future, Palhinha responded: "They should ask the owner, or Fabio [Paratici], or Johan [Lange], not myself! Of course, this is like a marriage. Both parts need to want [it]. But I am really happy here. I feel the support from the fans as well. When you feel this, for me it is really special. We have until the end of the season. We have a lot of things to happen. You know how it is in football. I just want to enjoy the time that I am here. Let's see what is going to happen."

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Palhinha insists that only a victory will suffice for Tottenham in the north London Derby - even if the pressure is entirely on Arsenal. The Portuguese veteran is determined to provide the resilience needed to secure Spurs' first away Premier League win over their rivals since November 2010.

Ahead of today's crucial match, Palhinha said: "I think it's a bit of a similar feeling to when we played PSG in the Super Cup because they beat everyone at that moment. They won the league, they won the Champions League, everything that they could have and when you have these teams that are in the top moment, top form, I think the pressure is probably more on their side than us.

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"I think we need to recognise their form and then their talent because if they are in the position they are in the moment then they deserve it, completely. But we know what we can do, we are really capable to give our best in that game and hopefully we can reach what we really want now, which is the victory.

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"We don't want to draw, we just want to focus on the victory because this team is together and we push each other all the time. We know it will be difficult, of course."

Spurs remain without defeat away from home in the Premier League this campaign and no top-flight club has secured more points than Thomas Frank's outfit (13) on their travels.

Palhinha is not only determined to maintain that impressive away record but is also keen to silence his doubters following recent criticism from Jamie Carragher for being "too negative" in possession. He added: "I saw it because some people sent it to me, I couldn't say that I didn't see it.

"But to be honest, about this, what can I say? I don't care what the people say. If he says bad things about [Cristiano] Ronaldo, he can speak about everyone. Some people need to speak about another to be on the screens on the TV.

"My life is not about that, definitely. It makes it a bit embarrassing seeing sometimes the ex-players speaking that the way that they speak and they look sometimes like superstars on their past, I don't have problems to say.

"I think he should have seen probably more games of me at Tottenham. I think I am doing a top season and the things that he says about me go to the back [of my mind].

"But he's not going to be the first and he's not going to be the last one, you know? The way is about how we react. And the way I react is scoring a goal, after he said this to me, against Copenhagen. I will keep showing how I can do it. I don't need to give these answers, but that's what I feel.

"I don't really care about this kind of thing. It's not important for me. I just want to keep doing my job and show what I am capable of doing because I am really proud of what I have been doing until now."

Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo has been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur and already shares a strong bond with one of his potential new teammates. The forward is reportedly drawing significant attention ahead of the January transfer window.

Semenyo was first identified as a target for Spurs during the summer, with Manchester United and Liverpool also expressing interest in the player. It was reported that Bournemouth set a £70million price tag on Semenyo during the most recent window.

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The 25-year-old eventually signed a new Bournemouth contract until 2030 and has clocked up nine goal contributions in 11 league games for the Cherries. Meanwhile, Spurs opted to strengthen their attack with a £55m deal for Mohammed Kudus in the summer, a player Semenyo knows well.

Semenyo earned his first Ghana call-up in May 2022 and has played alongside Kudus in 25 of his 32 caps. The Bournemouth star showcased their rapport during the September international break, teasing Kudus about Spurs' 1-0 loss to Andoni Iraola's team.

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In a video shared on social media, Semenyo asked: "Kuku, my boy, how was the game on Saturday? Let me go ask him how the game was."

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Approaching Kudus, Semenyo continued: "How was the game on Saturday, bro?" A shocked Kudus responded: "It was good." The clip ended with a laughing Semenyo repeating the 1-0 scoreline.

The Athletic has reported that Semenyo's new Bournemouth deal includes a £65m release clause, sparking speculation over his future as the January transfer window approaches.

It is stated that interested clubs must trigger that clause by a particular deadline to give Bournemouth sufficient time to secure a replacement. The release clause will also stay in place within his contract for future transfer windows.

Bournemouth parted ways with several key figures during the summer, including defenders Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez. While Semenyo could become another significant departure in the coming months, the Ghana international has emphasised that he won't allow transfer talk to affect his displays.

Speaking to Sky Sports earlier this month, Semenyo reaffirmed his commitment to Bournemouth. "I don't think about it too much. I try to stay present as much as I can," he said.

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"You see the news all the time, I see it as well, I'm not oblivious, but I try to keep focused. I'm enjoying my football here. If I'm not scoring goals, all of that goes away. I try to stay present, do the best I can for the team, score goals and whatever happens in the future happens.

"When they [his former teammates] all left [in the summer], there was a lot of interest and back and forth with the club. But I knew in my head that the manager's got something up his sleeve this year.

"How we finished off the season last year was so good and we could continue, especially with the players we've bought in as well. I wasn't too sure at the start but we've kicked on like a house on fire. I'm glad I committed to staying here because I'm enjoying every moment."