ArsenalNews.co.uk

Arsenal face Tottenham Hotspur on the road in Sunday’s much-awaited Premier League clash.

The Gunners have shared the spoils against Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the last two gameweeks. They were 2-0 ahead at Wolves on Wednesday night, only to squander the advantage.

Arsenal are still five points ahead of Manchester City at the top of the table, but the Cityzens have a game in hand. Mikel Arteta’s side must return to winning ways in the north London derby tomorrow.

Ahead of the encounter, Arteta could make at least three changes to the starting line-up from the frustrating 2-2 stalemate against Wolves at the Molineux Stadium.

Timber dropped

The Netherlands international had a poor outing against Wolves. He was constantly gifting possession back to the Midlands outfit during the back end of the draw. Jurrien Timber lost the ball on 18 occasions on Wednesday. He was ineffective going forward as well, failing to deliver a single cross.

The £38 million signing should be dropped to the bench after his lacklustre showing. Arteta must make a change at right-back with Ben White coming in. The Englishman may not be strong in one-on-one duels like Timber, but he has better chemistry with Bukayo Saka, linking up higher up the field.

Odegaard back in midfield, Saka on the right wing

Saka started in the number 10 position for the second game running in midweek. He scored with an early header in the fifth minute. However, the Arsenal graduate did not provide much creativity from the role thereafter. He is a specialist right winger and should return to his preferred position ahead of Noni Madueke.

This obviously frees up space for another attacking midfielder. It could be a toss between Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Eberechi Eze. Eze scored a sensational hat-trick in the reverse fixture, but his recent inconsistent form does not warrant a starting role in the north London derby.

Odegaard has been the most effective of the trio. He has five goal involvements in his last eight league appearances. The Norwegian looks poised to return from a knee issue and could be reinstated into the starting XI. Havertz or Eze could replace him off the bench at the hour mark.

Trossard returns on the left wing

Leandro Trossard’s absence from the starting XI against Wolves was a surprise. He was perfectly suited for the left wing role with his clever dribbling skills and ability to create chances from tight spaces. Instead, Gabriel Martinelli got the nod and had a forgettable outing.

Martinelli played the full 90 minutes. He squandered a big chance and won just four out of 18 duels. The Brazilian ace was guilty of losing possession on 24 occasions. Trossard was unlucky against Wolves. He came on as a late substitute and had to be taken off due to a blow to his jaw.

He has fully recovered from the minor setback and should feature on the left wing. Trossard has made five goal contributions against Spurs in just 10 meetings. Three of those goal involvements have come in the last two encounters. He bagged a goal and an assist in the 4-1 win earlier this term.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com

Arsenal face north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on the road in Sunday’s Premier League clash.

The Gunners dropped two points against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Molineux Stadium on Wednesday night.

They were 2-0 ahead at one stage but ended up squandering the advantage to share the spoils against the Midlands outfit.

Arsenal are still top of the league table with a five-point lead over Manchester City, but the latter now have a game in hand.

Ahead of Sunday’s north London derby, we have picked our combined Spurs and Arsenal line-up.

We have selected the XI based on form and availability. Injured players have been excluded from our overall selection.

Goalkeeper

David Raya is leading the Golden Glove race with 13 clean sheets in the league this season. He has managed six more shutouts than Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. It is a no-brainer to pick the Spaniard between the sticks.

Defence

William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have been brilliant as a centre-back pairing for the Gunners, and should easily get the nod. Similarly, Jurrien Timber would be an outright choice at right-back ahead of Pedro Porro (injured) and Archie Gray. The Dutchman has already made six goal contributions for Arsenal in the league this term.

At left-back, we would go with Djed Spence ahead of Riccardo Calafiori, Piero Hincapie and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Calafiori had a bright start to the campaign, but his form has dipped since his December injury setback. Hincapie has been a mainstay in the position in recent weeks and scored a vital goal during the 2-2 stalemate against Wolves.

Despite this, we are going with Spence due to his continuity in the position, unlike Hincapie, who has also operated in the heart of the defence. Despite Spurs languishing near the drop zone, the 25-year-old has had a good individual season. His performances have not gone unnoticed, with England head coach Thomas Tuchel handing him his maiden cap.

Midfield

Arsenal’s success at the top of the table has been primarily due to a solid central midfield partnership of Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice. Zubimendi has chipped in with five goals in the league this term, while Rice has had 10 goal involvements. The pair should easily get the nod over Spurs midfielder Joao Palhinha, whose form has dipped after a bright start to his debut season.

Eberechi Eze announced himself to the Gunners’ faithful with a stunning hat-trick against Spurs at the Emirates Stadium. Despite this, we would personally go with Martin Odegaard as the attacking midfielder. Arteta has said that the Norwegian could be fit for Sunday. He has been the in-form playmaker in both clubs with four assists and one goal in his last eight league appearances.

Attack

We are going with a complete Arsenal attack. Viktor Gyokeres has not been firing all cylinders for the Gunners, but has accumulated eight goals, one more than Richarlison, who is obviously injured. The Swede leads the line in our combined line-up.

On the left wing, Leandro Trossard comfortably get the nod over Xavi Simons. The latter has shown signs of returning to his old form from his RB Leipzig days, but Trossard has been more consistent. He has five more goal involvements in the league (10 to 5).

Mohammed Kudus had a solid start to his Spurs career before a hamstring injury blow. He won’t be in contention, under our criteria. Noni Madueke has been among the goals lately, but looking at the season as a whole, Bukayo Saka continues on the right wing.

Despite a couple of untimely injuries, Saka has still managed five goals and five assists in the top flight this season. The Englishman has bagged three goals and three assists in 11 meetings against Spurs, and will be determined to make his mark on Sunday.

Combined Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal line-up (4-2-3-1): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Spence; Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Odegaard, Trossard; Gyokeres.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Arsenal secured a convincing 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Gunners have had a fabulous league campaign and moved six points clear at the top after a resounding performance in the north London derby.

The focus will now turn to the Champions League. Mikel Arteta’s side are scheduled to host Bayern Munich in tomorrow’s much-awaited encounter.

Ahead of the game, Arteta could contemplate a solitary change from the 4-1 rout of Spurs.

We believe Riccardo Calafiori could be back on the bench as part of his workload management.

The Italy international started in the Champions League curtain-raiser against Athletic Bilbao, but has been an unused substitute in the last three European games.

Calafiori suffered a hip injury scare during the international break, which contributed to his early return, but the left-back was deemed fit for the north London derby.

The 23-year-old played almost the entire game against Tottenham before Lewis-Skelly replaced him prior to stoppage time. It is probably a big selection hint.

Calafiori could be given another breather against the reigning German champions before the London derby against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Piero Hincapie made his full European debut for Arsenal against Slavia Prague at left-back this month, but he is likely to partner William Saliba in central defence again.

With Gabriel Magalhaes out for several weeks with a thigh injury, Hincapie needs as many minutes as possible in the left centre-back position to adapt efficiently.

This should pave the way for Lewis-Skelly to make his third Champions League start of the campaign.

The £39 million-rated star only came on in the 73rd minute against Slavia, but looks poised to start at left-back this time, with Hincapie in central defence and Calafiori being rested.

The rest of the Arsenal XI could stay unchanged from the derby win over Spurs.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Arsenal returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a comfortable 4-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

The Gunners were obvious favourites to beat Spurs with home advantage, and produced a wonderful performance. Eberechi Eze stole the headlines with a maiden career hat-trick.

However, there were several other standout performers. William Saliba was rock-solid in the heart of the defence despite having to play with a different partner in Piero Hincapie.

In the injury absence of Gabriel Magalhaes, the duo were brilliant as a pair. Saliba had a comfortable evening. He had 71 touches in the north London derby, completing 95 percent of his passes.

Shortly after the 4-1 win, Saliba took to Instagram to express his delight. The 24-year-old wrote: ‘North London is still Red’ with a front picture of him brushing aside Richarlison with ease.

Several Arsenal players commented on his post. Gabriel was particularly delighted and responded with four words. He wrote ‘Oui oui oui, Merci’ in French, which translates to ‘Yes yes yes, Thank you’.

Here is a screenshot

Saliba has been a mainstay alongside Gabriel in the central defensive department. There were questions raised over how the Gunners could cope with the latter’s absence yesterday due to a thigh injury.

However, Mikel Arteta’s side came out with flying colours. They defended with relative ease and deserved a clean sheet. Martin Zubimendi should have avoided getting dispossessed before Richarlison’s long-range goal.

Hincapie proved a perfect foil for Saliba against Tottenham, but the Ecuadorian faces bigger tests. Arsenal host Bayern in the Champions League on Wednesday before facing Chelsea on the road in the league on Sunday.

Unlike Spurs, Bayern and Chelsea pose a much greater threat on the counter-attack. Hincapie has the opportunity to cement his starting spot, at least in the short term, if he stands out in the next couple of matches

Stats from Sofascore.com

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta heaped praise on Mikel Merino after the club’s thumping 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Gunners went into the north London derby as favourites, but they had to wait until the 36th minute to break the deadlock through Leandro Trossard.

Merino was the key catalyst behind the goal. The Spaniard delivered a sublime lob pass behind Spurs’ defence for Trossard, who opened the scoring with the help of a deflection.

Arsenal controlled proceedings thereafter. Eberechi Eze scored on either side of the break. Spurs reduced the deficit with a stellar long-range goal from Richarlison in the 55th minute.

However, the Gunners regained composure to seal a 4-1 win. Eze completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute, and could have easily scored another. Guglielmo Vicario pulled off a superb save.

Speaking after the derby, Arteta was posed with plenty of questions. One of those was centered around Merino, who had another impressive performance as a makeshift striker for the Gunners.

The manager said: “Yes, I think he was incredible again, and we are asking him to feel as a nine, and he’s not a nine, and to do a lot of the things that a nine has to do.

“But he’s such an intelligent player, and his work ethic and his desire to contribute and make others better is that big.

“And again, those performances give you all the right reason to continue to trust him.”

When asked to describe his position, Arteta added: “I don’t know, a defensive nine.”

Arsenal delivered a stupendous display at the Emirates Stadium and have now moved six points clear of second-placed Chelsea. They face the Blues at Stamford Bridge this weekend.

Prior to that, the Gunners have a huge Champions League clash against Bayern Munich at home on Wednesday. It promises to be another entertaining affair, given the fine form of both clubs.

Arteta said yesterday that Viktor Gyokeres was not far from returning to the matchday squad after injury. If the Swede is fit, he could be eased back into action from the substitutes’ bench.

Merino may not be everyone’s favourite for the number nine position, but the Spanish ace continues to answer his critics whenever asked to play as the emergency centre-forward at Arsenal.

Aside from his assist, Merino won 100 percent of his tackles (5/5) and 10 duels. He also made four recoveries and dropped into a midfield role when Spurs had periods of possession.

The £31 million-rated star looks poised to lead the line against the German champions. The Gunners will be eyeing their first win over Bayern in six attempts, having previously won in 2015.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com

Arsenal welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the Emirates Stadium in today’s Premier League derby.

The Gunners are three points ahead of Chelsea at the top of the table, and can extend their lead with a positive result against Spurs.

Ahead of the game, Arsenal could witness the return of four players to the matchday squad.

Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke have apparently returned to full training and could be involved.

We anticipate two changes to the starting line-up from the 2-2 draw against Sunderland on the road before the international break.

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Predicted Line-up:

David Raya has been an undisputed starter in the Premier League, keeping seven clean sheets. He will be eyeing another shutout in the north London derby.

In defence, there will be an enforced change with Gabriel Magalhaes ruled out for weeks with a thigh injury. We have predicted Piero Hincapie to replace him.

Hincapie is a like-for-like replacement for the Brazilian. The 23-year-old is left-footed and provides a stronger aerial presence compared to Cristhian Mosquera.

Hincapie should partner William Saliba in central defence. Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori were spotted arriving for training yesterday and should start in the full-back positions.

No changes are expected in the heart of the midfield. Martin Zubimendi, described as ‘very impressive‘ by manager Mikel Arteta, is guaranteed to start in the number six role.

Declan Rice is poised to partner the Spaniard in the centre of the park. Odegaard may have returned to full training, but may not be up to full speed after a lengthy injury lay-off.

Hence, we anticipate Eberechi Eze to continue in the number 10 position.

In the final third, Bukayo Saka is a nailed-on starter on the right wing. The same can be said for Leandro Trossard, who has started each of the previous seven league matches.

The Belgian has eight goal involvements from 14 appearances this term. He has fared well against Spurs, scoring three goals, including a winner in January. He will feature on the left wing.

With Gyokeres back in training, we anticipate the Swede to lead the line ahead of Mikel Merino. He has excellent fitness levels and could be drafted straight into the XI on his return.

How Arsenal could line up vs Tottenham

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Arsenal have received a timely injury boost ahead of the Premier League derby against Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

The Gunners are presently three points ahead of second-placed Chelsea in the standings, and they can increase their advantage with their game in hand against Spurs.

Ahead of the encounter, Arsenal could welcome back several key players from injuries.

Gabriel Martinelli has hinted that he could be available after a muscle issue. He wrote ‘ready’ on a whiteboard at the Sobha Realty Training Centre when asked to describe the north London derby in one word.

Martin Odegaard has likewise returned to full training and could be involved in some capacity.

The Gunners have now received a further boost with both Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke spotted reporting for training in a video released by the club on social media.

Gyokeres, valued at £66 million by Transfermarkt, has had a relatively good start to the campaign. He has registered six goals from 14 appearances in all competitions.

He had his best game in the opening half against Burnley, in our view. The Swede scored with a tap-in before laying a terrific long pass for Leandro Trossard in the lead-up to Declan Rice’s goal.

Gyokeres unfortunately suffered a muscle injury in the same game and was subbed off at the break. Given his excellent fitness levels, we won’t be surprised if he starts on Sunday.

Madueke received scrutiny from a small section of Arsenal fans after his summer move from Chelsea, but the right-sided winger was one of the best players in the early weeks.

The £44 million-rated star did not make a direct goal contribution, but he showed his intent from the right flank with his direct running, dribbling skills and strong physique.

The Englishman could come off the bench to replace Bukayo Saka. He will no doubt relish the prospect of facing Spurs, where he trained between the ages of 12 and 16 before moving to PSV.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Arsenal host north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday.

Ahead of the game, manager Mikel Arteta has a selection headache on his hands.

Gabriel Magalhaes sustained a thigh injury on international duty. Arteta has confirmed that the centre-back will be sidelined for weeks.

Riccardo Calafiori is also doubtful for the derby, having returned early during the international break due to a minor hip problem.

The Italian left-back has not trained yet. The manager has hinted that he could be assessed during Saturday’s training session.

There could be two changes to the starting line-up from the Sunderland draw.

With Gabriel sidelined, one of Cristhian Mosquera or Piero Hincapie could start in the left centre-back role.

Mosquera has primarily played as the right-sided centre-back at Arsenal and has provided good cover for Saliba this term.

However, the Spaniard made his name as a left centre-back during his time at Valencia and can slot into the position too.

Hincapie could still get the nod over the 21-year-old, as he does not provide the same aerial presence as Magalhaes.

Mosquera has won only 36 percent of his aerial duels this campaign. His success rate stood at 45 percent in La Liga last term. This has been a notable area of weakness for him.

Hincapie has made just two substitute league appearances for Arsenal, but he is more dominant aerially. The Ecuadorian won 61 percent of his aerials in the Bundesliga in 2024/25.

On top of this, the 23-year-old is naturally left-footed. The £44 million-rated star could finally make his first Premier League start for the Gunners in the north London derby.

If Calafiori is deemed unfit, Myles Lewis-Skelly looks likely to make his first league start of the season. The 19-year-old recently lost his spot in the England squad amid the lack of playing time.

Lewis-Skelly could be presented with a brilliant opportunity to prove his credentials this weekend. A standout performance against Spurs could boost his starting prospects in the league.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com

Arsenal take on north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday.

Ahead of the game, manager Mikel Arteta was asked plenty of questions in his pre-match presser.

One of those was focused on Martin Zubimendi. He was asked how he rates the Spain international compared to some of the world’s best midfielders.

In response, Arteta said that it would be unfair to compare midfielders, but added that Zubimendi’s impact on the team is ‘unquestionable’ and he has been ‘very impressive’.

He said: “Well my players are the best. To compare him with other players, I don’t think it’s fair, I think each player has his own qualities.

“I think the impact of Zubi on the team is unquestionable. I think what he’s doing and doing it so early in his career here, it’s very, very impressive and that’s what we need.

“Players at that level, playing that consistently and helping the team, he’s going to be very positive for the team and the results of the team.”

Zubimendi signed for the Gunners from Real Sociedad after several months of speculation last summer. There were claims that Real Madrid could attempt to hijack the deal.

The 26-year-old has since been a revelation for Arsenal. He has completed 89 percent of his passes in the league with an average of four duels and two tackles won per game.

The Spaniard has also made three recoveries and two clearances per outing. His arrival has provided the Gunners with a calming influence in midfield alongside Declan Rice.

The £62 million-rated star has started in every league game barring one against West Ham United, where he was introduced at the 30th-minute mark for the injured Martin Odegaard.

Zubimendi is pretty much guaranteed to start in the number six role versus Spurs on Sunday. He will have a huge role in controlling proceedings and winning the midfield battle.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has provided a big injury update ahead of the Premier League derby against Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners are unbeaten in the last 11 games across all competitions with 10 wins and one draw. They will aim to extend the streak against Spurs on Sunday.

Ahead of the encounter, Arteta has confirmed a couple of concerns on the injury front.

The Spanish tactician revealed that Gabriel Magalhaes is out for weeks after suffering a thigh injury on international duty for Brazil against Senegal last week.

He said (via football.london): “Yeah Gabi unfortunately picked up an injury and he’s going to be out for weeks. We need to have another scan next Wednesday and we will have the timeline much more clear.”

The manager added that Riccardo Calafiori has not trained after returning early from Italy duty due to a hip issue. The left-back could be assessed in tomorrow’s session.

He added: “Yeah he wasn’t available, he’s been carrying a few things and we had to bring him back. He hasn’t trained yet, we have a session tomorrow so we will see.”

Arsenal suffered a minor blip before the international break. They came from 1-0 down at Sunderland to secure the lead (2-1), but conceded a late stoppage-time equaliser.

As a result, Manchester City and Chelsea are within four and six points respectively of the Gunners for the top spot. The club now face a stern test of their title credentials with a tricky run.

Arsenal are due to face Spurs, Chelsea, Brentford, Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the next five league matches. In between, they have a key Champions League game against Bayern Munich.

Unlike last season, the Gunners have sufficient defensive depth after the summer spending spree. One of Piero Hincapie or Cristhian Mosquera could slot in at left centre-back in Gabriel’s absence.

If Calafiori is unavailable for the north London derby, Arteta could utilise the services of either Hincapie or Myles Lewis-Skelly in the left-back position. Hincapie impressed in the role earlier this month.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com