Sports Mole

Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed their starting lineups for Sunday's Premier League North London derby at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners received a quadruple fitness boost ahead of the game as Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Riccardo Calafiori and Noni Madueke were spotted on their pre-match walk, and three of them have made the matchday squad on Sunday.

Calafiori has shaken off a hip problem to start at left-back for Arsenal, while Martinelli and Madueke are both on the bench, but Odegaard misses out once again.

Elsewhere, Piero Hincapie has been given the nod over Cristhian Mosquera to deputise for Gabriel Magalhaes in defence, while Mikel Merino continues to lead the line in the absence of Viktor Gyokeres.

Hincapie for Gabriel is the only change that Mikel Arteta has made to his starting XI from the 2-2 draw with Sunderland before the international break, whereas Thomas Frank has made five alterations to the side that played out a 2-2 stalemate with Manchester United.

In a bid to frustrate the Premier League leaders, the Tottenham boss has gone with three central defenders, introducing Kevin Danso into the backline alongside Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.

Piero Hincapie starts for Arsenal, five changes for Tottenham

Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie will start at right and left wing-back respectively for Tottenham, as Pedro Porro drops to the bench alongside Pape Sarr, whose spot is taken by Rodrigo Bentancur.

Xavi Simons has also been sacrificed for an extra centre-back in Danso, and Frank has made two further changes to his frontline, bringing in the fit-again Mohammed Kudus and Wilson Odobert in place of Brennan Johnson and Randal Kolo Muani.

The latter is fit enough for a place on the bench after recovering from a jaw fracture, but Richarlison will operate as the central striker for the Europa League champions.

Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray are also on the Spurs bench following a concussion and a calf issue respectively, but Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies miss out.

Arteta's men will open up a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table with victory over the Lilywhites, who in turn will move into the top four should they condemn the Gunners to their first home loss of the season.

Arsenal starting lineup:Â Raya; Timber, Saliba, Hincapie, Calafiori; Eze, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Merino, Trossard

Subs:Â Kepa, Mosquera, White, Martinelli, Norgaard, Madueke, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly, Dowman

Tottenham starting lineup:Â Vicario; Romero, Danso, Van de Ven; Spence, Palhinha, Bentancur, Udogie; Kudus, Richarlison, Odobert

Subs:Â Kinsky, Simons, Tel, Gray, Bergvall, Johnson, Porro, Sarr, Kolo Muani

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Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has delivered a late injury update ahead of Sunday's Premier League North London derby with Tottenham Hotspur, which the Gunners could receive a quadruple boost for.

The Norway international has missed Arsenal's last seven games in all competitions with the knee problem he suffered against West Ham United on October 4, when he set an unwanted Premier League record.

Odegaard had previously sustained shoulder problems against Nottingham Forest and Leeds United, and against West Ham, he became the first player to be substituted in the first half in three straight Premier League starts.

The former Real Madrid starlet also missed Norway's World Cup-clinching wins over Estonia and Italy earlier this month, although he did travel with the squad to join in with the celebrations after they punched their ticket to North America.

National team manager Stale Solbakken delivered a worrying update on Odegaard during the international break, though, revealing that he was still "some distance away" from a return, suggesting that he would not be involved against Spurs, Bayern Munich or Chelsea.

Mikel Arteta was quintessentially unhelpful when asked for updates on team news in his pre-game press conference, but he did not directly rule Odegaard - or any of Arsenal's other injury doubts - out of the North London derby.

Martin Odegaard almost at "final stages" in recovery from knee injury

The captain recently opened up on his recovery in his programme notes, revealing that he is close to the "final stages" of his rehabilitation without directly confirming whether he would be available for the clash with Tottenham.

"This week I’ve been working really hard on my rehab – it’s going very well," Odegaard wrote. "I can feel I’m getting closer every day and getting towards the final stages, where it's a lot more exciting.

"I’ve been doing some pitch work and training, so I really feel like I'm getting there. That's the best part of the rehab, when you're getting closer to joining the team, you can do a lot more on the pitch and you can be more aggressive in the rehab.

"I feel like I'm getting stronger and stronger. I can't wait to be back now, we're on a good path and it's looking good. I'm really excited.

"I guess that's one of the good things about being injured. You get hungrier and more excited to play football again. That's the good part of it, I’m desperate to get going again."

Arsenal receive quadruple injury boost ahead of Tottenham clash

Odegaard's suggestion that he is not yet at the final stages of his recovery suggests that Spurs may come too soon, but Arsenal fans have been given reason to believe that the 26-year-old could feature in some capacity this weekend.

Arteta's squad took their customary pre-match walk from their hotel on Sunday morning, and journalist Simon Collings reports that Odegaard was seen with his teammates, alongside three other injury victims.

Gabriel Martinelli (muscle) and Noni Madueke (knee) were reportedly also spotted among the Arsenal team, alongside Riccardo Calafiori, who withdrew from the Italy squad earlier this month with a hip problem.

However, there was no mention of Viktor Gyokeres, who is at risk of missing out with a hamstring injury, or Kai Havertz, who recently suffered a setback in his recovery from a knee operation, according to Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann.

Arsenal are known to be without Gabriel Magalhaes (hamstring) and Gabriel Jesus (ACL) for Sunday's game, but the latter is now training fully again and could make his comeback in the next few weeks.

North London has been red since 2022, but Tottenham Hotspur will finally endeavour to paint the city in a new lick of lilywhite at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The two bitter-most rivals collide in the headline act of Premier League gameweek 12, in which Arsenal could open up an 11-point lead over Thomas Frank's men by coming up trumps on their own turf.

Victory for the men in red and white would also ensure that they maintain an unassailable lead over Manchester City and Chelsea at the top-flight summit, whereas Spurs could potentially sneak into the Champions League spots by harming their hosts' title ambitions.

Ahead of Sunday's mouthwatering derby, the Sports Mole team picks their winner between Arsenal and Tottenham.

Barney Corkhill, Editor - Arsenal

Taking all Premier League games where I am a neutral into account, this was for years my favourite fixture to watch.

The North London derby rarely disappoints and so often throws up thrillers, although admittedly I cannot see that being the case this time around, with set pieces the favoured route of attack for both clubs so far this season.

Both teams can play exciting football, and Spurs may actually favour being away from home in this one given their dreadful home record this season, but I'm expecting this chapter of the North London derby to be a fairly routine, unspectacular 2-0 win for Arsenal.

The Gunners' defensive record is exceptional, and with Tottenham having to cope without some of their most dangerous attackers, it is hard to see them breaching the backline, even with the news of Gabriel's injury.

Spurs haven't won any of their last six North London derbies - a streak that now stretches back more than three-and-a-half years - and I fully expect them to lose a fourth on the bounce for the first time since a run of six between 1987 and 1989.

Matt Law, Football Editor - Arsenal

Football is rarely straightforward, but Arsenal are a better team than Tottenham, and sometimes it is as simple as that.

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The absence of Gabriel Magalhaes is a big blow for the Gunners, but the home side still have more than enough quality to secure all three points in front of their own supporters.

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Tottenham can cause Arsenal problems, and I am expecting Spurs to find the back of the net despite the home team's excellent defensive record, but Mikel Arteta's side should win this one.

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Many a fascinating sub-plot has dominated and will continue to dominate the pre-match talk before Arsenal vs. Tottenham Hotspur, namely the fitness situations of both camps.

For the Lilywhites, Thomas Frank - who has been grappling with a double-figure absentee crisis for a large chunk of his debut campaign - confirmed a staggering eight boosts for his side in his pre-game press conference.

For the Premier League leaders, Mikel Arteta - forever unhelpful to fantasy football managers when giving team news updates - may coincidentally be missing eight men for the 198th instalment of this fixture, none more critical than the masterful Gabriel Magalhaes.

The set-piece specialist will watch on helplessly on Sunday due to a hamstring injury, and he may be joined on the sidelines by all of Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke.

Arteta's devotion to secrecy means that the status of the latter five remains largely unknown ahead of the visit of Tottenham, and by the time 3.15pm strikes on Sunday, there is a chance that at least four of them could be listed on the hosts' team sheet.

Arsenal will be in for a "completely different game" if Gyokeres fails to make the cut, according to one Gunners expert, and much has understandably been made of the impact of Gabriel's absence in both penalty areas.

However, Arsenal's most critical component in the North London derby may not be Gabriel, Gyokeres or any of Arteta's injury uncertainties.Â

Why Martin Zubimendi has a crucial role to play in Arsenal vs. Tottenham

Summer signing Martin Zubimendi will experience his first taste of North London derby day on Sunday afternoon, when the former Real Sociedad man has the capability to frustrate Tottenham's pressing machine to no end.

Indeed, the Spain international has completed the second-most passes under pressure of any player in the 2025-26 Premier League season, only fewer than a man now valued at £100m, if the latest reports are to be believed.

Zubimendi has made 445 of those aforementioned passes while under pressure from an opposing player, only inferior to the 492 managed by Nottingham Forest's in-demand England international Elliot Anderson, supposedly a prime target for Manchester United.

The 26-year-old may not possess the same physical profile of Arsenal sixes gone by - think Thomas Partey and Patrick Vieira - but he is the man who makes things tick for the Gunners, either as the recognised midfield screen or dropping deeper during build-up phases.

Schooled in the San Sebastian ways, the Euro 2024 winner's remarkable passing numbers under pressure tell the tale of a player who oozes class and composure with the ball at his feet, which is more often than not in this Arsenal side.

Zubimendi also sits in the top 10 for touches in the 2025-26 Premier League season with 801, and Arteta's shift from chaos to control has allowed the midfielder to further demonstrate his excellence in possession when pressurised.

Arsenal fans often bemoan their side's measured and patient build-up play against a deep block, but the Gunners often take their time in the middle third and wait for the press to be triggered, at which point the quick-thinking Zubimendi can help the team progress.

Not only does Arteta's summer signing possess valuable press-resistant qualities, his aerial abilities can sometimes fly under the radar - he sits in the top 5% of midfielders in the big five European leagues for aerials won over the past 365 days, and Gooners will not forget that one time he beat Dan Burn in the air too.

Can Spurs quell Arsenal's set-piece threat without Gabriel?

Whether Zubimendi's aerial excellence can translate into a set-piece threat remains to be seen, but Nicolas Jover will likely now be working overtime to find new dead-ball solutions in the wake of Gabriel's issue.

The Brazilian's six yard-box crashing capabilities are well-documented, but he added a new set-piece dimension to his game just before his injury, evading his man - as he so often does - to nod the ball into the mixer from the back stick.

Such tactics paid off twice for Viktor Gyokeres goals against Atletico Madrid and Burnley, and all five of his direct contributions this season - two goals and three assists - have come from the devastating dead ball.

However, the statistics suggest that Tottenham are the best-placed side to capitalise on Arsenal's reduced set-piece threat without Gabriel, having conceded the fewest amount from corners or free kicks in the 2025-26 Premier League season.

Only two goals have been scored past the Europa League winners from such situations so far this season, so Arsenal would do extremely well to make their 7.41 Expected Goals from set-pieces count for something on Sunday.

Nevertheless, for all of the lambasting about their perceived open-play failures, Arsenal boast the fourth-highest non-set piece XG this season in the Premier League with 10.7, only trailing Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Spurs have amassed just 6.71 Expected Goals from open play in the 2025-26 top-flight campaign, fewer than the likes of Everton, West Ham United and Nottingham Forest.

Even a rejigged Arsenal backline can comprise the likes of Bundesliga Invincible Piero Hincapie and the impressive Cristhian Mosquera, so unless the likes of Mohammed Kudus can work their magic for Tottenham, North London will remain red.

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Arsenal's chances of success in the North London derby could hinge on one particular Mikel Arteta selection, and it is not in defence, Gunners expert Charles Watts has told Sports Mole.

The Premier League leaders host bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon lamenting the absence of defensive cornerstone Gabriel Magalhaes, whom Arteta has confirmed will be out for a few weeks at least with the hamstring injury he suffered while representing Brazil this month.

Gabriel could be one of two rearguard regulars missing for Arsenal this weekend, as Riccardo Calafiori has not trained since leaving the Italy camp with a hip injury, although the likes of Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera can provide more than adequate cover for their defensive colleagues.

The same cannot be said up front, though, as Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz (both knee) will miss out, while Viktor Gyokeres remains a doubt due to his hamstring injury - Arteta refused to specify his availability for the derby in his pre-game press conference.

However, the derby will be a "completely different game" in a bad way if Arsenal are forced to play Mikel Merino up front, according to Watts, who said: “It's really important for Arsenal that Gyokeres makes it.

"I don't know yet if that's going to happen - it'll be a late decision. But Arsenal would have been doing everything they could for him to be fit, because it's just a completely different game if it’s Merino playing up.

Arsenal vs. Tottenham a "completely different game" with Mikel Merino

“They're not going to have someone stretching that Tottenham defence, pulling them down the channels like they would with Gyokeres making the runs we've seen him make so well. It’s a huge contest if he is fit for them, and it's one that Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard will benefit from because there will be space.

“He will drag Van de Ven, Cristian Romero out of position. If it’s Merino, that just won't happen. Merino’s got his qualities and can score goals. But I said this last week – if you asked Van de Ven and Romero who would you rather mark, I think we all know exactly what their answer would be.”

Merino has been chalking up the goal contributions for Arsenal since Gyokeres's injury, scoring two of his own against Slavia Prague in the Champions League before setting up Bukayo Saka's goal in the 2-2 draw with Sunderland two weekends ago.

That four-goal stalemate ended Arsenal's marvellous run of 10 successive wins and eight consecutive clean sheets across all competitions, but Arteta's men have won each of their last five at the Emirates Stadium without shipping a single goal.

However, the Gunners' arch-rivals possess the best away record in the Premier League after 11 gameweeks, winning four and drawing one of their five matches on enemy territory, compared to their meagre five points from six home contests.

Watts has therefore warned Arsenal to be wary of Tottenham counter-attacks, but Arteta and co should not be too fearful of Spurs' stellar away record because, simply put, the Gunners are the "better team".

Why Arsenal should not worry about Tottenham's stellar away form

“I don't think it'll worry Arsenal," Watts said when asked about Tottenham's away form. "It's certainly something that people will talk about before the game, it's a warranted discussion because Tottenham have been very, very good on the road. But I don't think Arsenal will be worried.

“There's no way Arsenal will be worried about Tottenham. They'll go into it thinking they're going to win, they're a stronger team. Tottenham are a good side, clearly they've got some weird psychological barrier playing at home. But away from home, they just feel a little bit freer.

“Maybe they're a team that enjoy the space, can play on the counter-attack a lot better, and they're going to get more opportunities to do that away from home. It's something Arsenal are going to have to be mindful of, trying not to leave as much space to be exposed on the counter.

“But Arsenal are going to focus on themselves. If Arsenal play well, if they do the good things right that they usually do, then in my mind, they win this game because they're the better team. It's as simple as that.”

While Arsenal could be missing eight players for the North London derby, Spurs have received a sensational eight injury boosts before their trip to the Emirates, where they have not prevailed in the Premier League since 2010.

> Click here to listen to the full Arsenal vs. Tottenham North London derby preview

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The 198th North London derby graces our TV screens on Sunday afternoon, when Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur vie for bragging rights and precious Premier League points.

The Gunners will extend their advantage over their bitter rivals to a staggering 11 points with success on their own soil, and here Sports Mole rounds up the team news for both clubs.

ARSENAL vs. TOTTENHAM

ARSENAL

Out:Â Gabriel Jesus (ACL), Gabriel Magalhaes (thigh), Kai Havertz (knee), Martin Odegaard (knee)

Doubtful:Â Viktor Gyokeres (hamstring), Noni Madueke (knee), Riccardo Calafiori (hip), Gabriel Martinelli (muscle)

Sports Mole's predicted XI:Â Raya; Timber, Saliba, Mosquera, Hincapie; Eze, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Merino, Trossard

TOTTENHAM

Out:Â Dominic Solanke (ankle), Yves Bissouma (ankle), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (ACL)

Doubtful: Mohammed Kudus (knock), Archie Gray (calf), Koto Takai (thigh), Radu Dragusin (fitness), Ben Davies (thigh)

Sports Mole's predicted XI:Â Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Palhinha, Sarr; Kudus, Simons, Odobert; Richarlison

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank is likely to have seven and potentially as many as eight injured players back for Sunday's Premier League North London derby with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

The Dane revealed in his pre-match press conference that Pape Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Randal Kolo Muani are all raring to go, although the latter will sport a protective mask in the wake of his jaw fracture.

In addition, Mohammed Kudus, Archie Gray, Kota Takai and Ben Davies are all in team training, as is Radu Dragusin, who is on the verge of a long-awaited competitive comeback after an ACL injury.

However, even if the Romanian is passed fit to make the matchday squad, he is not displacing Cristian Romero or Micky van de Ven in defence, where Pedro Porro, Djed Spence and Guglielmo Vicario also reside.

Sarr's return from a knock could prove pivotal, though, as the Senegal international should link arms with Joao Palhinha in the middle if he is fit to start, thus forcing Rodrigo Bentancur to accept a substitute cameo.

Kudus is also expected to displace Brennan Johnson on the right-hand side, and Frank could make an unenforced change on the left flank, where Wilson Odobert is a candidate to make the first XI.

The Frenchman could force his way into the side if Richarlison replaces Kolo Muani in the striker's slot, while Xavi Simons will do his utmost to pull the creative strings from his number 10 position.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Palhinha, Sarr; Kudus, Simons, Odobert; Richarlison

> Click here to see how Arsenal could line up for the derby

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Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Crystal Palace hero Jean-Philippe Mateta in January.

The 28-year-old has enjoyed a marvellous rise at the top level of football in recent times, starting to become a regular on the international stage for France.

Mateta has now scored in back-to-back international windows for Les Bleus, finding the net against Iceland and Azerbaijan in October and November respectively.

On the club front, Palace are supposedly in talks with the towering marksman regarding an improved and extended contract at Selhurst Park.

Since securing a permanent move from Mainz to South London during January 2022, Mateta has netted an impressive 51 goals across 155 appearances.

Man United want Mateta in January?

According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Manchester United are targeting striker reinforcements in the winter following the injury to Benjamin Sesko.

Although the problem with the Slovenian is not said to be too serious, the report states that the Red Devils are still looking at a swoop for Mateta.

With 18 months left on his current terms in the capital, the 28-year-old is reportedly not rushing into a new agreement with the Eagles.

As a result, Oliver Glasner's men might need to offload when possible in the summer, with a price tag of £40m supposedly placed on the Frenchman.

As well as Ruben Amorim's Man United, it is believed that Europa League winners Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United have also shown interest in the striker.

Targeting a World Cup berth

After helping Crystal Palace to lift their first-ever major trophy last season, Mateta is a well-known star on the domestic scene in England.

This term has seen the forward's stature grow on the international stage, with the marksman making a case for a spot in France's World Cup squad.

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta could be missing both Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori for Sunday's Premier League North London derby at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Gunners are guaranteed to be missing Gabriel due to the thigh injury he picked up while playing for Brazil, while Calafiori is yet to train following a hip problem, according to Arteta.

Reports claimed that Calafiori's hip issue was more due to overload than anything sinister, though, and Arsenal fans have learned to take any Arteta updates before a big game with a pinch of salt.

However, with Bayern Munich and Chelsea on the horizon, Calafiori could be spared thanks to the presence of Piero Hincapie, whom Arteta has repeatedly waxed lyrical about since his summer arrival.

The Ecuador international could start at left-back with Cristhian Mosquera occupying the Gabriel role alongside William Saliba, as the former Valencia man is equally adept as a left centre-back as he is on the right-hand side.

Martin Odegaard's comeback from a knee injury is not expected to occur this weekend, so expect Eberechi Eze to continue in the midfield trident against his former admirers, joining Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice in the engine room.

Doubts also linger over Viktor Gyokeres's availability, so emergency striker Mikel Merino is anticipated to continue alongside Bukayo Saka and the in-form Leandro Trossard in the final third.

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Raya; Timber, Saliba, Mosquera, Hincapie; Eze, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Merino, Trossard

> Click here to see how Spurs could line up for the derby

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed that Gabriel Magalhaes will be sidelined for "weeks" with the muscular injury he sustained while representing Brazil during the international break, but he was coy about other players' availabilities.

The Gunners were optimistic of receiving several pieces of good news on the fitness front over the international period, but instead they were rocked by witnessing Gabriel limp off injured in Brazil's friendly win over Senegal.

The 27-year-old was revealed to have sustained a thigh injury, and reports have now suggested that he faces between one and two months on the sidelines, potentially ruling him out for the rest of 2025.

Gabriel's injury comes at the worst possible time for Arsenal, who host Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday's North London derby before subsequent showdowns against Bayern Munich and Chelsea before the end of the month.

Speaking to the media in his pre-Spurs press conference, Arteta delivered the latest on Gabriel's condition, although he admitted that the centre-back will need more examinations to determine the length of his absence.

Arsenal's Gabriel out for "weeks", Mikel Arteta confirms

"Gabi is unfortunately picked up an injury with the national team. He will be out for weeks," Arteta said. "We need to have another scan next Wednesday. We will have the timeline much more clearly than we have at the moment.

"It's clearly a blow. It's our leader in our back line. To miss him is never a positive thing. The good thing is we have some very good options. They need to stand up now."

One player who could fill in for Gabriel is Riccardo Calafiori, who is expected to be OK for the derby despite picking up a hip problem while on international duty, but Arteta revealed that the Italy international is still yet to train since returning.

"He wasn't available. He's been carrying a few things. We had to bring him back. He hasn't trained yet. We have another session tomorrow. Let's see," the Spaniard responded.

Could Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard return vs. Spurs?

Calafiori is not the only uncertainty for the Gunners, who are also sweating over all of Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke and Kai Havertz for gameweek 12 due to their fitness concerns.

It is believed that every member of the quintet could either be back for the North London derby or before the end of the month, but Arteta kept his cards close to his chest when asked in his pre-game press conference.

"We put a lot of energy in the international break with the medical staff to try to bring them back as quickly as possible," Arteta replied.

"Tomorrow we have another training session to see how they are feeling, if this game is too close or they can have a contribution in the game."

Gabriel Jesus is now training fully with the team after his ACL injury, but the visit of Tottenham is expected to come too soon for the Brazilian striker, who will most likely return to senior action in late December or early January.

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