Sports Mole

Aston Villa have been handed a major boost in their hopes of keeping star attacker Morgan Rogers ahead of the summer transfer window, according to a report.

The 23-year-old has taken his game to a new level since moving to Villa Park in February 2024 and has established himself as one of the Premier League's best players under the guidance of head coach Unai Emery.

Last season, Rogers recorded 14 goals and 16 assists in 54 appearances for Villa, and he has since contributed with 10 goals and seven assists in 38 games so far this term, scoring more goals and playing more minutes (3,083) than any of his teammates.

The versatile attacking midfielder has also impressed on the international stage for England, with head coach Thomas Tuchel selecting him five times in his starting lineup across eight of the Three Lions’ 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Rogers’s impressive ascent and increasing importance at domestic and international level is understood to have drawn interest from a number of top clubs who are said to have been tracking him closely.

Villa can keep hold of Rogers with or without Champions League football

Tottenham Hotspur have allegedly identified Rogers as a ‘dream’ transfer target, while Manchester United are said to be ‘giving serious consideration’ to moving for Villa’s No.27 this summer.

Liverpool are another Premier League club that have recently been credited with an interest, though talks with the player’s representatives over a big-money move to Anfield have been played down.

The likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City - where Rogers was on the books between 2019 and 2023 - and French giants Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked with the playmaker, as speculation over a potential exit continues to grow.

According to Football Insider, Aston Villa are currently walking a financial tightrope after cutting back spending over several seasons in an effort to improve their PSR position.

However, the report adds that Villa’s ability to keep hold of Rogers this summer will not depend on Emery’s side securing qualification for next season’s Champions League.

Villa under no pressure to sell in-demand Rogers this summer

Sources have claimed that Villa remain under ‘no pressure’ to sell their star attacker and their stance is ‘highly unlikely to change’, even if they miss out on the financial boost of Champions League qualification.

Villa are currently well-placed to secure at least a top-five finish in the Premier League this season, as they sit third in the table and six points ahead of each of the three teams directly below them, with Chelsea, Man United and Liverpool all level on 45 points.

Emery will be keen to see his team’s form improve as they head down the home straight, though, following a run of just two wins in their last seven Premier League games (D3 L2).

Rogers, who is believed to be valued by Villa at around £100m, is under contract at Villa Park until June 2031.

Kevin Danso and Pedro Porro could both return for Tottenham Hotspur's match against Fulham on Sunday, Igor Tudor has revealed.

If Spurs thought the season could not get worse, their 4-1 home defeat against fierce rivals Arsenal proved otherwise, with the loss leaving them just four points above the Premier League's relegation zone.

The match was Tudor's first in charge, and while his team were deservedly beaten, he cannot be entirely blamed for the performance considering 12 players missed the game due to either injury or suspension.

Speaking to reporters after the North London derby, Tudor was hopeful that Porro and Danso would make the squad for next week's game against Fulham, saying: "Yeah, probably [the] two of them [will return]. We hope. We're going to see now what is best for the team.”

With just 11 games remaining in the Premier League this season, Tudor will need as many of his players back fit if he is to guide the club to safety.

How significant is the return of Kevin Danso and Pedro Porro?

Tudor has shown a preference for a back three during his time as a manager, and while there are doubts about the quality of Danso, his inclusion in the XI would allow Joao Palhinha to be used in a more natural midfield position against Fulham.

Porro's return would be significantly more impactful than Danso given the former is excellent with the ball, and his ability to progress would benefit the team's ability to build up from the back.

The Spaniard directly contributed to 26 goals in the three Premier League seasons prior to the current campaign, highlighting his impact in attack.

Porro is one of few creative passers in Spurs squad, and if he can maintain his fitness for an extended period, then struggling forwards like Richarlison and Dominic Solanke may receive more chances.

Will Tottenham Hotspur avoid Premier League relegation?

The threat of demotion must be taken seriously considering the team are 16th in the division, and with the club winless in nine league games, confidence is almost certainly at rock bottom in the Tottenham squad.

Spurs' lifeline in their fight for survival is that they will host 17th-placed Nottingham Forest on March 22, and a win in that clash would likely make them favourites to finish ahead of the Garibaldi.

Lucas Bergvall allegedly intends to reject any opportunity to leave Tottenham Hotspur during the summer transfer window.

The midfielder was one of many notable absentees as Spurs suffered a 4-1 defeat to Arsenal in Sunday's North London derby.

As a result, Spurs remain four points above the Premier League relegation zone, with Igor Tudor's contract only scheduled to run until the end of the season.

If Spurs fail to secure Champions League football for 2026-27, there is the possibility of some of their key players attracting strong interest from elsewhere.

Bergvall - who is one of the most highly-regarded prospects in European football - falls into that bracket.

Bergvall to hand Spurs boost over future?

According to Football Insider, the 20-year-old is in no rush to push for a move from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The report suggests that the likes of Chelsea and Aston Villa failed with enquiries during the winter market.

Nevertheless, even if the pair return to the negotiating table, Bergvall is said to be of the opinion that he wants to continue to develop at Spurs.

Transfer correspondent Pete O'Rourke said: "He’s highly regarded at Tottenham, he’s under a long contract until 2031 and there was no surprise that they rebuffed those inquiries from Chelsea and Villa in the January window.

"Bergvall, for his stance as well, he is happy at Tottenham and wants to do his best for them.

"As I said Tottenham see him as a key part of their long-term future at the club as well so they don’t want to even consider letting Lucas Bergvall leave."

How has Bergvall performed for Spurs?

Given Spurs' long-term struggles, Bergvall has arguably been used far more frequently than was initially planned.

The Sweden international has already made 40 starts and 31 substitute outings in all competitions since the summer of 2024.

While just two goals and eight assists have been recorded, the playmaker remains highly-regarded at the club.

Moving forward, Bergvall is likely to be viewed as a first-choice pick in a midfield or creative role, partly due to Spurs having already handed him a contract until 2031.

Unless Spurs receive a proposal that is too tempting to turn down, Bergvall is in line to stay put, even if his current employers remain away from the Premier League title picture.

Arsenal centre-back William Saliba set a unique record in the Gunners' 4-1 dismantling of Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday's Premier League North London derby.

Mikel Arteta's men trekked to their rivals' home under pressure to respond to their catastrophic 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers in midweek, and respond they did with an emphatic performance against Igor Tudor's men.

Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres both helped themselves to braces at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where a Randal Kolo Muani equaliser did not prove disastrous for the league leaders.

The Frenchman briefly believed he had also joined the two-goal club in the second half, only to be penalised for a foul on Gabriel Magalhaes, much to Tottenham's chagrin.

However, Gabriel's central partner Saliba managed to steer clear of such controversy, and the France international rewrote the history books with a never-before-seen derby feat.

William Saliba wins first four away North London derbies in Premier League

Indeed, Saliba is now the first-ever Arsenal player to win each of their first four league matches away to Tottenham, having also been involved in victories in 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 and now 2025-26.

The Frenchman's breakthrough season at Arsenal in 2022-23 saw the Gunners ease to a 2-0 win on Tottenham's turf, thanks to a Hugo Lloris own goal and a Martin Odegaard strike.

The Gunners then succeeded 3-2 the next campaign, before edging out Ange Postecoglou's side 1-0 in 2024-25, when Gabriel's bullet header was the difference at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Arsenal match 91-year-old club record in Tottenham thrashing

Not only did Saliba enter the North London derby record books, but Arsenal achieved some of their Premier League bests in Sunday's merciless mauling.

A 4-1 victory represents Arsenal's biggest-ever Premier League win away to Tottenham, and their most emphatic for 48 years, following a 5-0 success in December 1978.

Furthermore, the Gunners have also scored at least four goals in both matches against Spurs in a single season for the first time since the 1934-35 campaign, when they ended up as First Division champions.

Arsenal now have a week to prepare for next Sunday's visit of Chelsea to the Emirates Stadium, prior to which Manchester City take on Leeds United at Elland Road.

An awesome Arsenal surged to their biggest-ever Premier League away win over Tottenham Hotspur as they demolished the Lilywhites 4-1 in Sunday's North London derby.

A customarily chaotic start to this weekend's main event - in which the Gunners started the dominant side - was quickly nipped in the bud, as play was stopped for a good five minutes due to a farcical communications error on the officials' end.

However, the action soon picked up again, as perpetual Tottenham nemesis Eze deservedly put Arsenal ahead, but a mindless moment from Declan Rice gifted Randal Kolo Muani an equaliser just two minutes later.

Unlike at Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers, though, Arsenal rose to the occasion after a swift setback, as Viktor Gyokeres's beautiful finish restored their lead just two minutes after the restart.

A disallowed second for Kolo Muani - a controversially disallowed second at that - suggested it would not be Spurs' day, and so it proved when Eze and Gyokeres completed their braces later in the second half.

There would be no late collapse for Arsenal tonight, as Mikel Arteta's men restored their five-point lead over Manchester City - who have a game in hand - in the Premier League table, while Igor Tudor's Spurs remain 16th, just four points clear of the bottom three.

SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT

No matter the scoreline, the North London derby would have been a day of celebration or catastrophe for Arsenal, and anything other than three points would have fallen into the latter category.

What happened at Molineux was nothing short of embarrassing - and even that is downplaying it - but it evidently also served as a massive wake-up call for Arteta's players, who were on it from minute one.

The comical technological delay had the potential to disrupt Arsenal's momentum - as did Rice's foolish error, which the Gunners must stamp out - but the visitors did not cower in the face of adversity; a very refreshing sight for those away fans.

Man City remain far too close for comfort, but displays like today's demonstrate why Arteta's men are still leading the pack, and the next step for Arteta is to have Eze replicate his NLD displays every week.

Tudor's Tottenham were threatening in flashes, but the same old issues reared their ugly heads for the home side, who are undoubtedly in a fight for survival - if it was not already obvious.

TOTTENHAM VS. ARSENAL HIGHLIGHTS

Eberechi Eze goal vs. Tottenham (32nd min, Tottenham 0-1 Arsenal)

It just had to be him!

Bukayo Saka - who has been hustled and harried all afternoon by white shirts - nutmegs Pape Sarr and cuts the ball back into a crowded mixer.

Eze does not quite get it under his spell first time, but the former Tottenham target gets it right at the second bite, hooking in a half-volley from close range to break the deadlock!

Randal Kolo Muani goal vs. Arsenal (34th min, Tottenham 1-1 Arsenal)

Exactly what all away supporters feared - deja vu strikes again for Arteta's vulnerable leaders.

Not sure what Rice is trying to do close to his own corner flag, but he gets it all wrong and runs straight into Kolo Muani.

The Frenchman wastes no time in surging into the penalty area - away from William Saliba - and firing in an unstoppable low strike to level matters right away!

Oh, and he had just pointed at his head urging his teammates to concentrate a minute beforehand.

Viktor Gyokeres goal vs. Tottenham (47th min, Tottenham 1-2 Arsenal)

That is a beauty.

Jurrien Timber's long ball infield from the right makes its way to Gyokeres on the edge of the box, and the Swede curls in a wonderful strike past a helpless Guglielmo Vicario.

Of course, Eze played a part in that goal too - the Englishman occupied Radu Dragusin to help create the space for Gyokeres to turn and fire home.

Randal Kolo Muani disallowed goal vs. Arsenal (54th min, Tottenham 1-2 Arsenal)

It would not be a North London derby without a healthy dose of controversy.

Kolo Muani and all Spurs fans inside the stadium briefly believe that the Frenchman has levelled matters again, but the striker is penalised for a push on Gabriel Magalhaes.

Replays show that Kolo Muani had two hands on Gabriel's back, but certainly without the force needed to make the Brazilian fall to the ground in that theatrical manner.

Eberechi Eze goal vs. Tottenham (61st min, Tottenham 1-3 Arsenal)

North London derby day is Eze's day!

The playmaker combines brilliantly with Gyokeres and Saka, who sees his close-range attempt thwarted by Vicario, but Joao Palhinha cannot control and clear.

Instead, the ball deflects off of the Portuguese's calf into Eze's path, and Arsenal's man of the moment calmly tucks away his second and Arsenal's third.

The two Scandinavians combine to devastating effect!

Substitute Martin Odegaard slips through Gyokeres in the left channel that he loves, and the striker easily shrugs off his marker before another slick side-footed finish into the top corner.

MAN OF THE MATCH - VIKTOR GYOKERES

Of course, I was just writing my Eze justification when Gyokeres put away his second of the night - curse of the reporter.

So many of the Swede's goals this season have been scrappy, but he put away two sumptuous strikes in front of the away end, contributing to what was undoubtedly his best all-round Arsenal display so far.

TOTTENHAM VS. ARSENAL MATCH STATS

Possession: Tottenham 39%-61% Arsenal

Shots: Tottenham 6-20 Arsenal

Shots on target: Tottenham 5-7 Arsenal

Corners: Tottenham 2-5 Arsenal

Fouls: Tottenham 17-11 Arsenal

BEST STATS

WHAT NEXT?

Tudor's first Tottenham away day comes against another London rival, as the Lilywhites head to Craven Cottage to face Fulham next Sunday at 2pm.

A couple of hours later on March 1, Arsenal also engage in their next all-capital clash, hosting Chelsea in an Emirates blockbuster.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has explained why Ben White is absent from the Gunners' ranks for Sunday's Premier League North London derby with Tottenham Hotspur.

The Englishman was an unexpected omission from the visitors' squad at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, raising fears of yet another fitness setback for the injury-plagued defender.

Jurrien Timber was always expected to start at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but White was at least in the squad for Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers, so his absence hinted at a fresh blow in the past couple of days.

Speaking to Sky Sports News in the lead-up to the game, Arteta refused to go into specifics surrounding White's concern, although he suggested that the defender will not be sidelined for long.

"Ben, he had a little niggle yesterday and he couldn't make the game," Arteta said, while also explaining that the fixture came slightly too soon for Kai Havertz to return from his muscular concern.

White and Havertz can also be classed as doubts for next weekend's crunch clash with Chelsea at the Emirates, but Martin Odegaard was at least named on the bench on Sunday after a brief absence with a knee issue.

Ben White suffers new injury: Is his time at Arsenal up?

White missing Arsenal games has been a constant theme ever since his first month at the club; he was absent from a 2-0 home defeat to Chelsea in August 2021 after contracting coronavirus.

Since then, the former England international has been beset by a plethora of injury issues, and his latest concern is already his third of the season, following a previous knock and hamstring strain.

White has been restricted to 19 appearances in all tournaments this season, including just five Premier League starts, although he was starting to show flashes of his best self again in December before a fresh hamstring injury.

Now 28 years old, White should be in the prime of his career, and when fully fit, the former Brighton & Hove Albion man is a wonderful connector for Bukayo Saka to link up with on the right-hand side.

However, the defender's repeated fitness concerns may be taken into account by Arsenal's decision makers this summer, which may be the Gunners' final chance to recoup a respectable fee for White, who is under contract until 2028.

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

New Spurs boss Igor Tudor prepares for a baptism of fire in his inaugural Premier League game, especially as the former Juventus and Marseille head coach has also inherited Thomas Frank's injury crisis.

Nevertheless, Tudor has seemingly fielded his favoured 3-4-2-1 setup straight away - in spite of the absence of Cristian Romero - as Joao Palhinha looks set to join Micky van de Ven and Radu Dragusin in defence.

Archie Gray and Djed Spence will start at wing-back for the Lilywhites, while Conor Gallagher and Yves Bissouma have been given the nod in the hosts' engine room.

Pape Sarr and Xavi Simons are expected to operate a little further forward, in support of Randal Kolo Muani, who worked with Tudor at Juventus and has been selected over Dominic Solanke.

In total, Tudor has made two changes to the XI that lost 2-1 to Newcastle United in Frank's final game in charge, and there is also a place on the bench for Richarlison following a spell out with a muscle injury.

Tottenham vs. Arsenal: Martin Odegaard on bench as Ben White misses out

Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has also made a double alteration to the side that drew 2-2 with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday, but Martin Odegaard is not one of the visitors' changes.

The Norway international has recovered from a knee injury, but he has only been named on the bench, with November's hat-trick hero Eberechi Eze acting as the Gunners' creative focal point instead.

Eze replaces Noni Madueke - whose demotion should signal a return to the right-wing for Bukayo Saka - in one of two changes to the Arsenal frontline, the other of which sees Leandro Trossard displace Gabriel Martinelli.

Kai Havertz is not involved. despite previous optimism over his chances of recovering from a muscle concern in time, while defender Ben White is an unexpected absentee from the Gunners' squad.

Victory for Arsenal will restore their five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, albeit having played a game more than Pep Guardiola's side.

On the other hand, 16th-placed Spurs - who could drop to 17th before kickoff if Nottingham Forest overcome Liverpool - will go seven clear of West Ham United in the relegation zone with a long-awaited derby triumph.

Tottenham starting lineup: Vicario; Palhinha, Dragusin, Van de Ven; Gray, Bissouma, Gallagher, Spence; Sarr, Simons; Kolo Muani

Subs: Austin, Richarlison, Tel, Solanke, Souza, Olusesi, Williams-Barnett, Rowswell, Wilson

Arsenal starting lineup: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Eze, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard

Fans and neutrals alike will tune in for an unmissable North London derby between Premier League leaders Arsenal and relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Lilywhites are still searching for their first Premier League win of 2026 in Igor Tudor's first match in charge, while the Gunners could hardly be under more pressure to respond to Wednesday's devastating 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up the team news for both clubs before derby day.

TOTTENHAM vs. ARSENAL

TOTTENHAM

Out: Cristian Romero (suspended), Wilson Odobert (ACL), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (ACL), Mohammed Kudus (thigh), Kevin Danso (ankle), Destiny Udogie (thigh), Lucas Bergvall (ankle), Ben Davies (ankle), Rodrigo Bentancur (thigh)

Doubtful: Richarlison (thigh), Pedro Porro (thigh), Dominic Solanke (throat)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Vicario; Gray, Dragusin, Van de Ven, Spence; Gallagher, Palhinha, Sarr; Kolo Muani, Solanke, Simons

ARSENAL

Out: Mikel Merino (foot)

Doubtful: Martin Odegaard (knee), Kai Havertz (muscle), Max Dowman (ankle)

A highly-anticipated head-to-head that could cease to exist in 2026-27, the North London derby takes centre stage on Sunday afternoon, as Tottenham Hotspur host hated rivals Arsenal at their state-of-the-art home.

Igor Tudor will experience the true meaning of a baptism of fire at 4.30pm, when his Tottenham side seek their first Premier League win of 2026 at the ninth attempt, one that will either maintain or increase their five-point lead over the relegation zone.

Meanwhile, Arsenal coincidentally enter the weekend with a five-point advantage over Manchester City at the top, albeit having played a game more than the Citizens, who will cut the gap if they get the better of Newcastle United on Saturday night.

Ahead of Sunday's must-watch match, the Sports Mole team selects who they think will come out on top in the North London derby.

Barney Corkhill, Editor - Draw

A few weeks ago, this would have been a pretty straightforward prediction - Arsenal to win.

A lot has changed in recent weeks though, which means we should perhaps not put too much stock in a form book that says Spurs are on their longest winless league run in almost two decades, are the only Premier League side to have not won this calendar year, and are on one of their worst runs ever against Arsenal.

Igor Tudor has arrived and, while there was plenty of uncertainty around that appointment from Tottenham fans, he does have a track record of coming in mid-season and making a pretty immediate impact at a club. There could also be no better fixture than the North London derby for him to get extra buy-in from his players and the fans too.

At the same time, it is becoming harder to argue against the suggestion that Arsenal are beginning to feel the nerves, be that from the outside, from the stands or from the inside of the club.

We shouldn't forget that dropping points in title race is the normal thing - Pep Guardiola's Man City and Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool were the anomalies in that sense, and this title race has been more like the majority in Premier League history - but the nature of the draw with Wolves in midweek did seem like something more than the natural dropping of points.

The Gunners have also played three times since Spurs last took to the field, during which their stock has fallen. Tottenham, meanwhile, cannot be at as low an ebb as they were under Thomas Frank, even if Tudor has work to do to win the fans over between now and the end of the season.

I have a sneaky feeling that the first step towards doing that will be this weekend, and I am backing them to come away from the derby with a draw - maybe more.

Matt Law, Football Editor - Draw

Matches between these two sides are always important, but it would be fair to say that there are a number of very interesting side-stories heading into this contest. It's simply a massive football match.

Arsenal really should be winning this, but after everything that has happened, I fancy a draw, which would be another big title blow for the Gunners, with Manchester City given more encouragement.

Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter - Arsenal

Bottle this, bottle that, but Arsenal cannot hide from the accusations forever, especially if they blow a 2-0 lead against potentially the worst team to ever grace the Premier League in 2025-26 Wolverhampton Wanderers.

However, the catastrophic events of Wednesday evening will surely serve as a huge wake-up call for Arteta and Arsenal, although whether that extends to an end to their enraging time-wasting tactics remains to be seen.

Nevertheless, Spurs' fitness crisis is showing no signs of abating, and Tudor cannot solve all of their open-play problems overnight, so I still expect Arsenal to prove why they have collected 29 more points than their bitter rivals.

Marvellous Adepoju, Reporter - Arsenal

Tottenham Hotspur have a plethora of injuries to contend with and Arsenal will be licking their lips at their opponents' fitness woes.

While I expect the appointment of Igor Tudor to somewhat steady the ship for Spurs, I cannot see the Croatian avoiding defeat in his first assignment.

Anthony Brown, Reporter - Arsenal

Spurs may have given themselves a chance with the managerial change, which gives them an element of surprise.

However, Arsenal are the best side in England — possibly in Europe — at adapting to multiple threats, and that should serve them well in the North London derby, thereby securing Mikel Arteta’s men victory on enemy territory… just.

Carter White, Reporter - Draw

After only managing a share of the spoils from the jaws victory at Championship-bound Wolves on Wednesday night, Arsenal could be just two points clear at the top of the Premier League standings when they visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday afternoon, meaning that a nervy encounter appears likely.

In his first match as interim head coach, Igor Tudor will be desperate to make an instant impact on the Premier League stage, with his Spurs troops set to be a tough nut for the Gunners to crack, regardless of the Lilywhites' precarious position in the top-flight relegation battle.

A hard-fought narrow success in N17 for Arsenal this weekend would be the sign of champions' pedigree given their midweek setback in the Black Country, however it could be another frustrating occasion of dropped points on the road for Mikel Arteta's men.

Joshua Cole, Reporter - Arsenal

While Arsenal have faltered since the turn of the year, Tottenham have not fared any better. Given the arrival of Igor Tudor at the helm, this might become trickier than it could have originally been, but the Gunners have more in their arsenal to pick up the win here, especially as Spurs struggle with set pieces.

Nsidibe Akpan, Reporter - Arsenal

A few weeks ago, many would have confidently backed Arsenal to win yet another North London derby, considering Tottenham’s current struggles. However, with Arteta’s men also experiencing a dip in form, this one promises to be a tasty encounter.

Tottenham have a new manager in Tudor, and with him, some level of change and improvement should be expected. Arsenal, on the other hand, have dominated this fixture since Arteta’s arrival and, if they cut out some defensive lapses and click into second gear, the red side of North London should have enough to edge what could be a very tight affair.

Anthony Nolan, Reporter - Tottenham

With the pressure mounting on their bitter rivals, Tottenham will be desperate to deal a devastating blow to Arsenal's title ambitions this weekend.

The Lilywhites will need to weather an initial storm but, as other teams have shown, if they can avoid falling too far behind in the initial stages then they are likely to find opportunities to hurt the Gunners later in the game.

Pedro Ramos, Trivela Coordinator - Draw

I believe that, surprisingly, we will have a draw. League leaders Arsenal are mentally fragile after recent stumbles, with a strangely conservative approach in several matches. Tottenham's home form in the league has been terrible, and I believe Tudor will take advantage of this lack of boldness from their rivals

Oscar Buch, AliareLibre General Editor - Draw

I think both teams are going through a rough patch. But Arsenal are slightly better, despite their history of self-destructive behaviour. I think it will be a draw, unless Bukayo Saka is eager to prove why he signed until 2030 (in which case I’m going for Arsenal).

Ayomide Oguntimehen, Soccernet and Afrik Foot Coordinator - Arsenal

Arsenal are still in the title race, and even a slight slip could cost them their grip at the top of the table — something they will be desperate to avoid. Meanwhile, Tottenham have endured a rough patch this season. However, Arsenal remain unbeaten in their last five matches, while Tottenham have suffered two consecutive Premier League defeats. I believe Arsenal can use this as extra motivation to raise their level.

Romain Lantheaume, Top Mercato and Afrik-Foot Coordinator - Draw

I see this North London derby ending in a draw. Not because I can't pick a winner, but because I imagine it will be a game full of twists and turns, with both teams reacting rather than taking the initiative. Between Arsenal's slight dip in form and the shock effect caused by Spurs' change of coach, I think Tottenham could stand up to the Gunners. Especially with Igor Tudor, who is a coach with character, the boss in the dressing room who knows how to motivate his troops, as we saw here in France during his time at Marseille

Tottenham Hotspur will be at risk of matching a 71-year North London derby worst when they welcome Arsenal for Sunday's Premier League headline encounter.

Igor Tudor kicks off his Spurs reign with the biggest match on the Lilywhites' calendar, one that is especially significant for both sides fighting at opposite ends of the Premier League table.

The Croatian's predecessor Thomas Frank failed to win any of his first eight Premier League matches of 2026, overseeing four draws and four defeats, whereas all other 19 teams have earned at least one top-flight win in the current calendar year.

Tottenham's terrible predicament has left the Europa League winners just five points above the Premier League relegation zone, and there is no question that the hosts are fighting to retain their top-flight status for 2026-27.

Tudor has been brought in to steady the ship over the next few months, but the former Juventus and Lazio manager also inherits a squad who have struggled against their bitter rivals under several head coaches in recent years.

Tottenham aiming to avoid fourth straight home loss vs. Arsenal

Indeed, Tottenham have lost each of their last three Premier League home matches against the Gunners, who triumphed 2-0 in the 2022-23 campaign, 3-2 in 2023-24 and 1-0 in the 2024-25 season.

Should Spurs also take zero points from Sunday's derby, it will mark the first time since 1955 - at White Hart Lane - that they have been beaten in four successive league home games against Arsenal.

In the Premier League era, three straight home defeats represents Tottenham's longest losing run in the North London derby, and the odds are stacked against Tudor's injury-hit squad for Sunday's clash too.

Arsenal made light work of their adversaries in an Eberechi Eze-inspired 4-1 home victory in November, and that result also represented the Gunners' fourth straight Premier League win over their upcoming hosts.

A fifth triumph on the spin would mark Arsenal's best league winning run against Tottenham since 1989, but one particular Tudor statistic offers fresh hope for the Lilywhites.

Igor Tudor's pleasing first-game record ahead of Tottenham vs. Arsenal

The Croatian will become only the second Spurs manager to face Arsenal in their inaugural game, the other being Glenn Hoddle, who oversaw a 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Arsene Wenger's Gunners in 2001.

Tudor's appointment was initially met with scepticism and outrage by Tottenham supporters, but the new boss has made a habit of making fast starts with new clubs.

In each of Tudor's last five jobs with Marseille, Juventus, Hellas Verona, Lazio and his second spell with Hajduk Split, the 47-year-old has won his maiden match in all five roles.