Tottenham - Arsenal: The North London derby heats up

The North London derby is one of the Premier League’s most prominent fixtures. This encounter between Tottenham and Arsenal carries great significance for both teams. While Spurs are fighting to avoid relegation, the Gunners must win to maintain their lead.

Tottenham has fallen to 16th place, just 5 points above the relegation zone after an 8-match winless streak (4 draws, 4 losses), their worst run in a single season since a 9-game drought from August to November 2007. Spurs are the only Premier League team this season without a win in 2026.

The North London derby marks the debut of new Tottenham head coach Igor Tudor, who replaced Thomas Frank. The arrival of a new manager often brings fresh energy. Tottenham’s stadium is expected to become a true "cauldron," where Spurs fans will channel pressure from the stands into a weapon against their fierce rivals.

Arsenal will pose a huge challenge for Igor Tudor on his Spurs debut. If the former Juventus defender cannot halt Spurs’ decline, the North London derby might disappear next season.

Difficulties mount as Tottenham’s injury list is long, including key players like Maddison, Kulusevski, and Udogie. Losing the "steel shield" Cristian Romero due to suspension, Tudor’s patched-up defense will face immense pressure from the league leaders’ star-studded attack.

Arsenal desperately needs points to solidify their top position. The Gunners seemed poised to secure the title race against Manchester City but have lost their lead after two consecutive draws against Brentford and Wolves.

Since the new year, although Arsenal has maintained a perfect record in cup competitions, their Premier League form has faltered. They have only won 2 of their last 7 league games, both against newly promoted teams. Two successive draws have sounded an alarm about Arsenal’s stability in the crucial phase. To prevent Manchester City from closing in, Arsenal must keep their impressive record against their city rivals.

Statistics show Arsenal’s attacking efficiency has declined while their defense faces challenges. The strain of competing on multiple fronts, injuries in attack, and some key players returning without full fitness may be negatively affecting the Gunners’ stamina and morale.

Arsenal still controls their title destiny, but dropping points away from home has become a bad habit, as the Gunners have won only 3 of their last 9 Premier League away matches.

One encouraging stat for Arsenal is that they have lost only one of 21 away London derbies in the Premier League (14 wins, 6 draws), which was against Fulham in December 2023.

In this round’s early match, Manchester City beat Newcastle to narrow the gap to Arsenal at the top to just 2 points. The margin between the two is very tight. In this marathon race to the crown, any slip now could trigger a chain reaction collapse. Arteta understands that criticism and scrutiny are inevitable parts of top-level competition.

Mikel Arteta’s squad visits Tottenham for this early match of round 28; therefore, if held to a draw, they could lose the top spot on March 1 when Manchester City plays away at Leeds.

Arsenal has a goal difference of +32, while Manchester City stands at +31, but the Gunners have scored fewer goals (52 compared to 56), so Man City only needs a minimal win over Leeds to overtake the top spot before the “final” showdown at the Etihad in April.

The title race now lies between Arsenal and Manchester City. Arsenal fans’ biggest worry remains Pep Guardiola. In the final stretch, Man City under the Spanish coach often shows devastating form. Statistics show that in the last four seasons, Man City averages 30 points in the last 12 matches, while Arsenal collects about 23 points in the same period.

Arsenal must treat the derby at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium like a final. Therefore, this North London derby is expected to be extremely intense.

Tottenham’s form is poor after two consecutive losses to Manchester United and Newcastle United.

To prepare for this crucial match, Mikel Arteta rested some key players during the 4-0 FA Cup win over Wigan. He may field his strongest lineup against Tottenham.

The Tottenham vs Arsenal match will kick off at 23:30 on February 22. After two recent slips, the Gunners need to bounce back strongly in the North London derby to continue their quest for the Premier League title this season. This derby is not only a battle for points but also the toughest test of maturity for a team eager to confirm its kingly status.

Expected starting lineups for both teams
Tottenham: Vicario, Gray, Dragusin, Van de Ven, Spence, Gallagher, Palhinha, Sarr, Kolo Muani, Solanke, Simons
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie, Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice, Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli