It never used to be like this. On north London derby day you could be sure of one thing: the team on their own turf would get something. They wouldn’t lose, that’s for sure, not to them.
Before January last year, the last time an away side won the derby was in 2014 when Tomas Rosicky scored after 72 seconds at White Hart Lane to seal Arsenal’s first victory there in the league since 2007.
Yet Mikel Arteta’s side have taken bragging rights on their last two visits. They’ve never won three in a row in the PL era and not since 1988. Will they? Talk about painting the town red...
Arsenal are aiming to make it three consecutive victories away to Tottenham
Only nine PL north London derbies have been won by the away side in the PL era.
At least we know it won’t be goalless. No ground has hosted more PL games without seeing a 0-0 draw than Tottenham’s (101).
Mikel Arteta has refused to rule out injured captain Martin Odegaard. Wishful thinking or manifesting on his behalf, perhaps, but with good reason.
Odegaard is Arsenal’s creative spark, yes, but that’s not where Arteta will miss him most. He is crucial to how Arsenal press high up the pitch. Without him they win less and lose far more. If he is out, as expected, Spurs must take advantage.
PS Before this weekend, only Fernandes, Pascal Gross and Kevin De Bruyne made more chances than Odegaard (280).