Arsenal vs Tottenham
4th vs 3rd
PREVIEW
Sunday afternoon will see the return of one of the UK’s most intense rivalries as Arsenal play host to Tottenham Hotspur in a match that could have a significant effect on both side’s efforts to finish in the top four this season.
Arsenal have adjusted to life under Unai Emery with ease, the club have reeled off an 18 game unbeaten run in all competitions and appear to have a mental strength that was lacking in the final years of Arsene Wenger’s reign. Their neighbours have had an equally impressive start to the season, and while Spurs may have come under fire for their lack of summer recruitment, they’re sitting pretty in third.
OPTA STATS
Spurs have won just one of their last 25 away Premier League games against Arsenal (D10 L14), a 3-2 victory in November 2010.
Tottenham have lost more points from winning positions in Premier League games against Arsenal than any side have against another in the competition’s history (37).
Premier League matches between Arsenal and Tottenham have seen both teams find the net more often than any other fixture in the competition (34).
Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 11 Premier League matches (W8 D3), since losing against Chelsea back in August.
Arsenal have scored a league-high 21 goals in the second half of Premier League games this season. The only times they’ve failed to score after half-time were in their opening two matches of the season (defeats vs Man City and Chelsea).
Tottenham have won their last seven Premier League London derby matches – only once have they ever had a longer such run in the top-flight (8 between October 1950 and August 1951).
Tottenham striker Harry Kane has scored in six of his seven Premier League appearances against Arsenal (seven goals in total), failing only in this fixture last season.
Arsenal’s Unai Emery and Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino haven’t faced since April 2012, when Pochettino’s Espanyol side won 4-0 against Valencia in La Liga. However, Emery won all three of his home La Liga meetings with Pochettino between January 2010 and December 2011.
