Arsenal vs Tottenham NLD preview: How to watch, lineups, injury updates & prediction

Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs Tottenham – Xhaka Back?

Arsenal: Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey, Xhaka, Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe; Aubameyang

Tottenham: Lloris; Emerson, Romero, Dier, Reguilon; Hojbjerg, Ndombele, Alli; Lo Celso, Kane, Son

Arsenal vs Tottenham: North London Derby Score Prediction

By this stage of the build up with anticipation rising everyone has started playing through a few scenarios in their heads; how the game will pan out and where it will ebb and flow.

For those of an Arsenal affiliation, they will have undoubtedly foreseen this particular chain of events.

• Arsenal dominate the ball early on
• One big chance goes begging
• Tottenham are on the ropes
• Counter-attack
• Son scores

Second half

• Xhaka gives away a penalty
• Kane scores
• Arsenal pile on the pressure
• Someone scores a header
• No second goal comes
• 2-1 defeat

Something like that? There will be other variations but for certain the standard Arsenal barrage of early pressure will be undone with a breakway goal that sees Son Heung-min tuck one away. That, and a Kane penalty. Death, taxes and…you know the rest.

There is a lot of talk about how Tottenham aren’t great. They’ve been getting a lot of justified stick. However, nor are Arsenal and two 1-0 wins over relegation candidates and a fairly laboured 3-0 victory over a League One side don’t change that drastically.

Tottenham have two players in Kane and Son who don’t even need to play well to score. They just need to be effective once or twice all 90 minutes and that’s it. They almost always are.

As ever, this game is so tough to call. Nonetheless, there is a worrying feeling that can’t be shirked. Call it pessimism.

Score Prediction: Arsenal 2-3 Tottenham