Can Arsenal finally end their winless run away at Tottenham?

Arsenal travel to Tottenham on Sunday in a massive North London derby clash. Mikel Arteta will hope his side can end their nine-year winless run away at Spurs, while the hosts will be keen to dent their rivals’ title hopes.

March 2014. A Tomas Rosicky winner. That was the last time Arsenal won at Spurs in the Premier League. The Gunners have been through three managers since then and Tottenham have had six and this is the first time since that 2013/14 season that the visitors can claim a league double against their rivals.

Will they finally be able to do the damage?

Form goes out of the window in a derby

Arsenal are in great form; 11 games unbeaten in the league with four wins and a draw in the last five. Tottenham on the other hand, have had a rocky ride since the conclusion of the World Cup. Three of their last four Premier League outings at home have ended in defeat, but they did beat Crystal Palace with ease in their most recent league fixture.

However, is form a factor on derby day? The adrenaline, the energy, the nerves. They all resonate from the fans to the players, and there’s no doubt there will be thousands of Tottenham fans trying to get that across to the pitch. It should give them an edge (as it did last April), but Arsenal are undoubtedly the favourites coming into this tie.

Antonio Conte is always up for the occasion, but his record of only two wins in ten against Arsenal will surely be in the back of his mind. The Italian praised Arsenal’s performances this season but also indirectly spoke of the Gunners’ so-called “intimidation” ahead of the game. There’s certainly no love lost between the two managers, and Conte noted how there needs to be “respect” coming Sunday’s clash.

Sparkling performances but that duo can put down the flames

Players that can make a difference: enter Harry Kane. He just loves this fixture and with him being only two goals away from becoming Tottenham’s greatest-ever goalscorer, it will give him that extra edge on Sunday.

Kane is also only two away from 200 Premier League goals and is aiming to become the third player to reach that milestone after Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer… what a game to do it! He also has nine goals in eight Premier League home games against Arsenal, and many Gooners have already accepted that he will find the back of the net on Sunday.

Even though Son Hueng-min may be in a bit of a rut, the South Korean remains a distinct threat, especially on the counter. Arsenal’s structure will be put to the test against Conte’s side, with William Saliba’s recovery pace likely playing a key role in shunning Son on Sunday.

Statement victories. It’s what title winnings teams do.

Arteta will have his team fired up for this tie – especially after what went down the last time Arsenal visited the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The boss said his players are “excited” for Sunday’s game, adding that he “loves” the derby.

Arsenal players will know what the gap is at the top, and they are in scintillating form. 11 games unbeaten is no mean feat, and they certainly don’t want that run to end on Sunday. As it’s been so long since our last win away at Spurs, a victory would be the ultimate statement from the league leaders.

It’s time for Arsenal’s big guns to prove their worth.

One player that can make a significant difference is Bukayo Saka. Since the start of last season, no other player has been directly involved in more Premier League London derby goals than the Englishman (11 goals and assists). 

Another important player is undoubtedly the Norwegian magician, Martin Odegaard. He has just been awarded November/December Player of the Month, and deservedly so. He makes the midfield tick with his sultry elegance and as long as Arsenal can get him on the ball, the visitors have a great chance of derby success.

No matter the occasion, this will always be a big game. Arteta’s men can prove themselves to be worthy title contenders with a victory against their arch-nemesis, but Tottenham will not it easy. For the Arsenal players, this is their time to write their names in the history books and allow our Premier League dream to continue.