Tottenham just threw Arsenal a curveball they expected (and hopefully planned for)

Arsenal will now face a new-look Tottenham team this month, after their North London rivals finally parted ways with Thomas Frank. It was a decision Arsenal must have prepared for, right?

If there's anybody who's pretty good at preparing for multiple outcomes, it's Mikel Arteta. Therefore, the curveball that Tottenham has thrown his way shouldn't derail Arsenal's plans too much.

We are at the stage where every single game that Arsenal faces is a must-win. It's that familiar tale that fans have felt for the last few years, but this time, Arsenal has its best-ever chance of winning the Premier League. The trophy has eluded them for two decades now, but the last time they lifted it, it was cast in gold.

Tottenham vs Arsenal will look pretty different now

Looking at their February fixtures, the North London Derby was always a standout. Tottenham is, for lack of a better word, woeful this season, but it was always going to be the toughest fixture Arsenal faced this month.

The North London Derby is always a tough fixture, as easy as Arsenal have made it look in recent years. Despite that recent dominance, fans are always wary and take the current form with a pinch of salt in a fixture as big as this one.

Tottenham, hilariously, sees this as a must-win for different reasons. They need to pick up as many points as possible between now and the end of the season; they face the very real risk of relegation.

This, combined with that anticipated new manager bounce, makes this fixture a curveball for Arsenal. Any game plan that Arteta had to beat Thomas Frank (basically, just show up) must now be adapted, if it hasn't already.

It's not yet confirmed who will be on the touchline for Spurs against Arsenal. Many things about this game remain unknown, which admittedly makes the planning stage harder.

Nevertheless, Arsenal is the clear favorite. It's not rocket science to work that one out, and you don't need any odds to prove that. Arsenal will probably win the league, and Tottenham won't even finish in the top half. That's all the evidence you need.

Arsenal hasn't adapted much this season, and that's been their strength. They haven't needed to. They simply focus on their own game and laugh as (most) teams fail to beat them at their own game. Tottenham is not to be undermined, especially as they're bound to improve post-Frank, but anything less than a win would indicate poor planning from Arteta and could prove costly.