Well, there’s not much to say on the North London derby in terms of expectations, is there? If there is one game Arsenal supporters want to win more than anything else in the world, it’s this one.

And, contrary to last season, we face Spurs with the two teams pretty close to each other in the table, meaning that a win is crucial to keep them at a distance. And then, of course, we need to make up for last week’s missed opportunity so as to get back on winning terms.

Our home form has been phenomenal. Simply put, we’re yet to lose at the Emirates in all competitions and I would be gutted if that record comes to an end tomorrow, although I firmly believe we will win and quite comfortably too.

Tottenham Hotspur

Their defeat against Stoke City at home came as a surprise but having conceded three against Chelsea and Manchester United, I see no reason why we should not do the same. The Stoke and Chelsea games, though, are the only two games in which they failed to find the back of the net this season so we need to be careful at the back.

Favourite line-up

I don’t see Samir Nasri starting. Both Arsene Wenger and the player were cautious in their post-match interview after Liverpool and I agree. He just returned from injury, he’s pivotal to us, so no need to risk.

Having said that, Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott are out as well but with Nicklas Bendtner returning to the side, I hope to see him start on the right instead of Eboue.

Like Nasri, I believe Eduardo should not start from the beginning. He was pretty anonymous in Wednesday’s first half though he came to life in the second. Also, Diaby should keep his place in midfield for a very simple reason: who else, if not him?

Finally, I expect big games from both Arshavin and Fabregas. They were both disappointing away at AZ and West Ham so I’m sure they will both be fired up and ready to make their points proven in one of the most important games of this month.

Pre-match Interviews

You heard it, you read it, he said it. According to Robbie Keane, Spurs are stronger than Arsenal, even if results in the last years have always shown the opposite.

He said:

You look at the two squads and we’re definitely on a par. ‘In the last four or five years Arsenal always managed to get ahead of us but if you look now it is even.

‘It will be judged at the end of the season but if you look at the bench we have, it is probably a bit stronger than their bench.

On Thursday, Arsene Wenger gave the news about Lukasz Fabianski’s injury, adding that Rosicky, Walcott and Wilshere are also ruled out of the game.

The Frenchman said:

We lost Lukasz Fabianski with a thigh injury. He will be out for three weeks. Of course it is big disappointment because he has just come back from injury.

Also Wilshere (ankle), Walcott (knee), Denilson (back) and Rosicky (knee) will not be back for the game at the weekend. But we did not lose any players from last night.

The Gunning Hawk Coverage

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