Arsenal and Tottenham face off at the Emirates Stadium in North London and in the 191 match history these great rivals have rarely occupied such exalted places in the standings. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side lead the Premier League with six wins and one defeat so far with Antonio Conte’s men only a point further back.
One of English football’s most electric rivalries will have only grown more intense since last season, when Spurs pipped Arsenal to fourth place in no small part due to their 3-0 win over the Gunners in May. Arteta and his players will be out for revenge but there are few more devastating forces on the counter than Tottenham. Here is how you can watch the match and what you need to know:
How to watch and odds
Date: Saturday, Oct. 1 | Time: 7:30 a.m. ET
Location: Emirates Stadium, London
TV: USA | Live Stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
Odds: Arsenal +105; Draw +250; Tottenham +250 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Featured Game | Arsenal vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Storylines
Arsenal: Emile Smith Rowe is sidelined until after the World Cup after having undergone surgery on a groin injury that CBS Sports understands has been niggling him on and off over the last four years. The England international has struggled for game time so far this season and is perhaps not as integral to Arteta’s plans as two players who will be in doubt: Thomas Partey and Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Their presence would be a significant boost for Arsenal, both are integral to Arteta’s tactical plan and the absence of the former was severely felt when Spurs were able to dominate midfield in the last meeting between these two sides. Arteta was customarily cautious in his pre-match team news update, saying: “we just finished the last training session, we had many players arriving yesterday we had a short period to prepare the match but the boys look in good condition.”
Tottenham: Preparations for Conte’s first north London derby on the road have been disrupted by events in Italy, where Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri is under extreme pressure after his side’s disappointing start to the season. Unsurprisingly one of their most successful managers in recent history would be in the frame to succeed Allegri and the fact that Conte’s Tottenham contract expires at the end of the season does offer hope to any suitors.
Conte, however, would not allow himself to be drawn on any speculation over his future. “In this period I think this is disrespectful for the coach that works in Juventus and for me working in Tottenham,” he said. “We have just started the season. Many times I have spoken about this topic and I’ve always said I’m happy and enjoying my time with Tottenham.”
Prediction
North London derbies have overwhelmingly favored the home side in recent years, given Arsenal’s fine run of form there is no reason to doubt that they can extend an unbeaten Premier League run at the Emirates Stadium that stretches back to 2010. PICK: Arsenal 2, Tottenham 1
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