Akin Ayomide
Arsenal head into Sunday’s North London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur fully aware of the opportunity before them, especially after a dramatic round of Premier League results involving their title rivals on Saturday.
Defending champions Liverpool suffered a shocking 3-0 defeat to relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest at Anfield.
Manchester City also slipped, missing the chance to close the gap after losing 2-1 away to Newcastle. Chelsea were the only top contender to take maximum points, easing to a 2-0 victory over Burnley to move within six points of Arsenal.
With their closest competitors faltering, Mikel Arteta will impress upon his players that a derby win would strengthen their position at the summit heading into a congested run of fixtures.
Arsenal were held to a disappointing draw in their last outing, after Brian Brobbey snatched a late equalizer for Sunderland, but the stumbles by City and Liverpool have opened the door for the Gunners to pull clear.
The challenge, however, is far from straightforward. Tottenham remain the only Premier League side yet to lose away from home this season, collecting an impressive 13 points from a possible 15 on their travels. Under Thomas Frank, Spurs look more disciplined and resilient, presenting a stern test for their rivals.
Recent derby history favours Arsenal. Since Spurs’ home win over Arteta’s men in 2022, North London has largely belonged to the Gunners, who have won five of the last six meetings. Victory today would give Arsenal four consecutive Premier League North London Derby wins for the first time in the modern era.