LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 12: Eric Dier of Tottenham Hotspur in action with Eddie Nketiah of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 12, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
Tottenham vs Arsenal: 3 key battles for the North London derby
by Kenneth Daly
It is never usually a dull affair.
Breathtaking drama and bitter enmity make derby day a major highlight of the football calendar, and sparks will fly again on Sunday evening when Arsenal and Tottenham battle it out once more for north London supremacy.
The upcoming gameweek could prove decisive for our domestic campaign as an out-of-sorts Man City visit Old Trafford and any dropped points on enemy territory, coupled with NLD success, will further embolden the Gunners in their bid for title glory.
3 fascinating match-ups to watch out for as Tottenham and Arsenal clash on derby day
Hysteria about doing a ‘runner’ last season and Antonio Conte’s “complaining” jibes indicate no love was lost between these two clubs after their most recent Seven Sisters clash in May, and the heartbreak suffered on that occasion will incentivise Mikel Arteta’s rejuvenated squad to set the record straight.
The away side rarely comes out on top in this fixture, but Arsenal are well-placed to buck the trend and here are three battles that may swing matters in our favour.
#1: Yves Bissouma vs Thomas Partey
A proper away-day derby for our midfield fulcrum at last.
Persistent injury problems and lengthy absences mean the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is yet to see the best of Thomas Partey, but the Ghanaian is now fully fit and should wield great influence this weekend.
Partey offers us a psychological boost as he exudes composure and has vast experience at the highest level which will help to calm nerves in the cauldron-like atmosphere. And on the pitch, Sp*rs’ deep set-up often affords opponents time and space to move the ball, with this game-state giving our man licence to dictate play and sustain pressure in the final third – or even launch another derby rocket.
Although the loss of Rodrigo Bentancur would be a significant blow for the hosts, Bissouma’s work rate and tackling skills bolster their defensive strength and could disrupt our build-up rhythm, while his progressive inclinations might force the Gunners’ engine room to work in the opposite direction.
The reverse fixture suggests Partey will make the bigger impact.
Continued on the next slide…
The away side rarely comes out on top in this fixture</a>, but Arsenal are well-placed to buck the trend and here are three battles that may swing matters in our favour.</p>
<h2><strong>#1: Yves Bissouma vs Thomas Partey</strong></h2>
<p>A proper away-day derby for our midfield fulcrum at last.</p>
<p>Persistent injury problems and lengthy absences mean the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is yet to see the best of Thomas Partey, but the Ghanaian is now fully fit and should wield great influence this weekend.</p>
<p>Partey offers us a psychological boost as he exudes composure and has vast experience at the highest level which will help to calm nerves in the cauldron-like atmosphere. And on the pitch, Sp*rs’ deep set-up often affords opponents time and space to move the ball, with this game-state giving our man licence to dictate play and sustain pressure in the final third – or even launch another derby rocket.</p>
<p>Although the<a title="3 key players Tottenham could be without for Sunday’s North London Derby" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/01/14/tottenham-vs-arsenal-3-key-battles-north-london-derby/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/01/11/3-key-players-tottenham-without-sundays-north-london-derby/" rel=""> loss of Rodrigo Bentancur would be a significant blow for the hosts</a>, Bissouma’s work rate and tackling skills bolster their defensive strength and could disrupt our build-up rhythm, while his progressive inclinations might force the Gunners’ engine room to work in the opposite direction.</p>
<p>The reverse fixture suggests Partey will make the bigger impact.</p>
<p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/01/14/tottenham-vs-arsenal-3-key-battles-north-london-derby/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #2 key battle </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h2><strong>#2: Eddie Nketiah vs Cristian Romero</strong></h2>
<div id="attachment_131696" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-131696" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/01/14/tottenham-vs-arsenal-3-key-battles-north-london-derby/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1246127430.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1246127430.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1246127430-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Eddie Nketiah has scored four goals in his last four outings. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)</p>
</div>
<p>Eddie Nketiah is someone who did feature in the May demolition, and the in-form striker will have his work cut out for him against newly crowned world champion Cristian Romero.</p>
<p>“Cuti” forms part of a crowded Tottenham backline that endeavours to compact space in and around the box, with the Argentine using his aggression and proactive style in these situations to stifle attacks. His strength and positional intelligence also allow him to assert dominance and can make life very difficult for any challenger.</p>
<p>However, Arsenal are blessed with technicians and clinical forwards who have picked the lock of many stubborn teams this season, and they will back themselves to do so again here. Arteta’s men embrace varied approach play and have their interchange down to a fine art, so there is every chance the wily Nketiah could add to his campaign tally.</p>
<p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/01/14/tottenham-vs-arsenal-3-key-battles-north-london-derby/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #3 key battle </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h2><strong>#3: Oleksandr Zinchenko vs Matt Doherty</strong></h2>
<div id="attachment_131422" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-131422" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/01/14/tottenham-vs-arsenal-3-key-battles-north-london-derby/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2302,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1442019905.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2302" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1442019905.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1442019905-768x552.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">The Gunners have a near-perfect record when Oleksandr Zinchenko starts. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)</p>
</div>
<p>An interesting department explored in different ways by each manager.</p>
<p>Full-backs have always been an offensive threat under Conte’s management and their advanced role helped reignite Doherty’s north London career, with the Irishman getting his first goal of the season last week and becoming increasingly important to Sp*rs’ project.</p>
<p>The direct methods they employ might trouble our own inverted system and proved quite dangerous back at the Emirates, when our rivals spurned several transitional opportunities in the first half.</p>
<p>Dominating possession and pinning the hosts back are effective to nullify this tactic, and Zinchenko represents our best hope of executing it. He boasts an incredible passing range and rarely surrenders the ball even if moving between the lines, while his central station will provide an extra, perhaps crucial presence in a congested midfield.</p>
<div class="embed ">
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="grMSoeyOMz"><p><a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/01/14/tottenham-vs-arsenal-3-key-battles-north-london-derby/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/01/13/when-last-time-arsenal-won-away-tottenham/">When was the last time Arsenal won away at Tottenham?</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/01/14/tottenham-vs-arsenal-3-key-battles-north-london-derby/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/01/13/when-last-time-arsenal-won-away-tottenham/embed/#?secret=grMSoeyOMz" data-secret="grMSoeyOMz" width="500" height="282" title="“When was the last time Arsenal won away at Tottenham?” — Pain in the Arsenal" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p></div>
<p>Both players are key to their respective teams, and the development of proceedings will determine who makes the greatest impression.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
