On Saturday, the Wembley stadium will play host to yet another fierce rivalry as Tottenham take on Arsenal. The reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium had it all – goals, fights, passionate celebrations and a sending off.
There’s no need of any reminder as to what the North London Derby is capable of producing. Slip-ups by Tottenham which saw them lose two games in four days means that the Champions League spots have opened up, with Chelsea and Manchester United lurking just below.
Arsenal can drop to sixth with a defeat on Saturday, should United and Chelsea win their games. But there is much more than just points and position at stake – the outcome will declare which team is handed the bragging rights of this historic rivalry.
We take a look at some of the talking points ahead of the big fixture.
Selection dilemma for Unai Emery?
Impressive performances by youngsters like Matteo Guendouzi and Carl Jenkinson in synergy with the experienced players like Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Mesut Ozil peaking in the previous game presents Unai Emery with selection dilemmas.
To start with, would it be wise to go with a semi-fit Ainsley Maitland-Niles at right-back or stick to Carl Jenkinson, who had a good game against Bournemouth? Is Sead Kolasinac fit to start on the other side, or will he be replaced by Nacho Monreal with Shkodran Mustafi joining the back-three? Or would it be prudent to change the formation to a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 to accommodate Monreal as a full-back?
Lucas Torreira and Granit Xhaka are almost untouchable. But it will be interesting to see if Ozil will start again, or whether Guendouzi get the nod. The latter started the season well before having a slump on his own, but he does make a convincing case for a start. Juventus-bound Aaron Ramsey is another contender for the midfield spot.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
It remains to be seen if Mkhitaryan retains his spot after a brilliant game against Bournemouth, or whether Emery will start the strike-duo of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.
Tottenham – from title-contenders to contenders for a Champions League spot?
Firstly, credit must be given to Mauricio Pochettino for exceeding expectations and even making Spurs look like genuine title contenders at one point in time. After Spurs failed to sign anyone in the summer – while other top teams invested a lot – few would have assumed they would stabilise as a top-four club, let alone challenge for the title.
But, it could all amount to nothing, if they don’t recover from their two-game slump and finish the season on a high. A defeat against Arsenal could potentially derail Spurs’ league campaign, which is already heading downwards.
A 3-0 advantage over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League means that they are very likely to progress to the quarter-finals. The month of April is looking extremely harsh for Spurs in terms of a jam-packed schedule.
Mauricio Pochettino
At the end of it all, what if Spurs (likely) fail to win the Champions League and are left on the outside looking in for a top four spot in the league? This game could shape it all.
Mesut Ozil’s rebirth under Unai Emery?
After signing a long-term contract with the club earlier this season, Ozil was in for a scary surprise. It looked like Emery did not have the German in his plans and managed his team selections accordingly.
The midfielder started just 14 games this season and just one in between a two-month window from December 26 to February 24. Clearly, not enough game-time for one of the best playmakers in the world, no matter how many players compete for the spot.
But, his performance against Bournemouth could point at something positive. The World Cup winner was their best player and a notch higher than his usual standards.
Ozil was running up and down the pitch, pressing well and carrying out his defensive duties, showing Emery that he’s not afraid to step up his work-rate.
Mesut Ozil
Is this a new chapter for Ozil at Arsenal? A start and a clutch performance in the derby could surely point to that.
