Team news: Wenger has picked Gibbs & Oxlade for their running power.
Dembele didn’t make it after his ankle injury at Palace. Trippier at right back, not Walker.
TEAMS:
Lloris; Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Wanyama; Son, Eriksen; Dele; Kane.
Subs: Vorm, Walker, Wimmer, Dembele, Sissoko, Nkoudou, Janssen.
Cech; Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey, Xhaka, Gibbs; Ozil, Sanchez; Giroud.
Subs: Ospina, Bellerin, Coquelin, Holding, Iwobi, Walcott, Welbeck
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King Wenger has a very good record in derbies.
This is his 50th North London derby and he’s only lost seven.
He’s won 22 and drawn 20 and this could be another draw.
My take : In the Premier League era, Spurs have never been as strong as they are right now.
They have a confidence they’ve never had before, a solid shape, an ability to battle for 95 minutes, by playing penetrating bang!bang! football, and by having plenty who can score a goal.
On his budget, Mauricio Pochettino is overachieving. He’s done that by very good coaching, by improving every player in his squad. He’s achieved a lot in a short time and this team is better than it was last season.
After this, Arsenal’s next three games include Manchester United and Southampton. Those fixtures will be tough to navigate at this time of the season. Anything they can get today will be a relief and a boost.
That’s why I think Arsenal will expect a bombardment – and play for a draw.