Arsenal will try to continue their unbeaten start to the Premier League season when they visit Tottenham Hotspur this afternoon in the North London derby.
Despite the Gunners’ strong beginning to the new campaign, they are five points behind four-time defending league champions Manchester City as a result of their 1-1 home draw against Brighton two weeks ago.
Given that Arsenal (2-0-1, 7 points) have been the strongest challengers to City in the past two seasons, manager Mikel Arteta realises there could be a temptation to turn this affair into an early referendum on the league title race. “Day by day,” he said of Arsenl’s outlook.
“If we look at where we’re going to be at the end of May, tomorrow’s game... and the level and challenges ahead, we cannot think like this. We’re going to run out of oxygen. I want to have the energy, the enthusiasm for the next day, the next game, and prepare that in the best possible way, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
The Gunners have won their last two away matches in the rivalry, including an enthralling 3-2 victory at the end of April.
In his second season in charge, Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou knows securing a first victory over his club’s biggest rival is important. “Not specifically Arsenal, we want to be a club that can challenge everyone,” he said. “To do that, you’ve got to perform at a certain level, on a consistent basis. The squad is strong enough to do that.”
The good news for Tottenham (1-1-1, 4 points) is that Heung-min Son has scored twice in the start of his campaign. And new striker Dominic Solanke could return from an ankle injury that kept him out for two matches.
Arsenal will be short-handed in midfield, with Declan Rice serving a one-match suspension from a red card earned in his draw with Brighton, and captain Martin Odegaard likely out to an injury sustained on international duty.
Arteta said new signing Raheem Sterling’s hunger and determination to prove people wrong could be a huge benefit to Arsenal. Sterling — frozen out at Chelsea and allowed to join their London rivals on loan — could make his debut today. “He looks great,” said Arteta. “Obviously, I don’t need to discover anything about his quality and what he can bring to the team.”
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