Match Focus: Arsenal Must Cope Without Key Players in Derby with Spurs
Arsenal vs Tottenham
It’s a fitting end to this week’s action in the Premier League and indeed the last before the upcoming international break as Arsenal host Spurs in the second North London derby of the campaign. It was the Gunners that came out on top when the sides met in the cup in September, with Mathieu Flamini the unlikely hero for Arsene Wenger’s men, though the hosts enter this game in worrying shape despite their superb league form.
With Hector Bellerin missing out once more and Laurent Koscielny a doubt, Arsenal have problems at the back, while the absence of Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Walcott - joining Wilshere and Welbeck in the treatment room - brings back familiar concerns. Local rivals Spurs, meanwhile, welcome back Heung Min-Son to the fold and boast the longest unbeaten run in the Premier League (10), whilst securing a victory in Europe in midweek where Arsenal collapsed.
The Gunners’ 5-1 defeat to Bayern Munich bought them back down to earth with a bump and they will need to pick their morale from the floor quickly ahead of such a big league game. Unbeaten in their last 5 meetings at home with Spurs, the visitors will certainly feel they owe the fans some away day glory at the Emirates.
While Olivier Giroud has 7 goals in his last 7 appearances for club and country and Mesut Ozil extended his lead atop the assist charts (with 9) last weekend, Arsenal will need Alexis Sanchez to return to the fore this time around. After a run of 7 goals in 4 games the Chilean has failed to score in the same number of appearances since and will be aiming to break his North London derby duck. Having last traded at £14.22 I’d be confident to buy shares up to £17.50, tipping the South American to excel with a favourable run of league fixtures coming up.
On the opposing side Harry Kane will hope to prove to be Spurs’ hero once more having netted both goals as Pochettino’s men came from behind to win the last league fixture between the sides. The striker has come through a tough patch of form to score in his last 3 appearances too, with his WhoScored rating rising to 7.34 as a result. With a modest fair price of £4.35 so far I’d buy shares now in Buabook’s season market before his value rockets, investing at around £18.00.
The visitors will certainly view this as a strong chance to get one over on their rivals given Arsenal’s injury problems and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Spurs stretch their unbeaten run as a result. Whether or not they can keep the likes of Ozil and Sanchez at bay will be pivotal in what should be an end to end game.
You can trade the values of any of the players on display in the North London derby with Buabook, the first player trading exchange based on detailed statistics
