North London Derby: Football Pundits Predict Arsenal Win Over Tottenham

Football pundits have predicted an Arsenal win over archrival Tottenham in the North London derby of the Premier league on Sunday afternoon.

BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton predicts a 3:2 Arsenal win stating that, “I really cannot wait for this game.

“I love the start that Tottenham have made under Ange Postecoglou, and the way he has got them playing expansive football,” he said while talking to the BBC Sports.

“This is the toughest game Postecoglou has faced since he took charge in the summer, and Liverpool are next up, so this is a very testing spell for him.

“It would be remarkable if he could continue the start he has made by going to the Emirates and getting a win on Arsenal’s home patch – he will have a real go, but it might prove to be a step too far,” he added.

Another pundit, Paul Merson, though an Arsenal ex and supporter, is adamant the gunners will “absolutely slaughter” Tottenham in the eagerly anticipated North London derby.

He said, “Arsenal have got better players than Tottenham, no question, all over the pitch. You talk about (James) Maddison, good player but you would not take him over (Martin) Odegaard any day of the week. (Yves) Bissouma has done well, but you wouldn’t take him over (Declan) Rice, in my opinion.

“All over the pitch they are better players. Not many Spurs players get into this team, and if you open this game up tomorrow then Arsenal will destroy Tottenham. And I mean destroy them.”

However, former Tottenham striker, Dimitar Berbatov claims the match will end in a draw.

“I could easily say Spurs will win because of my connections and everything, but we can’t discount Arsenal. The Everton win was a smart one, it might have been a boring 1-0, but they can play football too. Getting the three points is exactly what you need from time to time, even if you don’t play the way you want to play.

“I like the way [Mikel] Arteta is getting his team to play football. With this game being at the Emirates, I can see this one being a draw.”

This will be the 208th North London derby.

Both teams are unbeaten in the league having amassed 13 points from their opening five games of the new season.

Arsenal will enter the match buoyed by a tough away win (0:1) at Everton before making light work of PSV Eindhoven in their Champions League clash, thumping them 4:0 mid-week.

Tottenham would also not not be written off having defeated Sheffield United 2:1 from a goal down in their last game.

This square up has seen four high scores of seven or more goals: successive 5-2 home wins for Arsenal in 2012, a 4-4 draw at Emirates Stadium in 2008, and the 5-4 win at White Hart Lane back in 2004 where Robert Pires grabbed the crucial win in the instalments.

Also, Arsenal v Tottenham is the third-highest scoring fixture in Premier League history (177), behind Liverpool v Arsenal (184) and Everton v Arsenal (178).

In addition, no fixture in Premier League history has seen more penalties awarded (24) than in the north London derby, sharing the same statistics with Liverpool v Spurs.

Arsenal are seeking to win three consecutive league games in this instalment since five on the spin between 1987 and 1989.

Meanwhile Spurs have managed to win only two of their 31 Premier League visits to Arsenal, drawing 11 and losing 18.

Arsenal are given the edge in this game having scored in 24 successive home North London derbies in the Premier League since a goalless draw in November 1998.

Tottenham have made their best start for 58 years in a league, with four wins and one draw from their opening five games.

With both teams boasting of attacking talents and coaches who do not like to sit back, fans could be treated to a goal fest.