Arsenal legend Paul Merson believes this weekend’s North London derby will be a “tight, cagey affair”.
Writing in his column for Sportskeeda, Merson said the Gunners will have enough to secure all three points, but Spurs won’t make things easy for them:
Most Read on Gooner News
“Tottenham are top of the league table if you only consider form away from home. When Spurs are not the favourites and they sit back, absorb pressure and hit you on the break, they are a tricky team to face.”
“If Arsenal were playing away from home, I would have given Tottenham no chance! Mikel Arteta also has to deal with injuries to some key players, so I don’t think this game is a straightforward win for Arsenal. Will Viktor Gyokeres be fit? Can Leandro Trossard make an impact like he did in the last game? There are so many questions to be answered.”
“Arsenal vs Tottenham has always been one of the most entertaining matches in the Premier League. But I don’t think that will be the case here. I’m expecting a tight, cagey affair with Arsenal coming out on top in the end.”
What score has Merson predicted for Arsenal vs Spurs?
The Sky Sports pundit has gone with a 1-0 win for Mikel Arteta’s men. While fans would probably be hoping for a more resounding result, they will be happy with a victory any which way it comes.
Manchester City could be breathing down their necks heading into Sunday’s game if they beat Newcastle the day before, so in the grand scheme of things, all that matters is the three points.
Arsenal vs Spurs team news
Gabriel injured his adductor on international duty with Brazil, so he has been ruled out, along with Kai Havertz, who has had a setback in his recovery from knee surgery. Gabriel Jesus is back in full training, but he is still some way from being match fit after being out for almost a year.
Arteta will hold a press conference on Friday afternoon when he will confirm the injury status of Viktor Gyokeres (hamstring), Martin Odegaard (knee), Gabriel Martinelli (other) and Noni Madueke (knee).
Tottenham’s injury list is even longer than Arsenal’s. Head coach Thomas Frank will be without the likes of Randal Kolo Muani (broken jaw), James Maddison (knee), Dominic Solanke (ankle), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), Archie Gray (calf), Yves Bissouma (knee) and Radu Dragusin (ACL). There are also doubts about the fitness of several other members of the first-team squad.
Read more about the Arsenal First Team Squad for 2025/26 here