The big Sunday showdown in the **Premier League**sees **Arsenal**host Tottenham Hotspur in the **North London**derby. The Gunners need no motivation to take three points after the international break as they look to strengthen their hold on top spot in the table and stay clear of a resurgent Man City. But the bragging rights that come with victory in this clash cannot be understated for the league leaders.
For Mikel Arteta, the significance of this derby demands no explanation. He has never lost across 12 meetings at the Emirates Stadium against Spurs as a player or a manager, and the Spaniard will be keen to end up on the right side of this special day again after wrestling back control in the capital.
Here are five moments that mark the development of his team through the derby.
**Arsenal**began the 2021/22 campaign, the second full season under Arteta, in hellish fashion. The team ended August with no goals and no points after defeats to Brentford, Chelsea, and Man City. While they were rock bottom, Spurs sat pretty at the top of the pile with three wins in their three matches.
Order begun to be restored with victories over Norwich City and Burnley, but the Gunners were still three points adrift of their rivals when the two teams met in September 2021. Within 35 minutes, they had drawn themselves level in the table, smashing three past Spurs in a horror show for their rivals.
There was no better stage to parade the top two products from Hale End that year. Emile Smith Rowe started off the show, breaking with perfect timing into the penalty area to open the scoring as he connected with a cross from Bukayo Saka. And his fellow academy graduate dodged two desperate tackles from Harry Kane before sliding the ball into the back of the net to put **Arsenal**3-0 ahead.
There would be plenty more bumps in the road that season, but the bravery and brilliance of these two attackers stood out time and again, and their role in this derby will forever endear them to the fanbase.
The 2021/22 season ended in tears as a 3-0 defeat to **Tottenham**at their ground contributed to a collapse in the top four race that gifted the final Champions League spot to their rivals.
Arteta’s men came out for the new campaign fuelled by pain to put the doubters in their place. At the start of October, they had only lost one game— 3-1 at **Old Trafford**to Man United— from their first seven **Premier League**fixtures and were a point ahead of **Man City**before the visit of Tottenham.
The Gunners grabbed control of the contest, carving out the opening goal through Thomas Partey. Kane converted an equaliser from the penalty spot, but respite was only temporary for the guests.
Gabriel Jesus pounced on a fumble from Hugo Lloris to restore the advantage for **Arsenal**in the second half. Then, to compound the suffering, **Emerson Royal**received a red card for a foul on Gabriel Martinelli, leaving Spurs down to ten men and short of ideas about how to respond. The stage was set for the hosts to finish off the job and a figure fighting for redemption stepped forward.
So often a critiqued player at the club, **Granit Xhaka**found a home for himself in **North London**in a more advanced role under Arteta. With a beautifully struck low drive, he put the Gunners 3-1 ahead, revelling in the noise as one of the leaders of an **Arsenal**team that were back in the big conversations.
And once again, the bragging rights had gone the way of the team who were on home soil.
Away day demons banished (15.01.23)
Indeed, **Tottenham**have lost just four of their last 17 home fixtures against the Gunners in the Premier League, but three of those have come in the previous three campaigns— and the most significant success came in January 2023 as **Arsenal**continued to ride the crest of a wave.
On derby weekend, **Man City**had lost 2-1 to **Man United**the day before, and **Arsenal**had the chance to go eight points clear of the reigning champions if they took three points from an away day where they had not been successful since 2014. Nothing could faze a group flying with confidence.
**Bukayo Saka**squeezed the ball into the back of the net off **Hugo Lloris**in the first half before club captain Martin Odegaard drilled a low effort past the Frenchman from distance to double the lead.
Spurs were overloaded in midfield, and completely picked apart by the trio of Ben White, Saka, and Odegaard. For the sake of professional pride, they needed to try and bounce back in the second half.
Aaron Ramsdale repelled the resistance from Spurs after the break as Kane and **Ryan Sessegnon**forced him into action, and **Arsenal**would not be denied. They had made a historic step by full time.
‘Kai Havertz scores again!’ (28.04.24)
Now the hoodoo of trips to **Tottenham**has been broken, Arsenal are asserting more dominance in the north London. The next away day at Spurs produced a positive result when stakes were even higher.
A 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa earlier in April 2024 meant there was no more room for error from the Gunners if they were going to pip **Man City**in the race for the **Premier League**title. A 5-0 thrashing of **Chelsea**had restored faith in the fanbase, but there were no guarantees for the group on derby day.
Tottenham were still trying to fight their way back into the conversation for a top four spot under new head coach Ange Postecoglou. The Australian advocated for full throttle, positive football, and his men took the game to the Gunners at their ground as Arsenal looked uncharacteristically nervous on the ball. The possession belonged firmly to Spurs, but the visitors delivered what mattered most.
Set-pieces wreaked havoc for Spurs as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg glanced a Saka delivery into his net after 15 minutes. The winger then worked wonders on the transition to double the lead for Arsenal.
To top it off, Havertz, formerly a **Chelsea**player, completed the scoring for the Gunners. He neatly juggled the ball in buildup to bring Arsenal up field for a corner, and he did not miss the mark when he was left free in the penalty area. It was the German’s third derby day goal in the space of five days.
Cristian Romero and Son Heung-Min reeled their rivals back in, but the points all went to the title chasers. They would ultimately fall short of their target, but there was pride to take in this triumph.
Big Gabi Grinds Out The Victory (15.09.24)
The most recent visit for Arsenal to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium showed their steel once more.
The Gunners returned from the September international break without Odegaard, who had suffered an injury with **Norway**to his ankle, and Declan Rice was out of action after a red card against Brighton.
But there would be no excuses made as the team had to get the show back on the road after a 1-1 draw with the Seagulls. Trips to Tottenham, **Atalanta**and champions City were all stacked up in a week.
First was the **North London**derby, and again, Postecoglou’s players tried to take the game to their opposition. By now, the visitors were well-versed in the art of deep defending in their 4-4-2 block, but they needed more than dogged discipline to break hearts and take all three points in this showdown.
The moment of magic would come from their spiritual leader. Gabriel Magalhaes made decisive contact with a corner as he got free from Romero and powered home a delivery from Saka.
Slowly but surely, Spurs ran out of offensive ideas, and Arsenal hung onto the triumph. The Gunners had ground out three successive victories away at Tottenham for the first time since September 1988.
Arsenal might be missing the big Brazilian today, but they will hope to channel his energy.