The Premier League weekend kicks off with a North London derby between Tottenham and Arsenal tomorrow lunchtime and the fixture represents a game that could have a huge impact on who qualifies for the Champions League come May.
Just two points separate the two fierce rivals before kick off with Arsenal occupying fifth and Tottenham in sixth in the Premier League standings.
Both sides have been in decent form of late whilst Tottenham will be hoping home advantage plays a part.
In last season’s fixture at White Hart Lane, Spurs fans trawled away from the ground in complete and utter frustration, dominating large passages of play against the Gunners, only to see their efforts fall in vain as Arsenal prevailed 1-0 courtesy of a Tomas Rosicky screamer.
The Czech Republic international always seems to save his best performances for the North London Derby but with the rivals having shown similar form over the course of the season and with Harry Kane and Alexis Sanchez both scoring for fun, it has been a challenge to come up with the combined Tottenham and Arsenal XI.
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Click on Mauricio Pochettino to reveal the Football Transfer Tavern’s combined Tottenham & Arsenal XI.
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Hugo Lloris
Tottenham fans were delighted to see their side hold onto the services of Hugo Lloris this summer as for a while it looked as though the France captain was vying for a move to a Champions League club.
Lloris remains one of the best goalkeepers in Europe with his ‘sweeper keeper’ style crucial to Pochettino’s style of play at White Hart Lane.
Wojciech Szczesny is currently out of the Arsenal side and Colombian international David Ospina has not shown enough as of yet to suggest he is the long-term number one. This is despite not conceding a goal in his Premier League career to date.
Hector Bellerin, Laurent Koscielny, Jan Vertonghen, Kieran Gibbs
Arsenal appear to have unearthed another Spanish star of the future in the form of full back Hector Bellerin. The 19-year-old scored his first goal for the Gunners in the emphatic 5-0 win over Aston Villa last weekend and looks destined for stardom.
Laurent Koscielny has struggled for fitness this season but is still Arsenal’s top centre back when fully fit. It remains to be seen how new signing Gabriel Paulista will settle and who he will eventually partner in the heart of the Gunners’ defence.
Jan Vertonghen has rediscovered his best form and has formed a settled partnership with Argentine summer signing Federico Fazio.
At left back, Kieran Gibbs has been as consistent as ever and is now being rewarded with more frequent call ups at international level with England.
Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey, Christian Eriksen
Both clubs currently boast two of the most in-form playmakers in the country with Santi Cazorla in fine form for the Gunners and Christian Eriksen seemingly getting better by the week for Spurs.
Aaron Ramsey has failed to rediscover the form he showed during the first half of last season but has proven to be the man for the big occasion several times – most notably in last season’s FA Cup Final where he scored the winning goal in extra-time against Hull City.
The game may well be decided on whether Cazorla or Eriksen show up. The Spaniard was instrumental in the Gunners’ recent impressive 2-0 win over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium whilst Eriksen is already in double figures for the season in terms of goals, demonstrating a wicked ability from free kicks.
Alexis Sanchez, Olivier Giroud, Harry Kane,
Two of the best forward’s in the country have been plying their trade in nNrth London this season with Harry Kane and Alexis Sanchez managing almost 40 goals between them already.
Kane is in fact the highest scoring player in the Premier League in all competitions, with 20 goals to his name so far. He was rewarded for his superb efforts this season with a new five-year contract on deadline day.
Olivier Giroud was sorely missed for the first three months of the season and has hit the ground running following his return from injury with goals and assists.
Sanchez could be considered the signing of the season having carried Arsenal for the first four months of the season with his goals. The return of Giroud and Theo Walcott has taken some of the burden off the Chilean international who may yet appear tomorrow having missed last weekend’s game with Aston Villa through injury.
