It's the 197th playing of the North London Derby as Arsenal hosts Tottenham at Emirates Stadium to determine bragging rights in the English capital.
Here is my Arsenal vs. Tottenham prediction and Premier League odds for tonight's match.
Arsenal vs. Tottenham Prediction, Pick, EPL Odds
| Tottenham Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -145 | 3.5 115o / -150u | +600 |
| Arsenal Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +105 | 3.5 115o / -150u | -245 |
Arsenal Prediction
The countdown may have already started for head coach Mikel Arteta to provide some answers (and silverware) or get the sack.
Back-to-back disappointing cup performances in the Carabao Cup, where Arsenal was completely outplayed by Newcastle United, and the FA Cup, where a struggling Manchester United beat them on penalties, means pressure is mounting and the Gunners are in a precarious spot. Keeping their Premier League hopes alive might be the only thing keeping Arteta on the good side of the fans.
To be fair, injuries haven't helped the former Everton captain. Gabriel Jesus had to be taken off a stretcher against United, and it was later revealed he suffered a tear to his ACL, forcing him to sit out for the rest of the season. He joins Bukayo Saka, Jorginho, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White, Ricardo Calafiori and Ethan Nwaneri in the Arsenal infirmary, meaning the coach will have very limited options for the NLD.
However, Arsenal hasn't been awful, just incredibly inefficient. They left their back-to-back lackluster showcases with a combined 6.36 xG, meaning the chances are coming, they're just not being taken. Per Opta, Arsenal have been beaten on xG in only five of their 30 games in all competitions this season.
Arsenal's -245 odds are the shortest pre-match price they’ve been for a North London Derby since the Invincibles season in 2003/04, per OddPortal, but they're still the favorites.
Tottenham Prediction
Inconsistency has been the name of the game for Tottenham. Ange Postecoglu's side has combined a shock win against EPL leaders Liverpool in the Carabao Cup with a four-game winless run that included a 6-3 battering against that same Reds side and a 2-1 defeat at home to Newcastle.
Injuries, particularly those to defender Cristian Romero, midfielder Federico Valverde and striker Richarlison haven't helped the Lilywhites' season, but issues go beyond that. Per Opta, Tottenham has the third-most errors leading to shots in the Premier League (21), behind only Southampton (36) and Aston Villa (23).
However, the return of Heung-min Son, Dejan Kulusevski, and Dominic Solanke could give them reasons to be hopeful. They will need them. It's coming on 15 years since Tottenham last won at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, a comeback from two goals behind that finished 3-2. Since then, it's eight losses and five draws.
Arsenal vs. Tottenham Prediction
While derbies are always a massive game — and often played "outside" the current trends — this one seems to have a bit more gravitas for both teams. For Arteta, it could spell a hard blow to recover from or a last-minute save; for Postecoglu, a consolidation of their upturn in form or another stumble to give explanations for.
The game at the Gunners' home has a history of high firepower. The last six North London Derbies at the Emirates have seen both teams score and have produced big results.
It will all come down to whether Arsenal can use the roar of the home crowd to overcome their recent spell of misfires. Tottenham needs a win, and their open play will afford Arsenal chances (or even the occasional gift.)
In the end, it all comes back to the old Sir Alex Ferguson adage: "Lads, it's Tottenham." Back Arsenal to add another victory to the head-to-head tally, where they lead the Lilywhites by 21 wins.
