Arsenal vs Tottenham Preview and Betting Tip

Last weekend the highlight in the Premier League was the Manchester Derby. On Sunday, the North London version will be under the spotlight. Arsenal vs Tottenham kicks off at 4.30 pm and both teams will be desperate to get the win, for very different reasons.

Spurs have rediscovered their mojo in recent weeks and they have set their sights on a late push for a top 4 finish. The Gunners, on the other hand, will be trying to close the 7 point gap to their biggest rivals and more importantly, derail their dreams of Champions League football. So, who will have the bragging rights in North London on Sunday night?

Arteta’s Arsenal In A Good Frame Of Mind

When The Gunners beat Southampton 3-1 on Boxing Day it sparked a run of five wins from six in the following month. It looked like Arteta had found a winning formula but since their 0-0 draw vs Man Utd, their league form has fallen off a cliff. Arsenal have won just two of their last seven matches in the EPL and they now find themselves sitting 10th in the Premier League table with just 38 points from 27 games. They are 7 points behind Spurs and Gooners everywhere will be praying that they can finish the season ahead of their big rivals.

Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw by Burnley last weekend in a match they should have won. Pepe missed a couple of great chances and they hit the woodwork too. The Europa League has provided a welcome distraction for Arteta’s men. They were full value for their 3-1 win in Greece vs Olympiakos on Thursday night. Odegaard, Gabriel and Elneny got the goals and while they did have some shaky moments after Olympiakos equalised, overall it was just the type of result and performance that they needed.

That was Arsenal’s third win in their last four in all competitions. They have scored three goals in each of their victories during that run (Benfica, Leicester and Olympiakos). Kieran Tierney has made a big difference since returning from injury at left-back and Thomas Partey is slowly working his way back to top form. Odegaard has looked a decent addition at the top end of the pitch and most importantly, Aubameyang has rediscovered his goalscoring touch. Despite their lowly league position, Arsenal will be coming into this massive match in a good frame of mind.

Topsy Turvy Tottenham

Spurs are a tough team to work out in what has been a topsy turvy season for them. They went 11 unbeaten after their opening day defeat, a run that included that 6-1 spanking of Man Utd. However, a 2-1 defeat to Liverpool in mid-December knocked their confidence. That started a sequence of just 3 EPL wins from their next 11 matches (W3 D2 L6). I was fully convinced that Jose’s third season syndrome had arrived a year early but in fairness to Mourinho, he has rallied the troops well.

Tottenham have now won their last three in a row in the Premier League, conceding just 1 goal. A 4-0 home win vs Burnley boosted confidence and that was followed by a 1-0 victory at Fulham. Braces from Bale and Kane secured a 4-1 win vs Palace last weekend and they beat Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 in the Europa League in midweek thanks to another Kane double. Kane picked up a knock in that match but he should be fit to face Arsenal.

Spurs have kept 4 clean sheets and scored 15 goals in their last 5 games in all competitions (5 wins). Bale has found his form and even Dele-Alli is back in Mourinho’s good books. However, when you look at the teams they have beaten it is hard to get too carried away. Arsenal will provide a far sterner test of their credentials. It remains to be seen whether Tottenham are up to the task against higher calibre opposition. This match should give a much better indication of where they are actually at as a team.

History On Arsenal’s Side

In recent years Tottenham have struggled to win at The Emirates in the EPL. Even when Mauricio Pochettino was in charge Spurs couldn’t crack the code and win away against Arsenal in the Premier League. In fact, the last time that Spurs took all 3 points from this fixture was all the way back in 2010. Gareth Bale was amongst the goal scorers that day in a match they won 3-2. Spurs are unbeaten in their last 5 against Arsenal in all competitions (W3 D2) and the hosts will be eager to end that run.

Arsenal vs Tottenham Recent Form Guide

As the table above illustrates, both teams come into this match in decent form. Spurs have won five in a row but only one of those wins came away from home. They have actually won just two of their last nine away games in the Premier League and they lost three in a row before that win at Craven Cottage.

Arsenal, like many teams this season, have had issues with their home form. They lost 4 on the spin at The Emirates to Leicester, Villa, Wolves and Burnley between October and December but recent results have been better. The Gunners have lost just one of their last seven home fixtures, a narrow 1-0 reversal vs Man City.

Gunners To End Spurs’ Winning Run

At first glance, it looks like Spurs are flying but I am not sure that is the case. Yes, they have won their last five in a row but four of those were at home and the quality of opposition was questionable. They beat Arsenal 2-0 in the reverse fixture back in December but The Gunners were bang out of form then. Tottenham’s away record in the Premier League isn’t inspiring (2 wins from the last 9) and they could find life tough at The Emirates on Sunday.

The hosts are as big as 8/5 to get the win and Spurs are slight underdogs at 19/10. The draw has been priced up at 23/10. I think that The Gunners have the firepower up top to cause Tottenham lots of problems. They will likely dominate possession and if they are clinical in front of goal, they should be able to get the win.

However, Arsenal have found clean sheets hard to come by in recent weeks and Bale, Kane and Son will be dangerous on the counter. So, I am recommending a bet on Arsenal to win and both teams to score at odds of 4/1 with SkyBet.

Also, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has committed the 2nd highest amount of fouls (47) in the Premier League and he has picked up the most bookings for Spurs (6) this season. He is 5/2 with Unibet to be shown a card on Sunday and that is worth a small investment too.

Arsenal vs Tottenham Tips: Arsenal to win/both teams to score @ 4/1 (SkyBet); Hojbjerg to be shown a card @ 5/2 (Unibet)

Key Quotes – Arsenal vs Tottenham

Mikel Arteta – “Well in the last game (vs Spurs) we started the game really well, we were very dominant, and the first time that they went through our halfway line they scored a goal. It’s their quality. They are a really organised team, a big threat in every counter-attack situation, good individual skills and great organisation.”  

Jose Mourinho – “I look up, I don’t look down. If Arsenal were seven points ahead of us, I would look to them, but because we have seven points more than them, I don’t look down. We feel we’re better than the position we have in the table and we want to improve our position so we need points for that.”

Dave Stevos