High flying Spurs host Arsenal in North London derby
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Tottenham midfielder Mousa Dembele faces a race against time to be fit for the crucial north London derby against Arsenal today. Dembele is struggling with an ankle injury ahead of the clash at White Hart Lane.
The Gunners, who could be without Laurent Koscielny, make the short trip with Spurs still in the title race as Arsenal face an uphill battle to finish in the top four.
Tottenham have not finished above their neighbours in the Premier League since 1995 but Mauricio Pochettino’s side can break that run if they beat their visitors.
It’s certainly one of the few times where, if you look at people’s opinions, Spurs are favourites,” Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said.
“It looks a bit like that but it doesn’t matter too much to me. It’s true that always in our press conferences we have to respond, if the worst happens what do you do?
“But let’s make sure that the best happens and give absolutely everything to make sure that we finish in a very strong way our season.”
Tottenham boss Pochettino insists he “doesn’t think” about Arsenal’s position and says his focus is to “try to win every game and try to win the Premier League”.
“I knew it was a big London derby but I felt the magnitude of what it means to the Tottenham fans when I started here and felt how the fans feel,” he said. Opta stats Tottenham are unbeaten in each of their last five league encounters with Arsenal (W1 D4); they’ve never gone six consecutive league games without defeat against the Gunners.
Arsenal have got on the scoresheet in 22 of their last 23 visits to White Hart Lane in all competitions, only drawing a blank in a 0-0 draw in February 2009.
Pochettino is the first ever Tottenham manager to remain unbeaten in his first five top-flight north London Premier League derbies.