High stakes north London derby
SHOWDOWNS between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are always feisty, but today’s final north London derby at White Hart Lane could be on another level. It is of massive importance to both sides.
The hosts trail Premier League leaders Chelsea by four points and realistically have to win every remaining match to have a chance of glory.
Arsenal, meanwhile, hope to finish the season well and qualify for the Champions League.
The stakes could hardly be higher for the protagonists.
Tottenham, who announced on Friday that they will definitely move to Wembley next season while their new stadium is comperiod, pleted, are set to finish above Arsenal for the first time in 22 years. Mauricio Pochettino’s vibrant young side have grander ambitions though, and first and foremost in their minds will be keeping alive their hopes of a first English league title since the club’s glory days in 1961.
Should Chelsea fail to win at Everton in today’s earlier match, Tottenham could conceivably be top of the table before Chelsea play again if they beat Arsenal and follow that with victory at West Ham United next Friday.
“The possibility of finishing above Arsenal is not a motivation or a distraction,” Pochettino said after his side beat in-form Crystal Palace to narrow the gap with Chelsea to four points on Wednesday. “We are just focusing on trying to beat Arsenal. We have five games ahead, a very exciting and an exciting weekend.”
While Arsenal would dearly love to scupper Tottenham’s title bid, they too have more pressing concerns, namely trying to qualify for a 20th consecutive Champions League campaign.
Wenger’s sixth-placed side secured a late 1-0 win over Leicester City on Wednesday to move four points behind fourthplaced Manchester City and three behind Manchester United before Thursday’s Manchester derby.
Like Pochettino, Wenger said bragging rights were secondary.
“We play for us. In life you work for your own achievements, not for others,” Wenger said.
“What is most important is that we go there, try to win the game and focus on our performance.”
Recent history suggests both sides might fall short of their ambitions.
The last three north London derbies have been drawn, including last season’s clash at the Lane in March, when a late Alexis Sánchez equaliser earned 10-man Arsenal a 2-2 draw which prevented Spurs going top of the table.
Tottenham have won their last eight league matches — a club record in the Premier League and their best sequence since 1960 — and have been unstoppable at the ground that will soon be bulldozed to make way for the 61 000-seater arena sprouting up around it.
They have also scored in their last 17 home league matches so Arsenal’s task is formidable, especially with central defender Laurent Koscielny doubtful with a knee injury.
Tottenham will monitor Mousa Dembele, who was substituted at half time at Palace with a sprained ankle. —