Gunners want to be the first

UNAI EMERY claims Arsenal would have no problem being Tottenham’s first opponents at the new White Hart Lane.

Spurs announced yet another delay to their stadium this week, with the North London derby on March 2 now the first possible fixture to be played there.

The Premier League, police and local authority all have reservations about such a huge game being the first to take place at the £1bn venue.

But asked whether he would be happy for the Gunners to be the first team to visit, Emery said: “Sure, I think it’s good to play in a big stadium.”

Arsenal beat Spurs 4-2 at the Emirates earlier this season in a game marred by a fan throwing a banana at Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Dele Alli was then hit by a bottle thrown by an Arsenal fan in Tottenham’s 2-0 Carabao Cup quarter-final win there last month.

Fears of potential unrest mean a more realistic opening game for Tottenham’s new 62,062-capacity ground is Crystal Palace on March 16.

But facing Arsenal there has yet to be ruled out, and it is clear Emery (above) would have no problem with that outcome.

The Gunners boss revealed this week how the club cannot afford to make any permanent signings in this month’s window and are only looking for loans.

But he also admitted he will have to rotate players over the next few weeks, with his injury-hit side short of bodies.

Asked whether he would consider giving his players a break, Emery said: “We are doing that. We are thinking about that for this week and this month.

“You have to balance the players because they play a lot of matches in the next month, with the Europa League and the FA Cup. So we are doing that.” Defender Laurent Koscielny will return at West Ham today after missing the FA Cup win over Blackpool with a back spasm he suffered in the warm-up.

Emery said: “Little by little Koscielny is feeling better and he can play consistently in the next matches.

“We pushed him to play after his injuries because we needed him in some matches.”