Tottenham and Arsenal will face off in the first North London derby of the season tonight, September 15.
The 2-1 defeat to Newcastle once again exposed Tottenham's problems. They controlled the game, had more possession but failed to capitalise on their scoring opportunities. Spurs' lack of decisiveness in finishing still worries fans.
The home form of the Roosters has also been inconsistent, with mixed wins and losses since April. However, this is perhaps the most appropriate time for them to welcome their rivals Arsenal.
Arsenal's injury crisis is getting worse, as in addition to Declan Rice's suspension and Mikel Merino's shoulder injury, captain Martin Odegaard has sprained his ankle playing for Norway. He will be out for at least three weeks. The lack of creativity from playmaker Odegaard will be a big blow to the Gunners' attack.
Consolation could come from their last two Premier League wins against Spurs in 2023 and 2024, but they have never won three consecutive away games against the same opponents in the Premier League era. They will travel to Tottenham with all three of their top midfield stars ineligible.
The Opta supercomputer rates Arsenal at 43% chance of winning, while Tottenham have a 31.5% chance. The odds of a draw are 25.5%. However, given the current situation, Spurs will have a better chance of winning all 3 points.
Score prediction: Tottenham 2-1 Arsenal
