North London Derby Showdown: Tottenham and Arsenal Battle for Bragging Rights - Team News and Bold Predictions
The North London Derby approaches, with relegation-battling Tottenham Hotspur facing struggling Premier League frontrunners Arsenal this Sunday afternoon.
Following a winless beginning to 2026 and a dangerous league standing, Spurs eventually separated from Thomas Frank after eight difficult months. Therefore, ex-Juventus boss Igor Tudor will guide the Lilywhites into combat this weekend for an important derby clash.
Tottenham failed to disrupt Arsenal's championship push two campaigns back, but they possess a massive chance to strike their biggest rivals while they're vulnerable on home turf. Mikel Arteta's squad should be cruising toward the league crown, but they've managed to surrender control of the competition instead.
Following their late collapse against last-place Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday representing another disappointment, Arsenal's hold on the top spot has been loosening at the most crucial period.
Derby matches are usually intense, and Sunday's encounter carries enormous consequences at both table extremes. While Arsenal seek to restart their championship pursuit, Tudor has been charged with guiding Tottenham safely away from the drop zone. They sit merely five points ahead of West Ham United with 12 matches remaining.
Here's Sports Illustrated's analysis of the North London Derby.
What Time Does Tottenham vs. Arsenal Kick-Off?
What Time Does Tottenham vs. Arsenal Kick-Off?
Tottenham vs. Arsenal Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
Tottenham vs. Arsenal Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
Current Form (All Competitions, Last Five Games)
Current Form (All Competitions, Last Five Games)
Tottenham (LLDWD) | Arsenal (DWDWW) |
|---|---|
Tottenham 1–2 Newcastle | Wolves 2–2 Arsenal |
Man Utd 2–0 Tottenham | Arsenal 4–0 Wigan |
Tottenham 2–2 Man City | Brentford 1–1 Arsenal |
Eintracht Frankfurt 0–2 Tottenham | Arsenal 3–0 Sunderland |
Burnley 2–2 Tottenham | Arsenal 1–0 Chelsea |
How to Watch Tottenham vs. Arsenal on TV
How to Watch Tottenham vs. Arsenal on TV
Country | TV Channel/Live Stream |
|---|---|
United Kingdom | Sky Go UK, NOW, SKY GO Extra, Sky Ultra HD, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League |
United States | USA Network, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo |
Canada | DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network Canada |
Mexico | Max Mexico |
Tottenham Team News
Tottenham Team News
Tottenham might have switched managers, but there's been no miraculous improvement on the injury situation since Tudor's arrival. The Croatian anticipates having no players returning this weekend, and he also confirmed that Dominic Solanke's preparation was affected by a throat ailment.
The forward should be available to feature in Sunday's derby, however.
Tudor has traditionally favored a 3-4-2-1 formation, but Tottenham's available squad may require a minor adjustment. Solanke could pair with Randal Kolo Muani in the attack, with Xavi Simons playing in the creative role.
João Palhinha might be deployed in defense, considering that Cristian Romero is suspended and Kevin Danso remains injured. Also unavailable are James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Destiny Udogie, Pedro Porro, Wilson Odobert, Lucas Bergvall, Mohammed Kudus, Richarlison, Rodrigo Bentancur and Ben Davies.
Tottenham Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal
Tottenham Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal
Tottenham predicted lineup vs. Arsenal (3-4-1-2): Vicario; Palhinha, Dragusin, Van de Ven; Gray, Sarr, Gallagher, Spence; Xavi; Kolo Muani, Solanke.
Arsenal Team News
Arsenal Team News
Arsenal have gained some well-timed positive news with the derby approaching. Arteta has indicated that Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz might both return to action this weekend.
Ødegaard has been absent for the previous two matches due to a knee problem, while Havertz's muscle issue was initially projected to sideline him until March. The skipper's comeback should allow Bukayo Saka to move back to his wide position, having played centrally against Wigan Athletic and Wolves.
Mikel Merino is sidelined with a foot problem, and there's limited information about when young Max Dowman will return from his fitness issue.
Leandro Trossard should be ready after being substituted late at Molineux.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Tottenham
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Tottenham
Arsenal predicted lineup vs. Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapié; Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Ødegaard, Trossard; Gyökeres.
Tottenham vs. Arsenal Score Prediction
Tottenham vs. Arsenal Score Prediction
Only naivety has led many to hastily dismiss Tudor, but he certainly possesses the ability to extract strong performances from new squads immediately.
Thomas Frank's departure and Arsenal's continued struggles mean N17 will be electric on derby day, with a match that many were fearing now viewed as one where the home side could potentially earn points.
Tudor's intense defensive approach could surprise several teams, and Tottenham should quickly become organized like an Italian unit. Nevertheless, he's only had limited time to work with this weakened squad, and despite Arsenal's current difficulties, it remains a challenging task for Spurs to secure a positive result against a team that has completely controlled recent head-to-head meetings.