Per Mertesacker can’t wait for his first north London derby this Sunday and he’s never experienced such a rivalry before in his career.

The former Werder Bremen star has plenty of experience with local rivalries in Germany, but the 6f 6in defender believes their match against Tottenham will be a fare more intense spectacle. Mertesacker said:

“This is my first special game for Arsenal. A lot of people have been telling me about it, how massive it is, and what a special experience it is and I am looking forward to it.

“It is an especially important game for Arsenal and for me. There is nothing similar to it in Germany. You cannot compare Bremen against Hamburg because they are not quite in the same city, so the London derby is bigger.”

For the first time in years, Tottenham start the game as favourites.

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