Arsenal vs Tottenham preview | Latest team news | Expected line-up’s | Prediction

Both Arsenal and Tottenham will be desperate to get back to winning ways when the north London rivals face-off at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon.

Arsenal won their opening two matches against Newcastle and Burnley but slumped to a disappointing 3-1 defeat at Liverpool last weekend with a Mohamed Salah brace doing the damage for the European champions.

Unai Emery will hope the loss at Anfield won’t dent the renewed optimism around Arsenal following an impressive summer in the transfer market and he’ll be looking to cement their place in the top four with a win in the North London Derby tomorrow.

However, Tottenham will be desperate for three points themselves after crashing to a shock defeat at home to Newcastle United last weekend which has left them on four points in the table – two points adrift of third-placed Arsenal.

Team news

Arsenal could welcome Mesut Ozil back into the squad after he built-up his fitness in training this week so the German playmaker will be hoping to make his first appearance of the season.

Hector Bellerin and Kieran Tierney are expected to resume full training next month as they step-up their recoveries from serious injuries but for now they remain unavailable for selection.

Alexandre Lacazette is pushing to start for Arsenal after overcoming an ankle knock so he could line-up in attack Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe this weekend.

Rob Holding is close to making his first team return after recovering from a knee ligament injury but Dinos Mavropanos remains out with a groin problem. Nacho Monreal has joined Real Sociedad so Sead Kolasinac will start at left-back.

Tottenham are facing an injury crisis at right-back as Kyle Walker-Peters has been ruled out with a thigh injury that he sustained against Newcastle while Juan Foyth remains out with an ankle injury.

Eric Dier is also a major doubt with a hip injury so Mauricio Pochettino may be forced to bring Serge Aurier in from the cold to give him his first taste of first team action since February.

Tanguy Ndombele is also still unavailable for Spurs after failing to recover from a thigh injury that kept him out of the Newcastle game while Ryan Sessegnon is still nursing a hamstring injury.

Expected line-ups

Prediction

Arsenal 2-1 Tottenham: Arsenal have won just two of their last 10 [W2 D5 L3] Premier League meetings with Tottenham – although those victories came in the last two home games and Spurs have won just one of their last 26 league trips to the Emirates.

The Gunners have performed well so far this season and even put in a decent showing during the first half against Liverpool. Tottenham on the other hand have struggled to get going in their games so Arsenal should be the more confident of the two sides.

The NLD is always a feisty game and it should be a close encounter but I have a feeling Arsenal will edge this one on Sunday. I’m going for a 2-1 home win.