
Arsenal welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the Emirates on Saturday lunch time for the first north London derby of the season.
Arsene Wenger’s side go into the game one point behind Spurs with both sides looking to get their top-four hopes back on track.
The Gunners blew the chance to leap-frog their neighbours last weekend after being held to a 3-3 draw against Fulham last time out, with Mikel Arteta missing an injury-time penalty to win the game.
Tottenham go in to the match off the back of two defeats to Wigan and Manchester City so Andre Villas-Boas will be hoping to get his season going again with a positive result at the Emirates.
The last time the two sides met a Robin Van Persie inspired Arsenal came from two goals down to win 5-2 back in February. Thankfully for Spurs, the Dutchman has now departed the Gunners but they will face the threat of Olivier Giroud, who’s now scored six in his last eight for club and country.
Team News
Arsene Wenger will have to give late tests to seven first team players ahead of the game following the international break.
Olivier Giroud came back from duty with France nursing hamstring and calf injuries, Mikel Arteta is a doubt with a hip complaint while Santi Cazorla only arrived back in London on Thursday night from his long-haul trip to Panama.
Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Bacary Sagna and Wojciech Szczesny will also be assessed before the game but all seven players are expected to feature.
Jack Wilshere is available again after serving a one match suspension last weekend. Gervinho, Kieran Gibbs, Abou Diaby and Tomas Rosicky remain on the sidelines.
Tottenham also have their own injury concerns to contend with. Mousa Dembele has been ruled out with a hip injury and joins long-term injury victims Scott Parker, Younes Kaboul and Benoit Assou-Ekotto on the sidelines.
AVB will also assess the fitness of Jermaine Defoe, Kyle Walker and Aaron Lennon but all are expected to play some part although Defoe may have to make do with a place on the bench with former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor getting the nod up front.
Likely Line-ups

Predicted Score
The north London derby has become the most entertaining derby of the season in recent years and with it has become almost impossible to predict. Both sides are desperate for a win in a game that could define their seasons, but we’re going for the Gunners to edge this one, but another thriller is on the cards. Arsenal 3-2 Tottenham.
What would your team be and what’s your score prediction? Get involved in the comments section.
fataisaheedolamilakan
November 16, 2012 at 7:41 pm
Arsenal will beat totteam by 3,1
Opex
November 16, 2012 at 8:07 pm
Its gonna 2 b a tight game buh am goin’ all d way wif arsenal
iheanacho
November 16, 2012 at 8:34 pm
Arsenal will wil 2-1
christmas henry
November 16, 2012 at 9:42 pm
its going to be a tough match between the both sides but, my problem will be if arsenal have those chances and don’t make use of them on time and spur scales, its going to be problem for arsenal to come back except the striker use, is sharper in getting a goal for the back.
Matthew
November 16, 2012 at 10:10 pm
It’s tough to guess the outcome as I believe that there isn’t much difference in the potential lineups. That said I believe that Tottenham will win with Adebayor playing a big part.
hanafson
November 16, 2012 at 10:11 pm
Arsenal will bet them 4-2
hanafson
November 16, 2012 at 10:17 pm
Wenger u ar d best manager in EPL nd I no tomorrow we ar going 2 mac it$$$$$$uo gunners…
Robert Gillespie
November 16, 2012 at 10:36 pm
Even though it hurts to say as a Spurs supporter Arsenal will win 4 – 1, as our YTS manager is to full if himself
xilef
November 16, 2012 at 10:55 pm
pls n pls we should not 4get that we dont av a natural mid fielder n should know dat giroud performs beta with aerial balls and arshavin should start ahead of podolski then i can guaranty a 3-1 win 4 us arsenal 4 life waiting 4 d protest kronke out usmanov in
chinedu promise
November 17, 2012 at 1:53 am
arsenal 2 spur 1
tony
November 17, 2012 at 4:02 am
I have to say the Arsenal line up is pretty good… as long as they all play to their full potential.. 3 – 1 to the Gunners
Richard Tommy
November 17, 2012 at 5:17 am
Arsenal, these days are unpredictable. When you expect them to do well they will fumble but when you underrate them they will surprise you. Just maybe they will give Tottenham a fight of their life today. So I’ll go with ARSENAL 2 — 1 TOTTENHAM.
Farxanco
November 17, 2012 at 6:41 am
Ars3-1spurs
Michael
November 17, 2012 at 8:54 am
I am an Arsenal fan and I know that if we expect to win then we will lose, lazy Poldolski and CB Vermaelen will give us a weak left side, AW you have been told.
Skimol
November 17, 2012 at 10:31 am
Ars 3-1 spurs