Spurs vs Arsenal Preview, Team News, Likely Line-ups & Predicted Score

Tottenham Hotspur welcome fierce rivals Arsenal to White Hart Lane on Sunday afternoon for what could prove to be a pivotal game in the race for a top-four finish this season.

Spurs head into the game holding a four point lead over the Gunners after a Garth Bale-inspired victory over West Ham last week. The Welshman secured a 3-2 win with a last minute screamer to move Tottenham above Chelsea into third place in the table with just 11 games to go (although the Blues moved back above Spurs with victory over WBA on Saturday afternoon).

Arsenal also go into the match in fine form themselves having won their last three matches including a 2-1 win over AstonVilla at the Emirates last Saturday that kept them in the chase for Champions League qualification.

Victory for Arsene Wenger’s side tomorrow would see them move to within a single point of their north London rivals leaving it all to play for during the last ten games. Defeat, however, would see Spurs open-up a seven-point gap leaving them firm favourites to finish above Arsenal for the first time in 17 years.

Team News

Tottenham have been boosted by the return to fitness of Jermain Defoe with the striker overcoming an ankle knock and is in contention to start on Sunday. If he does, it will likely come at the expense of former Arsenal hitman Emmanuel Adebayor.

Andre Villas-Boas will continue to be without Clint Dempsey who’s nursing a calf problem, so Lewis Holtby is expected to continue in the advanced midfield role while Tom Huddlestone, Younes Kaboul and Sandro remain out.

Arsenal will be without defender Bacary Sagna with the Frenchman struggling to overcome a knee injury meaning young Carl Jenkinson is likely to fill in at right-back.

Midfielder Abou Diaby is also a doubt for the game with Wenger rating him at just 50:50, so Aaron Ramsey may come in to midfield in his absence.

Kieran Gibbs remains out with a thigh injury so Nacho Monreal will get his first taste of a North London Derby. Lukas Podolski and Laurent Koscielny are both pushing for recalls but Wenger is likely to stick with the majority of the side that beat Villa last time out.

Likely Line-ups

Predicted Score

Tottenham – Arsenal games are almost impossible to call these days as the matches are so open and unpredictable. Spurs have thrown away leads in the last two games, going on to lose both 5-2, and we can see goals in this one once again, but can’t separate the two teams. Tottenham 2-2 Arsenal

What would be your starting eleven and whats your score prediction for the game? Get involved in the comments section below.