On Sunday, Arsenal will host their bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium in Matchweek 4 of the 2019-20 Premier League campaign.
Renowned as the North London derby, the fixture has perennially been fierce and both the English heavyweights will strive to bag all three points at any cost.
ARSENAL vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: 3 KEY BATTLES TO WATCH OUT FOR
Nicolas Pepe vs Danny Rose
Last Saturday, we saw glimpses of what Nicolas Pepe is capable of. Having completed 7 take-ons, Pepe was easily the best player on the pitch for Arsenal against Liverpool as he thrived with pace, skill and power in the final third.
Arsenal’s £72million club-record signing also became the first player to dribble past Virgil van Dijk in the Premier League since Mikel Merino did so in March 2018 and is seemingly likely to start on the right-wing against Spurs.
Spurs’ left-back Danny Rose was criticized for not providing cover to Davinson Sanchez, which allowed Joelinton to score in their shock loss to Newcastle. And the senior English professional was also criticised for his overall gameplay. He needs to buckle up big time and a much-improved display will be needed on Sunday.
Sokratis vs Harry Kane
More often than not, Harry Kane makes his presence felt in the North London Derby. The striker has 9 goals to his name from 9 appearances against the Gunners and it goes without saying that he will look to make a mark yet again.
The 26-year-old has had a decent start to the new campaign, having scored a couple of goals in three league outings. He is expected to come up against Arsenal central defender Sokratis who will look to use all his experience to neutralise the immense threat Kane brings to the table.
David Luiz is yet to settle down and always seems to have a mistake his expansive style of play which means Sokratis might have to cover for his partner on the day.
Alexandre Lacazette vs Toby Alderweireld
Arsenal are expected to start with Alexandre Lacazette after he missed out on a starting spot in their conservative lineup against the European champions last week. He is a lethal finisher and can be a headache for Spurs’ backline this weekend.
With his twists and turns and link-up play in the attacking sector, Lacazette will be desperate to find the back of the net against Mauricio Pochettino’s troops and it will be interesting to see how he fares against Toby Alderweireld.
Alderweireld is unarguably one of the best defenders in the English top flight. He will be tasked with the responsibility of suffocating Lacazette and his strong physical presence could be vital for Spurs.
Statistics Credits: Whoscored and Squawka