Tottenham vs. Arsenal – Bookmakers’ view

Kane and Tottenham were not to be denied a point as the away side were awarded a second spot-kick and the England forward made no mistake to salvage a 2-2 draw against Liverpool. “We have to be super-focused, because for me they are one of the best teams in Europe and in England”. True, they had been without a few key players, but that can’t totally explain the Jekyll-and-Hyde performances. To do that they’ll have to fix their terrible away form.

At the other end, Arsenal were kept at arms length, with Hector Bellerin resorting to a long shot as they failed to find space behind the Spurs back four.

With Toby Alderweireld back playing in midweek, Tottenham have no injury issues to worry about, according to Physioroom.com.

In team news, keeper Peter Cech faces a late fitness test after being substituted last time out. “All the derbies are tough games but the most important thing is to arrive in a good condition, to be ready, to challenge them, to fight and try to win”, Tottenham manager, Mauricio Pochettino told spurs TV ahead of the game. That loss came earlier this season.

In front of a record Premiership crowd at the national stadium, Spurs will reflect on a solid win but wonder how they did not enjoy a more comfortable margin victory.

This is the first meeting between Spurs and Arsenal at Wembley since April 1993. A win would put Spurs seven points clear – effectively eight when goal difference is factored in – of Arsenal with just 11 league games to play.

For Neutrals this should be a good game to watch, for city supporters however, this could be a routine victory or a shocking game where points are dropped at home.

Midfielders Jack Wilshere and Mohamed Elneny come into the side and they start in place of Alex Iwobi and last week’s hat-trick hero Aaron Ramsey.

Two-time Golden Boot victor and current Premier League top scorer Harry Kane is set to lead the line for Spurs, while the Gunners’ attack has been bolstered by the club-record £60m arrival of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the final day of the January transfer window.

The first was volleyed high over the goal and the second dragged narrowly wide and Aubameyang, by this time operating wide on the left, must have envied these sight of goal.

But this game isn’t just about Arsenal.

Aubameyang’s average of 107.6 minutes per goal is impressive in its own right, but still leaves the former AC Milan man tailing in Kane’s wake. But in recent games against West Ham, Southampton and Newport County in the first FA Cup tie of the two, Tottenham all too often looked disjointed and off the pace.

There’s also the sheer single-mindedness of Spurs, who seem to once more be ramping up to the type of spring form that launched their title challenges in the last two seasons.

Arsenal – who seem to lurch from success to crisis and back to success in the blink of an eye – will hope to stick a metaphorical boot into their rivals this Saturday.