Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal: Spurs Look to Maintain Strong Home Form Against Resurgent Gunners

This weekend’s Premier League fayre begins with a bang on Saturday lunchtime – kick-off 12:30 – as Tottenham host Arsenal at Wembley Stadium in the 162nd North London derby at league level.

Spurs left it very late against Liverpool last Sunday, but Harry Kane saved the Lilywhites with an injury-time penalty to salvage a point in a 2-2 draw. Arsenal, buoyed by new signings, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, slaughtered fellow Merseyside opposition, Everton 5-1, as the new-look Gunners dazzled in front of their home supporters.

Arsenal currently sit in sixth place in the Premier League table, four points behind fifth-placed Tottenham. This game cannot be classed as an absolute must-win fixture for the Gunners just yet, but if Arsene Wenger’s side have real hopes of claiming a top-four finish at the end of the league campaign, it is a fixture that Arsenal surely dare not lose.

Tottenham’s last home league outing saw Mauricio Pochettino’s outfit comfortably beat Manchester United, in another helping of fine form that Spurs have shown at Wembley this season. Only Chelsea back in August have left the National Stadium with all three points in the Premier League, which highlights the stiff task that the Gunners face.

Match Odds

With just one Premier League defeat in their previous 14 home games, it is no surprise to see Tottenham as favourites to claim their 52nd league derby victory. Spurs can be backed with MarathonBet at the best industry price of 53/50 to widen the gap to seven points between the two clubs. An Arsenal victory can be backed with Black Type at the stand-out odds of 27/10, while a North London stalemate is available at 3/1.

Spurs have won just one game in the last six meetings between the two sides in all competitions – a 2-0 home win last season was their first victory over the Gunners since February 2015. The Arsenal players must get their away form back on track this season if they are to climb the league standings. Wenger’s men have claimed just 13 points from 13 league games on the road this season, but with their new signings, Arsenal will have renewed belief of claiming a vital win here.

Tottenham were involved in an FA Cup replay with Newport County on Wednesday evening, but this fixture is likely to have very little bearing on the outcome of Saturdays’ fixture due to many changes being made by Spurs’ boss Pochettino as he rests his key men for the weekend.

Spurs’ almost exemplary home form can be determined as the key statistic to focus on for this contest. Arsenal have yet to prove themselves in big games against fellow top-four rivals – especially away from the Emirates Stadium this season – and despite the new arrivals hitting top form against a desperately out-of-sorts Everton side last weekend, Tottenham look to be the call at a shade off odds-against.

Individual Goal Scorers

Tottenham’s Harry Kane unsurprisingly leads the market for the First Goal Scorer betting. The Spurs man has hit 22 Premier League goals this season already, as another 30-goal plus campaign looks on the cards barring injury. A key statistic is that of the last nine goals Tottenham have scored against Arsenal, Kane has scored six of them.

The 3/1 on offer with bet365 and William Hill can be deemed as value worth taking on Kane, with the England striker’s fine current form, and strong record against their nearest rivals.

Bookmaker Stan James obviously sees new Arsenal striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as a serious threat to open the scoring at Wembley this weekend by placing the new Arsenal man as a 7/2 chance to break the deadlock. However, Boylesports offers a much more reasonable 11/2 on the former Borussia Dortmund man to bag first.

Notable others consist of Kane’s strike partner, Dele Alli at 13/2 with bet365. Recent signing, Lucas Moura could also be in the starting line-up for Tottenham at the weekend, and the 17/2 on offer with Black Type could prove popular. Arsenal schemers, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Mesut Ozil are also worthy of consideration at the tempting prices of 10/1 (Mkhitaryan) and 11/1 (Ozil) both with bet365 and Boylesports respectively.

Other Side Bets

Once again, Both Teams to Score is a short-priced option at the best price of 1-2 with bet365. It is a likely winning selection, but the odds are a little short of value on this occasion. Over 2.5 Goals is also rather prohibitive at 8/15 (generally available) but is another likely winner.

My belief in Tottenham to win the game, and the high potential for both teams to score is illustrated on my main bet for this match. William Hill have odds of 23/10 for a Spurs with BTTS double, in what promises to be an entertaining contest with action at both ends of the pitch.

A 2-1 Tottenham victory can be backed at the tempting price of 17/2 with bet365 in the Correct Score betting market, and this should also be considered with small stakes.

Best Bets:

• Tottenham Hotspur to win the match and Both Teams to Score at 23/10 with William Hill
• Harry Kane to be First Goal Scorer at 3/1 with William Hill
• 2-1 Tottenham Correct Score bet at 17/2 with bet365