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Full Record of Spurs -v- Arsenal
 
Prem          Pl  W   D   L  For-Ag  Pts
Home          33 13  12   8  47 -41  51
Away          33  2  12  19  35 -67  18
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Total(Prem)   66 15  24  27  82 -108 69  1.04 Pts per game
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Football Lge
Home(Div 1)   55 24  12  19  93 -83  63
Away(Div 1)   55 16  12  27  65 -85  46
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Total(Div 1) 110 40  24  46 158 -168 109
========================================
Total(Prem)   66 15  24  27  82 -108 69
Total(Div 1) 110 40  24  46 158 -168 109
========================================
Grand Total  176 56  48  73 240 -276 179
========================================

Last Six Premier League results:-

Arsenal     -     WWWWWD

Newcastle 1-2    Arsenal
Arsenal   2-0    West Ham
Fulham    0-1    Arsenal
Arsenal   1-0    C. Palace
Burnley   0-2    Arsenal
S'derland 2-2    Arsenal

Spurs       -     DWLWLD
           
Spurs     1-1    Wolves
Leeds     1-2    Spurs
Spurs     1-2    A. Villa
Everton   0-3    Spurs
Spurs     0-1    Chelsea
Spurs     2-2    Man Utd

Pos          P  W  D  L   F-A   GD  Pts
1. Arsenal  11  8  2  1  20-5   15   26
5. Spurs    11  5  3  3  19-10   9   18

Once more unto the breach we go...

Thanks to Greg Smith for the picture

Fighting talk from Henry V is one thing. Stepping up to the plate at The Emirates is a rarity for Spurs when visiting our nearest rivals.

Arsenal are flying at the top of the Premier League, although they stumbled at Sunderland two weeks ago and allowed Manchester City to draw closer. Spurs have been floundering at home, and will need to produce their best away form in this Super Sunday clash, being televised by SKY and kicking off at 4.30pm.

When Sunderland's Dan Ballard smashed home a close-range effort two weeks ago he became the first player to breach Arsenal's defence in over 13 hours of football. Ballard was once an Arsenal academy player, and had a great game against his former team, adding an assist for his side's second goal and an added time goal-saving block to his repertoire.

The last time Arsenal had conceded a goal in any game had been against Newcastle during their 2-1 win at St. James Park in September. That was a run of 8 games including three Champions League games and a league cup win over Brighton. The only team to have beaten Arsenal so far was an in-form Liverpool in the third league game of the season.

Arsenal won all six games played in October without conceding a single goal, and are the first top flight club to do this.

Arsenal are level top of the Champions League table, without conceding a goal. To have any hope of a return from this game, Spurs certainly need to be standing "like greyhounds in the slips, straining upon the start."

Three points cover the teams placed between 4th and 12th going into this week's Premier League programme, and Spurs could be a mid-table side at the end of the weekend.

Arsenal were busy in the summer transfer market signing Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, Christian Nørgaard from Brentford, former Spurs Academy player Noni Madueke from Chelsea, and goalscoring Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting, among others. The one signing to embitter Spurs fans was of course Crystal Palace's Ebere Eze, who had been linked with Spurs. It looks as if Eze will be joining his new team-mates Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka in next summer's World Cup with England.

19-year-old left back Myles Lewis-Skelly is another player capped by England, but he has yet to make a Premier League start this season. Djed Spence has been capped this season and was in the England squad for the last two weeks, but didn't get a game.

Max Dowman (who appeared in our pre-season game against Arsenal in Hong Kong in July) became the second youngest player to play for the club at 15 years and 234 days old, when he made his league debut in August against Leeds. Arsenal were already 4-0 up when Dowman came on after 64 minutes. He was only behind his team-mate Ethan Nwaneri who made his debut at 15 years 181 days in September 2022 against Brentford.

Dowman became Arsenal's youngest ever starter at the age of 15 years and 302 days, helping them to a 2-0 Carling Cup defeat of Brighton last month. He also became the youngest ever Champions League player this month when coming on as substitute in Arsenal's 3-0 away win against Slavia Prague.

During the time Spurs chief executive Vinai Venkatesham held the same role at The Emirates, he was responsible for Mikel Arteta's job title to be changed from "head coach" to "first-team manager". Arteta has now been in post since December 20th 2019, after he had served as assistant to Pep Guardiola. Arsenal haven't lifted the Premier League trophy since 2004 and their last silverware came in 2020 with the FA Cup.

Willie Young, who died on October 31st, aged 73, was a centre-back who signed for Spurs during the reign of Terry Neill, who subsequently took him to Arsenal, for whom he played in three consecutive FA Cup Finals in 1978, 79, and 1980.

In December 1976, Willie scored for Spurs against Arsenal, and was sent off for a kung-fu kick on Frank Stapleton in a 2-2 draw. Young is linked with the introduction of the punishment of sending off for a "professional foul" when stopping a 17-year-old Paul Allen in his tracks in the 1980 Final. West Ham won that game.

Paul Allen would subsequently play for Spurs. Willie Young later signed for Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest. After retiring, Young ran a pub near Nottingham for 20 years. Pat Jennings also played in those three Arsenal Cup Finals.

Willie Young's penultimate game in his professional career was for Darlington at Saltergate, Chesterfield in October 1984. Darlington's manager was Cyril Knowles. John Duncan was in charge of Chesterfield!

Spurs have now lost 13 of their last 22 London derbies in the Premier League. You will have guessed by now that I am not optimistic regarding our chances on Sunday. We will still be missing key players such as Dominic Solanke, who is getting closer to fitness, and will most likely return in the second half of December. Randal Kolo-Muani's had to be replaced at half-time in the Man Utd game due to a jaw injury, but has been training this week wearing a mask, and is available to play.

Thomas Frank has also confirmed that Pape Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Mohammed Kudus are fit for selection. Radu Dragusin is also now very close to being match fit. Ben Davies, Kota Takai and Archie Gray have just returned to train with the team.

Mikel Arteta has confirmed a major absence after Gabriel was injured on international duty with Brazil, and will be out for weeks. The Arsenal manager is keeping his cards close to his chest regarding other possible absentees.

Did you know? - John Pratt, who was born on 26th June 1948 in Hackney, reached the age of 77 last summer. Only 12 players have more club appearances than John, who made the first of his 415 appearances at Highbury in March 1969. John played in the first leg of our 1972 UEFA Cup win against Wolves, and also has a 1973 League Cup winner's medal. John's last club appearance was at Old Trafford in April 1980.

John scored 49 goals in all competitions for Spurs, the first of which was against Arsenal on 16th September 1969 in a 3-2 away win! Former Spur Jimmy Robertson scored one of Arsenal's goals. John Pratt scored again in a win at Highbury in April 1976, and got his best return of 10 league goals that season. John was one of 9 former players pictured in front of the newly placed Bill Nicholson gate in July.

Michael Oliver referees Spurs for the 53rd time. This will be his eighth NLD in the middle, having first taken charge of such a game in September 2013. We lost that game 1-0, and the overall figures in Mr. Oliver's seven previous NLD matches for Spurs are won 2, drawn 2, lost 3. Let's hope for at least a draw on Sunday!

. Spurs record in London Derby League matches since 1997

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