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Opinion
It is almost here my fellow Gooners, the next instalment of the North London derby and this one has a whole lot riding on the result.
Our win over Rapid Vienna is now firmly behind us as our attention turns to our bitter rivals. Tottenham is top of the table at the moment and that surely does not sit well with us, while we are way down in 14th in the table, so this match is of great importance.
Team news
Thomas Partey was seen training with the first team on Friday and after initially thinking he was no chance to feature at all, now many media outlets saying he is almost certain to be involved in some capacity come Sunday and that is a huge boost to our side.
David Luiz is a doubt although it is likely he will be on the bench as I feel Gabriel and Rob Holding are a better pairing together, while Nicolas Pepe is still serving his domestic suspension and Gabriel Martinelli rounds out our injury list. The Brazilian is expected to feature for the U/23 side before the end of the year.
Fellow Gunners fans do not need to be told how important this match is not only for our confidence heading into the rest of the campaign but also to ease the pressure on Mikel Arteta.
Goals have been hard to come by so far this year and if you take out Pierre Emerick Aubameyang’s penalty and Gabriel’s header against Wolves, it has been a total of six games where we have not found the net.
(Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Surely that has to end soon and what better way than to end it at the home of our bitter rival.
Bernd Leno will return in goal and Hector Bellerin, Gabriel, Holding, and Tierney should make up of defence.
The midfield is where it is going to be interesting when it comes to selection. If Partey is fit, does he start?
For me, he must but then who partners him? We have seen him work well with Mo Elneny so that could be the duo we could go with.
However, after his performance against Rapid, Ainsley Maitland Niles could give us the power and pace that we need in the number 8 role as he was sensational mid week.
Then Alexandre Lacazette could be given the creative number 10 role after he bossed the game against Rapid Vienna. We should expect Bukayo Saka and Reiss Nelson to be deployed out wide with Aubameyang through the middle.
Predicted XI: Leno, Bellerin, Gabriel, Holding, Tierney, Partey, Elneny, Lacazette, Saka, Aubameyang, Nelson.
This is just about shaping up as a must-win game for us, and if it is not then it is certainly close. With our struggles in the league, getting a good result against Spurs could be just the boost needed to kick start our season.
A massive clash awaits us, Tottenham we are coming.
Prediction Spurs 1-2 Arsenal
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