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Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal will lock horns in a North London derby on May 12 with a place in the UEFA Champions League at stake.
It's a classic six-pointer between two bitter rivals. After looking like they were about to capitulate at the business end of the season, Arsenal have steadied their ship in commendable fashion over the past few weeks.
With 66 points from 35 games, the Gunners are currently the favorites to finish fourth in the Premier League table and qualify for the Champions League.
They will book a berth in Europe's elite competition with a win over Spurs tonight. But Tottenham Hotspur aren't far behind and are currently trailing Mikel Arteta's side by four points. They can shorten the gap to just one point with a win against their bitter rivals on their home turf tonight.
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The North London derby is usually a fiery affair and the high-stakes scenario will only help to further elevate the occasion. Arsenal can afford to settle for a draw but Arteta's men are unlikely to view this game as anything but a must-win encounter.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five reasons why Tottenham Hotspur will beat Arsenal tonight.
#5 Arsenal haven't won against Tottenham Hotspur in any of their last seven visits
Arsenal don't have any fond memories of their recent visits to Tottenham Hotspur. They have failed to win their last seven away games against Spurs. Arsenal, in other words, have not been able to come away with all three points in any of their trips to take on their arch rivals in the last eight years.
This will be the first time that Arsenal will be facing Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in front of a capacity crowd. They've struggled in this fixture even without the overwhelming home support for Spurs. Simply put, Tottenham Hotspur are going to be way more confident heading into this game than their neighbors.
#4 Spurs have exhibited the ability to shut opponents out
Tottenham Hotspur have conceded just five goals in their last eight Premier League games. More significantly, they were able to keep Liverpool down to just one goal in their latest outing.
The Merseysiders have one of the most intimidating attacking units in Europe but Spurs were able to keep them quiet for the majority of the game. Cristian Romero and Eric Dier were excellent at the heart of defence against Jurgen Klopp's side.
They did well to break Liverpool's press, won most of their duels and also threw themselves in the way of shots and crosses.
Ben Davies had a great game as well and produced a wonderful block to deny Mohamed Salah moments before Liverpool scored the equalizer. On the right wing, Emerson Royal produced what was perhaps his best performance in a Tottenham Hotspur shirt thus far.
The Spurs backline are in good form and Arsenal will find it difficult to break them down.
#3 Son-Heung Min and Harry Kane's form
Son Heung-Min is the second highest goalscorer in the Premier League this season after Mohamed Salah. The South Korea international has scored 20 goals and provided eight assists in 32 league appearances so far this term.
He has been in great form of late, scoring 10 goals and providing two assists in his last 10 Premier League appearances. Son has scored three goals and provided two assists in the last four North London derbies and enjoys playing against the Gunners.
He will be partnered with Harry Kane, the all-time top scorer in North London derbies, with 11 goals in the fixture. Son Heung-Min and Harry Kane's partnership continues to blossom and Arsenal cannot afford to slip up at the back.
#2 History favours Spurs
We all know that derbies are all about adrenaline and players rising to the occasion. But decipherable patterns are definitely worth taking a look at.
Arsenal have won the last two North London derbies, both of which were Premier League fixtures played at the Emirates. But they've never won three consecutive league games against Tottenham Hotspur.
In the last 22 Premier League meetings between the two sides, the team playing away from home has emerged victorious just once. Arsenal are playing away from hom tonight. The two sides look well-matched on paper and that's where Spurs' home advantage will become a factor.
#1 The Antonio Conte factor
Tottenham Hotspur lost the reverse fixture 3-1 in late September. Nuno Espirito Santos was still their manager and it was the game where it became clear that the Portuguese was not the right man for the job. But much has changed since. Spurs don't leak as many goals anymore.
Since Conte took over, Spurs have won 14 games, drawn five and lost six. He has definitely had a galvanizing effect on the squad and a season that looked doomed has brightened up considerably under his tutelage.
Conte has the ability to set his teams up to do specific jobs against top opposition. They were able to hold Liverpool to a 1-1 draw last Saturday. Spurs had also held Liverpool to a 2-2 draw in December 2021.
They also beat Manchester City 3-2 at the Etihad on February 19. Although they struggled against Chelsea and Manchester United this season, Spurs seem to be able to turn in spirited performances against quality opposition.
If Arsenal win tonight, they will qualify for the Champions League. Antonio Conte will pull out all the stops to make sure it doesn't happen on their own turf under his watch.
