Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the English Premier League match.
As the North London Derby nears, Arsenal find themselves in a challenging period. They have been ousted from the primary English cup competition by an archrival, and their League Cup final participation is hanging in the balance. In the league, they remain far from the top spot. Tottenham Hotspur have also been underwhelming in recent months, and even two cup victories haven’t fully signalled an end to their slump. This match promises to be unpredictable.
Arsenal
Yet, some level of consistency persists. Whether Arsenal win or lose, it's never by a large margin. For high-scoring encounters, they need the likes of Crystal Palace (3:2, 5:1) or crisis-hit Brentford (3:1). In their other eight matches since early December, goals have been scarce. Arsenal have been instrumental in this trend. Over the recent weekend in the cup, Martin Ødegaard was unable to beat the Manchester United goalkeeper from the penalty spot in regular time at 1:1, even though Arsenal had a numerical advantage. This misstep cost them dearly as they lost in the penalty shootout (3:5).
Tottenham Hotspur
On the other hand, Tottenham have secured victories in both of their cup fixtures at the start of the year. Both required extra time, surprisingly even against fifth-division side Tamworth (3:0), despite fielding an almost optimal lineup featuring Pedro Porro, Yves Bissouma, Brennan Johnson, and new goalkeeper Antonín Kinský. Antonín has already played two games without conceding, including a notable match against Liverpool (1:0) where he made six saves, with the last being particularly impressive during injury time.
Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur Prediction
Arsenal, without the injured Bukayo Saka and the newly sidelined Gabriel Jesus, have lost a considerable portion of their attacking firepower, whereas Tottenham, bolstered by their young goalkeeper, seem to have gained confidence in defence despite roster issues. Goals may occur, but neither Kinski nor his counterpart David Raya are likely to concede many. Therefore, we choose to bet on total under.
