Naturally, the Lilywhites’ two games in hand over North London rivals Arsenal provide the bedrock of their dreams for now, but they will immediately leapfrog their mortal enemies with victory in the 205th all-time H2H meeting.
Tottenham Hotspur
Just like the spoiled lasagne that once infamously denied them a top-four finish, Tottenham’s aspiration for one in May comprises several layers. Naturally, the Lilywhites’ two games in hand over North London rivals Arsenal provide the bedrock of their dreams for now, but they will immediately leapfrog their mortal enemies with victory in the 205th all-time H2H meeting. Tottenham’s increasingly-meaty unbeaten Premier League record under Antonio Conte now stands at eight games, with three of those victories seeing them score a first-half winner. Yet, with former Premier League winner Conte lamenting a poor personal record against Arsenal, Tottenham will do well to avoid leaving with an empty plate.
Arsenal
Arsenal recovered from a shock FA Cup exit at the hands of Nottingham Forest for the second time in four years to grind out an impressive 0-0 result at Liverpool in EFL Cup semi first leg, despite playing with ten men for 66 minutes. Now looking to avoid starting a calendar year of Premier League action with two successive defeats for the first time since 2012, the ‘Gunners’ may have to show some Anfield resolve again amid injury concerns and with players missing at AFCON. In addition to bookending a preceding winless run of seven away league derbies, a triumph for Arsenal here would see them expand further on a strong all-time H2H record. It would also secure the first league double over Tottenham since 2013/14 – the same season that brought Arsenal their last away derby win ‘to-nil’.
Davinson Sanchez scored an injury-time winner in Spurs’ last league victory, meaning that both of his prior Premier League strikes this term have come beyond the hour mark. Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka will be a potent threat to Sánchez and his defensive colleagues, netting the Gunners’ first goal of 2022 and striking their final blow in September’s reverse H2H. Only one of the last 11 Spurs managers has won their first top-flight meeting in charge against Arsenal.