ARSENAL host North London rivals Tottenham at the Emirates in an iconic Premier League clash this afternoon.
The headline team news is that Mikel Arteta is forced to play Eddie Nketiah out wide in place of the injured Gabriel Martinelli, while Ange Postecoglou hands a first start to summer signing Brennan Johnson.
The Gunners beat Spurs home and away last season, which was the first time since 2013-14 that one side has done the double over the other in the North London Derby.
- Kick off time: 2pm BST
- TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event/Premier League
- Live stream: NOW
- Arsenal team: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Rice, Odegaard, Vieira; Saka, Nketiah, Jesus
- Tottenham team: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Bissouma, Maddison; Kulusevski, Johnson, Son
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Follow our live blog below for all the latest from the Emirates…
- By Sam Dymond
Johnson makes first Spurs start
Ange Postecoglou makes one change ahead of his first North London derby in charge of Tottenham.
The manager rewards Brennan Johnson for his exciting cameo against Sheffield United with a first start since his big-money move from Nottingham Forest.
The Wales international replaces Manor Solomon in a move that is likely to see Son Heung-min move out to the left.
The South Korean captains Spurs in a match against Arsenal for the first time, and will spearhead the attack with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.
Tottenham (4-2-3-1): 13 Vicario; 23 Porro, 17 Romero, 37 Van de Ven, 38 Udogie; 29 Sarr, 8 Bissouma; 21 Kulusevski, Maddison, 7 Son; 22 Johnson
Substitutes: 20 Forster, 4 Skipp, 5 Hojbjerg, 9 Richarlison, 12 Emerson, 15 Dier, 27 Solomon, 33 Davies, 36 Veliz
- By Sam Dymond
Nketiah and Vieira start for Gunners
Mikel Arteta makes two changes to the side that started against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Tueday.
As rumoured, one of those is enforced with Leandro Trossard not fit enough to make the matchday squad.
The Belgian joins Gabriel Martinelli on the treatment table, and so it means Eddie Nketiah comes into the attack.
The other switch comes in midfield where Fabio Vieira is favoured over Kai Havertz.
It means that David Raya continues in goal, and must surely now be considered Arsenal's number one instead of Aaron Ramsdale.
Martin Odegaard captains the side, fresh from signing a new five-year contract with the Gunners.
Arsenal (4-3-3): 22 Raya; 4 White, 2 Saliba, 6 Gabriel, 35 Zinchenko; 8 Odegaard, 41 Rice, 21 Vieira; 7 Saka, 9 Jesus, 14 Nketiah
Substitutes: 1 Ramsdale, 10 Smith Rowe, 15 Kiwior, 17 Cedric, 18 Tomiyasu, 20 Jorginho, 24 Nelson, 25 Elneny, 29 Havertz
- By Sam Dymond
Gunners chasing Tottenham treble.
Arsenal are looking to win three consecutive league games against Tottenham for the first time since a run of five between 1987 and 1989.
Can the Gunners summon the spirit of Paul Merson and Michael Thomas this afternoon?
- By Sam Dymond
Johnson in but Trossard out?
Official team news is still five minutes away, but the whispers inside and outside of the Emirates is that there is no Leandro Trossard in the Arsenal squad.
The Belgian was expected to continue on the left in the absence of Garbiel Martinelli, but instead the Gunners will operate with a front three of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah.
As for Spurs, it is expected that Brennan Johnson will make his first start for the club.
- By Sam Dymond
North London most recently red
Arsenal come into today's North London derby, having won four of their last five Premier League games against near-neighbours Tottenham (L1).
It's as many victories as the Gunners had managed in the previous 16 derbies (W4 D6 L6).
The recent run includes a Premier League double last season.
Mikel Arteta's men were 3-1 victors at the Emirates last October thanks to goals from Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus and Granit Xhaka.
Harry Kane had equalised from the penalty spot in the first half but a 62nd minute red card for Emerson Royal turned the game in the home side's favour.
And it was routine in the return as Arsenal strolled into an early 2-0 lead at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
And own-goal from Hugo Lloris and a strike from captain Martin Odegaard ensured the Gunners completed a first league double over their neighbours since 2013-14.
- By Sam Dymond
Gunners odds-on for bragging rights
Arsenal's ascendancy in the past 18 months cannot be ignored as they prepare for the North London derby, and for that reason the bookmakers have made the Gunners odds-on at 4/7 to claim three points and the local bragging rights; a Spurs away win is chalked up at 4/1.
- Arsenal win 4/7
- Draw 100/30
- Tottenham win 4/1
Odds from Paddy Power correct at the time of post publication.
It's the North London derby!
Good afternoon and welcome to the Emirates Stadium for our live coverage of the Premier League clash between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.
Yes, it's the first North London derby of this season, and for both clubs involved the stakes could not be higher.
For the Gunners, this is an opportunity to show their near neighbours that last season was not an outlier, and that this crop of Reds deserve their place among the Premier League elite.
And Mikel Arteta will be out to prove that his squad – his project – can deal with the domestic campaign alongside a run in the Champions League.
As for Spurs, this is their first real chance to show that there is hope after Harry, and what better way to demonstrate it than with a win at their fierce rivals.
Ange Postecoglou has won the hearts of football fans across the country; now he will want to highlight his credentials as a top class tactician and coach to match his attributes as a human.
It's a 2pm kick-off in the capital, and team news is on the way.
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