When Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur face each other in the Premier League or any competition for that matter, it’s a huge deal.
The North London derby is one of the biggest games in English and world football, attracting television viewers from all across the world.
London’s Biggest Rivalry
It has predominantly gone in Arsenal’s favour over the years, but Spurs have improved in recent times, which includes finishing above their local rivals in the table for what had been very rare in the Premier League.
Neither side are having a very good 2020-21 Premier League campaign by their standards with both Arsenal and Tottenham out of the top-four running, while earlier this season saw Jose Mourinho relieved of his managerial duties too.
Arsenal’s hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League are still alive though as they are in the semi-finals of the Europa League where they will face Villarreal and former manager Unai Emery.
Arsenal fans hoping for some good news through the Europa League were disappointed by their defeat to Villareal in the semifinals, leaving them trophyless and without European football for next season.
The North London derby
Arsenal lead the overall series with 67 wins to 54 (47 draws) in league meetings, whilst the Gunners have also beaten their rivals in both the FA Cup and League Cup on more occasions than they have lost.
The red half of London had dominated at home this millennium prior to the past seven years, winning just three home games, drawing four. One of those victories came last month. Prior to that they had won 12 of the previous 15 at Highbury and the Emirates Stadium combined.
Tottenham have won both home Premier League games versus Arsenal at their new stadium, whilst they also took four points from their two meetings at Wembley Stadium. Arsenal have won just one of their last 13 away games with their rivals, which came in 2014.
The trophy cabinet is completely one-sided though, with only Manchester United (20) and Liverpool (19) winning the English top flight more times than Arsenal’s 13 successes. Tottenham have been champions of England just twice, with 1961 being the most recent.
Spurs have won the FA Cup on eight occasions, although not since 1991. This is still inferior to their rivals’ record 14 however. Nine of those since the last time Tottenham won the longest-running football competition.