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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Alex Young

Arsenal: Mikel Arteta says there is no better feeling than beating Tottenham

Mikel Arteta says there is no better feeling than beating Tottenham as Arsenal prepare for another "special" north London derby.

Both hosts the Gunners and Spurs are unbeaten in the Premier League after five games, winning four and drawing one to boast identical records.

Arsenal completed the league double for Tottenham last season for the first time in almost a decade and Arteta knows how much a third straight win would mean to the fans.

"It's a special rivalry. It's a rivalry in the city and I really like the derby, there's something between the two communities and it's really intense," Arteta said.

Mikel Arteta and Bukayo Saka celebrate beating Tottenham last season (PA)

"It builds something even bigger with your supporters. I think it's a game always in fixtures where you look straight away to see when you play that game because it's special and there's something emotionally attached to it so it will be a big lift if we manage to win it.

"No (better feeling than beating Tottenham) because you know what the game means to people and having the possibility in your job to make someone happy is a huge fulfilment and a responsibility we feel.

"You walk down the street and there's a feeling (among fans) because of the history, the rivalry and that's the beautiful thing when it's taken in the right way during sport and we are so privileged to be involved in this sort of game.

"The atmosphere will be different. It will be more electric, there will be more energy in the ground and the pitch so we have to deal with that in the right way and take advantage of that."

Ange Postecoglou's new-look Spurs find themselves in second having scored 13 goals in five matches and Arteta highlighted their rivals' dominant form and expects them to pose a new challenge to his side.

"For sure they've had a really good start and they are in a good moment and we are too so it's a big game and we're going to have to battle the right way to win it," he added.

"They dominate the games, they win the games, they score a lot of goals and they're an attacking flowing team and they go for it so they'll bring a different approach to the game than what we've played in the league so far.

"They have a new challenge, a new opportunity, they have a new manager who is doing really well and he's managed to change the vibe around the club and with a different style too. So we need to be ourselves and produce the performance to beat them."

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