Arsenal can secure its third straight victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium come Sunday, but only if the Gunners find a way to defeat their bitter rivals without Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard.
Mikel Arteta must get his club's 2024–25 Premier League campaign back on track against Tottenham if Arsenal wants to keep up with Manchester City and Liverpool. Before the international break, Arsenal only managed a 1–1 draw with Brighton after a controversial second yellow card sent Rice packing in the 49th minute.
With a huge match coming against City next weekend, Arsenal cannot risk dropping more points so early in the season. The good news for the Gunners is that they have found the winning formula against Spurs under Arteta, collecting three points in five of the last eight north London derbies.
Arsenal’s keys to success, though, will look a little different this year, especially in the midfield.
Survive Without Rice and Ødegaard
Originally, Arteta only needed to replace Rice in the midfield ahead of the season's first north London derby. All signs pointed to Jorginho getting the nod in his absence and playing alongside Thomas Partey in a double pivot. Partey also could have simply moved into Rice's role while Jorginho sat back. Now, the manager must compensate for the injured Ødegaard as well.
If Arteta sticks with Jorginho, he could drop Leandro Trossard or Kai Havertz into the midfield, or even throw new signing Raheem Sterling into the mix. The manager's tactical options, though, are all less than ideal when going against Spurs.
No matter what XI or formation Arteta rolls out, Arsenal will severely miss its two midfielders. The team will have to find inventive ways to get a makeshift midfield to kickstart its normally free-flowing attack.
Let Bukayo Saka Shine
Arsenal tends to go the way Bukayo Saka goes. The 23-year-old has contributed to four of the Gunners’ five goals this season and is virtually unstoppable when he gets on the ball in 1-v-1 scenarios.
The England international should find great success against Destiny Udogie, who has failed to impress in Tottenham’s early fixtures this season. Saka’s pace, dribbling ability and creativity make him a nightmare to defend against, especially if you are the 21-year-old left-back set to mark him in a north London derby.
All Saka needs is one moment to get past his man and the scoring opportunities for Arsenal always follow.
Remain Solid at the Back
Arsenal has the best center-back pairing in the Premier League in William Saliba and Gabriel. Arteta’s men have only conceded one goal in their opening three fixtures, the one goal coming with just 10 players on the pitch. Even when the Gunners have looked vulnerable on the counter-attack, Saliba or Gabriel are there to intervene, and on the rare occasions they are beaten, David Raya has stood tall.
Much of Arsenal’s defensive efforts will center around Heung-min Son. Ben White will be tasked with locking down Spurs’ captain in a battle that could decide the game; if Arsenal stifle Son, then it is hard to envision Postecoglou’s men finding much success in the final third, especially if Dominic Solanke is only coming off the bench.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal's Keys to Success in the North London Derby.
