At the end of the day, a combination of anything Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur risks being little more than a heretical half-and-half scarf... but with the North London Derby storming into view, getting the edge in a combined XI brings early bragging rights.
That five Arsenal players and six Spurs players comprise the Arsenal vs Spurs combined XI picked by football.London fans is reflective of the competitive balance between the two squads. For Gunners fans, the blatant lack of Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli in the front three marks another episode in the undeserved snubs plaguing Mikel Arteta’s Brazilians.
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To be fair, shoving Harry Kane out from the No. 9 position in any XI feels nearly impossible in the current climate, but Heung-min Son’s recent lapse in form warrants some questioning of his selection... albeit his spectacular hat-trick against Leicester City before the international break bodes well for busted-floodgate-enthusiasts.
Bukayo Saka ensures that a Spurs-dominated front three is a pipe dream. Fittingly, Saka is supported by Martin Odegaard, who looks set to play after promising showings for Norway in the Nations League. The rest of the midfield is laid claim by Spurs’ Dejan Kulusevski and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, though our widget above got a bit confused with the positioning! Granit Xhaka is arguably unfortunate to miss out given his recent spike in form, particularly with Oleksandr Zinchenko claiming the left-back berth.
The Ukrainian has unlocked a new level to Xhaka’s game, which in turn has led to an added dimension in Arsenal’s attack. Nevertheless, the Saliba chant is alive and well in the starting XI, with Cristian Romero forming the centre-back partnership and Ben White claiming the right-back berth. Between the sticks, Aaron Ramsdale is forced to move aside for Hugo Lloris.
Do you agree with that combined XI? Who gets into yours? Leave a comment to have your say!
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