Arsenal vs. Tottenham: Key Takeaways from Arsene Wenger's Pregame Presser

Arsene Wenger has declared Per Mertesacker fit ahead of Saturday's north London derby clash with Tottenham, easing prominent defensive fears for Arsenal.

Mertesacker is ready to line up alongside Laurent Koscielny, a partnership that will be key to dealing with Mauricio Pochettino's visitors. The good news came via Arsenal's official Twitter account:

Mathieu Flamini and Kieran Gibbs are also available, per James Olley of the London Evening Standard:

Build-up to the match has been dominated by reports surrounding Stan Kroenke, majority shareholder at the Emirates, taking £3 million out of the club, per Amy Lawrence of The Guardian. Kroenke has never removed funds from his American sports franchises, bringing his motives under the spotlight.

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"Coincidentally, the £3 million figure tallies with the amount the club raised from a three percent rise on season-ticket prices for this season," writes Lawrence.

Wenger played down the situation and suggested Kroenke's business is nothing to do with him, reported by Olley:

The Arsenal boss was keen to focus on his players instead. Wenger took time to publicly address the importance of Danny Welbeck and Mesut Ozil, two individuals who have received criticism for a run of wasteful performances.

Both linked excellently during the victory over Aston Villa, with Ozil slotting home a fine goal from Welbeck's brilliant through ball. Wenger suggests the pair's ability to find each other could be key for Arsenal, per the club's social feed:

Welbeck's hold-up play is likely to be extremely important during the upcoming clash. Spurs' defence, led by Jan Vertonghen, offers decent pace but is prone to being pulled out of position.

Welbeck may play with his back to goal much of the time, but his willingness to look up and spray possession wide brings his team-mates forward with real purpose.

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It's this slight alteration in tactics—which sees Arsenal take care of the ball rather than quickly moving it through Olivier Giroud—that can galvanise Ozil's importance. The German would rocket himself back into the hearts of Arsenal fans if he scored against their local rivals, even if Wenger is expecting Spurs to do their homework, per the Gunners' Twitter account:

Prior to Wenger's presser, Pochettino revealed he has "full respect" for the Frenchman, who has been in charge at Arsenal since 1996.

"Tottenham for me is a big job," said the Argentinian, per Sky Sports. "It's a dream to be here and would be to have the time Arsene has had at Arsenal. For this I need to show my skill, work hard and get the results."

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Wenger acknowledged the importance of longevity, per the club's feed:

Arsenal are two points clear of Spurs heading into the match. Although the Gunners remain unbeaten in the Premier League, Wenger's side have won just two of their five fixtures so far.

Defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League and Southampton in the Capital One Cup also indicates the squad are yet to hit their stride.

Spurs have suffered similar blows in the Premier League. The recent 1-0 loss to West Brom replicated the disappointing home defeats of managers gone by, placing a hint of pressure on Pochettino.

Victory in the derby would see Spurs leap two points ahead of their city rivals and would more than make up for the two defeats suffered so far.

We can expect a fiery, fast-paced and ultimately entertaining fixture when the ball gets rolling. Spurs travel more in hope than expectation, ensuring Arsenal remain heavy favourites.