Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur Need to Prove Their Worth Against Arsenal

Last season, Arsenal overcame a troubled Tottenham Hotspur on both occasions in the league, winning 1-0 each time to condemn former managers Andre Villa-Boas and Tim Sherwood to a loss each on the most important match in the north London schedule.

It may well be early days, but Spurs will already be keen to make themselves stand up, stop the cycle of derby-day disappointments and avert their season from an inescapable rut before it's too late.

Down through the years, there have been so many memorable moments and goals between these two sides as the rivalry has continued to enthrall and excite both sets of fans. 

Spoils have been shared, points have been won and reputations have suffered embarrassment—we've seen it all, but with new casts constantly shuffling into focus with each new season, the intrigue remains constant and the appeal is sure never to fade.

So, just what can the Lilywhites do to stop the Gunners claiming only their second home win of the season so far?

It's definitely not going to be easy arresting Arsene Wenger's men at the Emirates, but if the first five matches have taught the casual spectator anything this term, it's that no-one, aside from perhaps the Diego Costa-led Chelsea, is immune to a shock capitulation.

Casting our minds back to the 2012/13 season reveals the last time Spurs won a league encounter against their bitter, local rivals when their March 3 encounter ended 2-1 at White Hart Lane, courtesy of goals from Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon before Per Mertesacker pulled one back. That season, Spurs finished fifth in the league table.

And the season prior to that saw then-manager Harry Redknapp guide his side to a devastating 5-2 defeat away from home; no doubt they'll be eager to avoid a repeat of such a confidence-sapping result this time around.

A win would catapult them ahead of Wenger's charges, but, perhaps ominously, the last time they claimed all three points at Arsenal was back in 2010 when they stunned the home faithful to fight back from behind to seal a final scoreline of 3-2. And a quick look at Phil McNulty's report for the BBC that day tells its own story.

And here's the kicker; that was their first away-day north London derby victory in 17 years. To repeat the feat this coming weekend would, frankly, be nothing short of an eye-opener.

But it would also be the best means possible to send out a war cry to the rest of the league.

And, as reported by The Irish Independent, that's precisely what Pochettino has been trying to achieve.

"

We are in a good way. When I arrived here, I knew the situation - I knew that maybe there would be some ups and downs at the start of a new period. It's always different when you arrive at a new club with different players and you need time to get to know each other. I'm not worrying about the situation. I believe at the moment we need to have more points to reflect the table. It's the beginning of the season, it's not how we start it's how we finish.

"

Mind you, their poor record on derby day is unlikely to deter fans of Pochettino's new regime from believing that they have the capabilities to cause a big upset. After all, Spurs have the cogs necessary to match Arsenal where it counts, and as this one is likely to come down to a tactical battle, it really is anyone's game.

Make no mistake, the transfer market was a relatively helpful period for the Emirates side as majority shareholder Stan Kroenke's money likely played a big part in bringing out-of-favour Danny Welbeck in from fierce rivals Manchester United, and they also managed to secure the signing of former Barcelona star Alexis Sanchez.

So, while they have severely strengthened their attacking options, problems overcoming their top-of-the-table competitors still remain.

Although Welbeck wasn't in contention for either draw against Everton or Manchester City, the England striker won't solve all their woes overnight in any case, and should he start on Saturday, Spurs' back line will be ready for the new angle he lends Wenger's attack.

They'll need to be incredibly prepared for the pace and fluidity of Arsenal's attack.

If their 3-0 collapse against Liverpool back on Matchday 3 taught them anything, it's that they can be quite susceptible to lightning-fast counter-attacks, epitomised best of all by the fantastic combination between Daniel Sturridge, Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling that unlocked a stationary and flat Spurs defence for the opening goal of the tie.

Pochettino will hope they can learn from recent cautionary tales, because while he won't be too worried about the club's overall record on derby day, he'll be eager to make some history all of his own; the Argentine will want to go one better than his predecessors from last season and make sure they actually earn some points against their biggest rivals. 

For both the players and manager, Saturday's evening showdown is the perfect opportunity to earn some stars.

Tottenham fans will just have to have faith in the meantime.