Arsenal vs. Tottenham: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview
The North London derby will see its latest entry in a long history on Saturday, as Tottenham will take on Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Matchday 6 of the 2014-15 Premier League season.
Both clubs have had up-and-down starts to the new campaign but are expected to be in the thick of the hunt for the European tickets, and an emotional win over a fierce rival is the perfect way to start a run of results.
Saturday's clash could vault the Gunners into the title conversation, while a Spurs win would see them pass their bitter rivals in the standings. The stakes will be high, setting the stage for an epic derby.
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Date: Saturday, September 27
Time: 5.30 p.m. BST/12.30 p.m. ET
Venue: Emirates Stadium, London
TV info and live stream: The match will be broadcast on Sky Sports 1 (for UK viewers) and NBCSN (for US viewers), with mobile coverage available via the Sky Go app and NBC Sports' Live Extra.
Preview
The hosts were thoroughly outplayed by Southampton in their Capital One Cup clash on Tuesday, the latest setback in a season that has brought as much frustration as moments of glory.
All appeared well after the Gunners' 3-0 win over Aston Villa, but Saints once again capitalised on the squad's biggest weaknesses—a lack of defensive depth and inconsistent play in the centre of the park.
Arsene Wenger believes the first of those issues could soon be resolved with the return of Kieran Gibbs and Per Mertesacker, per the Independent's Simon Peach:
"They will be all right. We are a bit short, yes, because of the injuries we have.
You sit there and think: Gibbs had a little hamstring problem and we could not play him, Mertesacker is a bit on the edge, and then we have no choice.
"
Arsenal reverted back to the 4-1-4-1 against Southampton after seeing much success against Villa in a 4-2-3-1 that moved Mesut Ozil back in his natural role in the centre of the pitch.
Against Tottenham, Wenger might (and should) opt for the latter, taking advantage of Aaron Ramsey's athleticism and cover while masking frailties at the holding midfielder position by putting two bodies in that area.
Spurs found more success in midweek, beating Nottingham Forest 3-1, but Jan Vertonghen remained very respectful of Saturday's opponents, via the Daily Mail's Simon Peach:
"It is a very good team, have got a lot of good players and I think they improved every year since I came here.
They have got a very good team at the moment with the pace they have got up front with Welbeck, who I think is a very good signing, and Alexis as well.
They have got a lot of creativity and movement and they are just one of the best teams in the league and very difficult to beat, especially at their ground.
"
Tottenham are winless in their last three Premier League fixtures, and a loss against Arsenal would be disastrous as Mauricio Pochettino's squads attempts to keep pace with their direct rivals.
In that three-match spell, Spurs have conceded six goals and only scored twice. Arsenal's defence may be struggling with injuries, but offensively, the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck have the sheer athleticism to take advantage of the space the visitors' defence gives to opposing players.
Yet for all of the ramifications on the title race and the standings, Saturday's clash is about a rivalry spanning decades, and as a result, it's very hard to predict how both teams will behave on the pitch. Former Spurs player Chris Perry told the Premier League's official website what the derby meant for him:
"From a Spurs point of view, you know there is so much on it. On the coach on the way to the game the Tottenham fans will be lining the streets and cheering you on, and you'll feel it. It's unlike any other game that the Spurs team will play in this season.
This is a massive game for the Spurs fans and, particularly at the Emirates, they give you all the support that you want. You feel good, you feel like you can go forward and perform in these games.
"
Both clubs are in need of a result to overcome recent setbacks, only adding to the emotion the derby will surely bring. Don't expect either team to pull any punches, and with both clubs struggling on the defensive end, Saturday's clash could bring us plenty of wide-open attacking play and lots of goals.
