Arsenal vs. Tottenham: League Cup Odds, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
Arsenal host bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday as they battle for a place in the semi-finals.
The pair will meet at the Emirates Stadium, having contested a north London derby at the same venue in the Premier League on December 2.
The Gunners won 4-2 on that occasion, and Tottenham will be hoping to avenge that defeat.
Date: Wednesday, December 19
Time: 7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET
TV: Sky Sports (UK)
Odds: Arsenal (8-5), Spurs (30-17)
Odds courtesy of Oddschecker.
Arsenal come into the contest on the back of a 3-2 defeat to Southampton on Sunday.
The loss brought an end to what had been an impressive run of results for the Gunners:
However, while Arsenal had not lost since defeats to Manchester City and Chelsea in the first two matches of the season, the defeat had been coming for some time.
If not for the Carabao Cup and the UEFA Europa League, the Gunners would not have led a match at half-time at any point this season.
Their reliance on strong second-half showings is what made the difference when they played Spurs earlier in December, when they battled back from 2-1 down at the break to win.
Football writer James McNicholas wasn't surprised at Arsenal's failure to pick up a result against Saints after a poor first-half performance had them trailing by the same scoreline:
On Wednesday, they will need start well to maximise their chances of progressing.
To do so, they may look to exploit the inexperience of Spurs midfielder Oliver Skipp, if he plays.
The 18-year-old made his first senior start for the Lilywhites when they beat Burnley 1-0 on Saturday, and Football.London's Alasdair Gold anticipates he will get plenty of game time in the coming weeks:
The youngster impressed with his 75-minute showing against the Clarets:
Starting a match away from home against Spurs' biggest rivals will be a different prospect altogether, though, and the Gunners could capitalise on any uncertainty he displays in midfield.
If Arsenal start slowly—as has often been the case this season—Spurs must take advantage, or they will likely be left to rue their failure to do so.
