After the international break, Premier League football will return with a bang when Arsenal make the short trip to lock horns with their rivals.
Tottenham were beaten at Newcastle last time out, whilst Arsenal dropped points at home to Brighton, so both will want to put things right.
Arsenal will be without Declan Rice after his controversial sending-off, whilst Tottenham fans will be hoping key centre-back Micky van de Ven returns after he missed the trip to St James’ Park.
When Gary Neville was playing Arsenal v Manchester United was probably the biggest game in English football, alongside Manchester United v Liverpool.
Yes, the north London derby had entertainment, but it was pretty one-sided because Arsene Wenger’s side would wipe the floor with their neighbours time and time again.
But post-2010, and certainly after Mauricio Pochettino was appointed, Spurs became a regular Champions League team and they could challenge their neighbours a lot more.
Added to that, Tottenham’s all-time leading goalscorer Harry Kane gave them an edge and it just added extra spice and bite to the rivalry.
Neville admitted that when he was playing, he saw the rivalry as ‘flaky’, but since working for Sky Sports, going back to 2011, he has completely changed his mind.
The former right-back admitted that he now looks forward to the game and it’s probably his favourite to cover from a broadcasting standpoint, as he told Sky Sports.
Arsenal and Tottenham north London derby
“A great game to look forward to in a couple of weeks,” said Neville and Carragher then stated ‘that’s your favourite fixture, isn’t it?”
Neville responded: “He takes the mickey out of me. The north London derby, I said this, I thought the NLD was flaky. 10 or 15 years ago. Arsenal and Manchester United was a bigger game.
“But actually, to be fair, it’s one of my favourite games I have done at Sky. If not my favourite. It has been a brilliant game every time I have done it.”
Dominic Solanke and Raheem Sterling
Solanke could return from injury after the international break and he will be looking to score his first goal for the club – and it could come in the north London derby.
What a time to do it and it will give him the lift he needs.
The same for Raheem Sterling after his loan deal to Arsenal from Chelsea. Another player who has a lot to prove and what a stage to make his debut
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