Few fixtures in world football ignite emotion quite like Arsenal vs. Tottenham -- a rivalry built on history, identity and the kind of intensity that produces epic Premier League moments.
As north London divides once again, both sides enter with everything to prove and play for. Not only are bragging rights on the line, but crucial points at the top of the table; Arsenal are looking to extend their advantage out in front while Tottenham can hand their rivals a first defeat in nine and cut the gap between the two sides to five points.
ESPN has broken down the key storylines to perfectly prepare you for what is more often than not a derby to remember.
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Eberechi Eze faces Spurs after summer snub
That Eberechi Eze will be lining up in red rather than white for this weekend's North London Derby is notable given how things looked to be progressing earlier this summer.
On Aug. 20 -- two days before Eze's move was confirmed to Arsenal -- the England international looked certain to be joining Tottenham. A fee of £60 million plus £7.5m in add-ons had been agreed, and all Tottenham seemingly needed to do was wait until Eze featured in Crystal Palace's Conference League clash the following day to get a marquee deal over the line.
Then Arsenal came calling.
Having been confident in their attacking options when a move for Eze was floated earlier in the summer -- Arsenal had already splashed out over £200m on new signings -- an injury to Kai Havertz shifted their thinking. Eze was now firmly in their sights, and all Arsenal needed to do was match Tottenham's offer, safe in the knowledge that Eze, a boyhood fan and former Arsenal academy player, was desperate to join the red side of north London.
The move was confirmed on Aug. 22, with an announcement video and welcome at the Emirates Stadium the following day blaring Lil Wayne's "Let It All Work Out."
And for both Eze and Arsenal, it really has so far.
Eze started off his Arsenal career mainly on the left wing -- with captain Martin Ødegaard locked into the right-sided playmaker role and Declan Rice operating Mikel Arteta's box-to-box spot on the left -- but persistent niggles for Ødegaard have allowed the former Palace star to strut his stuff in his favoured central areas more regularly than perhaps envisioned.
He came off the bench and grabbed a match-tying last-minute assist against Manchester City on Sept. 21 and since then has exclusively played centrally -- including at Newcastle, where both he Ødegaard started together -- and while the 27-year-old has not dictated moves as consistently as Ødegaard often does, he continues to find dangerous pockets on the edge of the box and has already had 25 shots in all competitions, with his two goals coming against his former club and Port Vale in the Carabao Cup.
Unsurprisingly, Eze has also quickly become a fan favourite -- due to his roots, performances, and of course, that Spurs snub. Six straight league starts, combined with ongoing doubts about Ødegaard, suggest Eze is set for a, somewhat awkward, encounter with Spurs from the off this weekend. Arteta may need him to deliver, too, given the injury worries at the back.
Can Eze alternative Xavi Simons be a derby icon?
Nothing would fuel the derby fire than a winner from either Eze or Xavi Simons.
Desperate to fill their own creative void -- particularly after James Maddison's ACL injury earlier in August -- Tottenham zeroed in on a one of Europe's brightest talents, Xavi Simons.
Reportedly beating Chelsea to his signature, Simons arrived for a fee of £53m and his pedigree following eye-catching seasons with PSV, RB Leipzig and the Netherlands brought genuine excitement when he was unveiled before the home game against Bournemouth on Aug. 30.
But Simons has yet to convert flashes into consistent performances and goal contributions for Tottenham.
The 23-year-old has registered only two assists in 14 games for his new club and is still searching for his first goal. He has also being subbed off in all off his starts apart from the Carabao Cup defeat at Newcastle.
From similar areas on the pitch -- the left wing and attacking midfield -- Simons has so far been more involved in build-up play than Eze so far; 18 key passes seven, seven completed crosses to two and 81 progressive carries to 49, per ESPN Global Research.
Eze, though, has been more efficient. He has taken 25 shots (eight on target) to Simons' eight (one on target), double the amount of goals and assists (four), and has a 52% take-on success rate compared to the Dutchman's 34%.
Encouragement for Spurs fans ahead of potentially a pivotal role for Simons this weekend comes in the fact his form appears to be picking up.
He was man of the match in the 4-0 Champions League win over Copenhagen and Frank's decision to sub him against Manchester United was met by boos by the home fans. Simons then took that upturn into the international break, scoring in the Netherlands' 4-0 home win over Lithuania to help book their place at next summer's World Cup.
With both Simons and Eze set to be under the microscope on Sunday, this would be an ideal moment for the Spurs midfielder to break his duck -- and show he wasn't simply the consolation prize.
Will injuries affect Arsenal defence?
Arsenal boast a league-best defensive record this year with just five goals conceded -- Sunderland, Newcastle, Liverpool and Man City are the only teams to have found a way past David Raya this year -- but injuries at the back have left them vulnerable somewhat this weekend.
Star defender Gabriel got injured on international duty with Brazil and will potentially be absent until the New Year, while regular Riccardo Calafiori is a doubt. That means two of Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie and Myles Lewis-Skelly could feature on Sunday.
Arsenal are quite simply a different defensive unit without Gabriel partnering William Saliba. In the 12 Premier League games they didn't start together last season, Arsenal won just four. With them for the other 26, Arsenal boasted a 61.5% winning percentage.
And he won't just be missed in his own box...
Who will be more effective in 'set-piece derby'?
Such is Arsenal and Tottenham's strength from dead balls that this weekend has been coined by some as a 'set-piece derby' -- and they could well be decisive again at the Emirates.
Arsenal's set-piece dominance is well established and well known; they lead most metrics, including overall goals (10) and goals from corners (eight). But Tottenham aren't too far behind, with their six goals from set pieces (third in the Premier League) all from corners, second only to their rivals.
Micky van de Ven may well be the biggest aerial threat on the field with Gabriel Magalhães absent.
Adding more spice to this one, both teams adopt similar set-piece principles. Tottenham's Andreas Georgson having replaced Nicolas Jover at Brentford before his eventual switch to Manchester City and then Arsenal.
Spurs bring away confidence to the Emirates
While the Emirates will be roaring, Tottenham may actually prefer to be on the road. That's because their home league form has been abysmal, with just one win in six -- against Burnley -- and defeats to Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Chelsea. 19th in a home-only league table, they also needed a last-gasp equaliser to avoid defeat to winless bottom-club Wolves at White Hart Lane.
But away from the Lane? Tottenham have a league-best 13 points, winning four of five -- including an impressive victory at Man City -- and harbouring a +9 goal difference.
Arsenal are no mugs at home, with City the only team to pick up any points from the Emirates this season. But Thomas Frank's well-organised Tottenham on the road won't be overawed. Something has to give.
Can Thomas Frank stop Mikel Arteta's streak?
Frank becomes the fifth Spurs manager to take on Arteta at Arsenal in a North London Derby, and will be aiming to fare better than many of his predecessors.
Jose Mourinho lost just once in three derbies, but since then Arteta has held a 100% win record over Nuno Espirito Santo (one game), 66.6% record over Antonio Conte (three games) and a 75% record over Ange Postecoglou (four games). The Spanish coach is also unbeaten in seven, failing to lose a derby since Tottenham's 3-0 win under Conte at WHL in May 2022.
A big ask for Frank, then, and the Dane has only managed to beat Arteta once in his managerial career, albeit with his nine games against him having come with Brentford.
Brentford beat Arsenal on a memorable opening night of the season in 2021, though Arteta got the better of Frank in six of the following eight clashes, the only two missteps being, interestingly, at the Emirates where Brentford earned a point in 2023 and 2025.
Will Tottenham take that on Sunday, or is a first North London Derby defeat in over three years on its way for Arsenal?
Information from James Olley was used in this report.