Former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has taken aim at Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the North London Derby.
Arsenal will face off against their North London neighbours Tottenham Hotspur in a Premier League clash on Sunday.
The Gunners will have big ambitions for this season. Having finished as runners up behind Manchester City in each of the last two campaigns, Mikel Arteta will be desperate to beat them to the Premier League title this time around.
However, Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions have made an ominously strong start to the new season. Such is the standard being set at the top of the table now, Arsenal can scarcely afford to slip up at all.
Whilst it is still very early in the campaign, Tottenham will be eager to dent the Gunners’ title hopes. They will also feel booted by the injury crisis that Arteta is currently contending with.
Arsenal will be without several key players against Spurs. Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, and Mikel Merino are all out of action, and there are concerns surrounding other players too.
Cesc Fabregas gives verdict on the meaning of Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal
Despite these factors, former Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas believes that it is imperative that the Gunners win on Sunday.
He has even claimed that a victory would mean more to Arsenal than it would Spurs.
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Speaking on the Planet Premier League podcast, the Spaniard said: “It’s still early, but I think it’s a bigger game for Arsenal. Arsenal need to go toe-to-toe with Manchester City to win the league this year, it’s their third year straight trying to win it properly.”
Fabregas couldn’t resist firing a jibe at Tottenham, highlighting the fact that they aren’t expected to compete for major honours, as he added: “With all due respect, and I am being serious, if Tottenham loses, or they finish fifth or sixth… It won’t be seen as such a failure as if Arsenal doesn’t manage to win the league this year, finally, because they are so close.
“For Arsenal, it’s a much bigger game.”
What losing the North London Derby would mean for Arsenal
The destiny of the Premier League title will not be decided on Sunday.
However, a defeat would certainly strike a hefty blow against Arsenal’s confidence, and considering that they are up against Manchester City in their following Premier League fixture it could be just part one of a painful double strike.
However, if the Gunners can come out of this North London Derby with a positive result, despite the hurdles they shall have to overcome, then that would give Arteta’s squad an enormous confidence boost.