Express

Tottenham will be desperate to secure a morale-boosting victory in the first north London derby of the new Premier League campaign. They have not beaten Arsenal in almost two years but will fancy their chances of securing all three points on Sunday afternoon.

Ange Postecoglou's side have only taken four points from their opening three matches and were beaten by Newcastle before the international break. However, there is plenty of optimism ahead of Sunday's clash with Arsenal missing Declan Rice, while Martin Odegaard is a huge doubt.

Express Sport takes a look at how Tottenham could line up...

Tottenham predicted XI vs Arsenal (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper - Vicario

Guglielmo Vicario will retain his place between the sticks as Tottenham's first-choice goalkeeper. He has performed well in spite of their patchy form, only conceding three goals in as many Premier League games.

He will have his toughest test of the campaign when he is tasked with keeping out the likes of Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz on Sunday.

Defence - Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie

Tottenham will be boosted by the return of Micky van de Ven in central defence following his injury in the win over Everton. He missed the defeat to Newcastle but Postecoglou confirmed on Friday that he would be ready to play against Arsenal.

"Micky's good, he's trained all the way through the international break and it was good for him to stay with us to build him back up so he's ready to go," said the Aussie.

The rest of Tottenham's back four is likely to be unchanged with Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie all set to feature.

Midfield - Sarr, Bentancur, Maddison

Tottenham's midfield trio of Pape Matar Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and James Maddison is likely to remain untouched for the visit of Arsenal. Yves Bissouma could be forced to miss the match after picking up a groin injury while on international duty with Mali.

Discussing his fitness levels, Postecoglou said: "Everyone's reporting all well except for Biss. He's got a bit of an issue, but we'll have a look at him over the next couple of days and see how it settles.

"It’s not serious, but he’s getting treatment today. We’ll see how it goes. It’s a tweak in his groin. The initial reports is it’s not serious which means there is a chance for Sunday, but if he doesn’t make Sunday then I’ll assume he’ll be right for after that."

Attack - Son, Johnson, Solanke

Dominic Solanke could also feature in Tottenham's starting line-up after recovering from an ankle problem. He returned to training earlier this week and is likely to be thrown straight in, given the difference he will make to Tottenham's hopes of victory.

The former Bournemouth man will almost certainly be supported by Brennan Johnson and Son Heung-min in the wide positions. Richarlison will not be involved after picking up an injury in training, which could keep him out of action for a number of weeks.

Tottenham predicted XI vs Arsenal (4-3-3) - Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Bentancur, Maddison; Son, Johnson, Solanke.

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal will be looking to shake off their disappointing draw against Brighton last time out when they return to action against Tottenham Hotspur.

The Gunners are aiming to make it three wins on the bounce at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but Arteta’s preparations were rocked when Martin Odegaard picked up an injury on international duty during the week.

It’s left Arteta scratching his head looking for a solution in midfield, given Declan Rice and Mikel Merino are also set to miss the clash.

Ahead of Sunday’s encounter, Express Sport have predicted how Arsenal could set up against Spurs.

Arsenal predicted XI vs Tottenham Hotspur (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Raya

The only constant in Arsenal’s team at the moment, David Raya will start between the sticks for the visitors.

Although having shipped two goals away to Spurs last season, the Spaniard will be hoping for a more convincing afternoon this weekend.

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Defence: White, Gabriel, Saliba, Timber

Despite the injury crisis in front of the defence, Arteta should still be able to select a first-choice backline.

William Saliba returned injury-free from international duty, while regular partner Gabriel is also fit and firing to go.

Getting hurt playing for his country isn’t something Ben White has to worry about at the moment, with the Englishman set to start in his usual spot on the right-hand side of defence.

Leaving left-back the only spot left to fill - a position Jurrien Timber is expected to occupy at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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Midfield: Jorginho, Partey, Havertz

Speculation on social media has been rife this week about the possible routes Arteta might go down to fix Arsenal’s midfield problem, with talk teenager Ethan Nwaneri could be handed his first-ever Premier League start.

But given the magnitude of the contest, we’re predicting Arteta sticks with his (albeit limited) tried and tested options, starting with a double pivot of Jorginho and Thomas Partey.

Partey has started all three Premier League games this season so could be considered a shoo-in already, while Champions League and European Championship winner Jorginho has the experience to handle the biggest of stages.

As for the final spot in Arteta’s midfield three, we’re predicting that goes to Kai Havertz.

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Attack: Saka, Trossard, Sterling

The only certainty in attack for Arsenal, should he stay fit, is Bukayo Saka, with the winger having scored in both home and away fixtures last season.

Operating down the middle, given Havertz is in the No.10 role, could end up being Leonardo Trossard, who deputised in that position at times last season.

Finally then, what better way for Raheem Sterling to mark his Arsenal arrival than having a say in the north London derby.

When quizzed on his potential involvement, Arteta said: “First of all, because he’s got a big smile on his face, a lot of energy, he’s at it and wants to prove a point. When someone’s got that in his belly, you sense it straight away.

"Obviously I don’t need to discover anything about his quality and what he can bring to the team."

He’s our pick to start off the left, meaning Gabriel Martinelli remains on the bench.

Arsenal predicted XI vs Spurs: Raya; White, Gabriel, Saliba, Timber; Partey, Jorginho, Havertz; Saka, Trossard, Sterling

"I felt that had I stayed, there wouldn’t be a lot of opportunities for me. Luis Campos [Lille's then sporting director] and Lille spoke about their project and I believed in it even more, that’s what convinced me to move - the faith Lille had in me.

"Do I imagine myself coming back one day? Obviously, it’s home. I would love to come back. But you never know in football. I just have to keep my feet on the ground, and keep playing, making the most of it. I can’t predict what will happen in the future."

Etienne Capoue has turned his back on football to take up a new sport, nine years after Watford paid a club-record fee to sign him from Tottenham. The 36-year-old was released by Villarreal at the end of last season and did not manage to find a new club over the summer.

Capoue was linked with a return to Watford earlier this year but has since traded goal nets for basketball nets in an unexpected turn of events. According to Relevo, he is currently training with Spanish third-division basketball team CB Jovens L’Eliana, who are based near Valencia.

The former France international recently took part in a friendly match, with his new side claiming a 78-70 victory against CB Morvedre. However, the report states that he is ineligible to take part in any official games because he does not yet have a licence.

It remains to be seen if Capoue will continue to pursue a career in basketball or if he will return to football at some point down the line. If he manages to earn a professional contract with Jovens L’Eliana, it will fulfil a childhood dream of his.

Capoue discussed his love of basketball last year and hinted that a potential career change was on the cards, saying: "My dream as a child was to play NBA basketball. Clearly, that was my dream. But it’s still my dream, eh? I don’t know."

The midfielder began his football career as a youth prospect at French side Angers before securing a move to Toulouse shortly before his 18th birthday. After breaking into their senior squad and impressing with his displays in midfield, he joined Tottenham in the summer of 2013.

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Capoue spent two years in north London but struggled to make the grade and was eventually sold to Premier League rivals Watford. They paid a club-record fee of around £6.3million for his signature, with Capoue going on to make 181 appearances for the Hornets in all competitions.

He joined Villarreal in 2021 before helping them to win their first and only major trophy in their 101-year existence, starting in their Europa League final victory over Manchester United. He played 148 times for the Spanish club before he was released at the end of last season.

Capoue also won seven international caps for France but has not played for his country since 2013 after falling out of favour under Didier Deschamps.

An injury-ridden Arsenal’s first real test of their title credentials will likely come away to Tottenham Hotspur this weekend, with the Gunners being tipped to struggle against their north London rivals.

Martin Odegaard is the latest Arsenal absentee, with the Norwegian joining fellow midfielders Declan Rice (suspended) and Mikel Merino (injured) on the missing list.

And ahead of the first derby clash of the season, Mikel Arteta has been told he could be in for a long afternoon against Spurs on Sunday.

Ex-Spurs boss tips former club to edge five-goal thriller

Ex-Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood is expecting goals and plenty of them when the two capital clubs face off.

During a chat with OLBG, Sherwood said: “Heading into the North London Derby, I’d have to lean towards Tottenham…

“I think it would be tight because they're two quality teams and Arsenal have done brilliantly in recent years. Mikel has done an unbelievable job with them.

“But just with the injuries and the home advantage for Tottenham, I'm just going to say that it will be a thriller that ends 3-2 to Tottenham.”

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Arsenal now underdogs ahead of north London derby

Former player turned pundit Mark Lawrenson even went as far as saying Arsenal, because of their injury predicament, are now the ‘underdogs’ heading into the north London derby.

Rice and Odegaard started all but three Premier League matches together last season, winning two and losing one.

Speaking to PaddyPower, the ex-Liverpool man claimed: “Arsenal missing Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard makes them underdogs going into the North London Derby.

“They’re both top players and out of all the players in that team, they’re two of the top three.”

Neville and Carragher expecting a Tottenham result

Meanwhile, Sky Sports duo Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have both admitted that Tottenham should fancy their chances too.

Neville told the Stick to Football podcast: “I just think that Arsenal could have a couple of players, well, they got a couple of players out, big players, Declan Rice and Odegaard probably, so I think that will harm them. They are massive players for Arsenal.”

Before Carragher added: “I think Tottenham will dominate the game, but Arsenal’s defence will make sure they get something from the game.”

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Redknapp still fancies Arsenal to have a major say

But it isn’t all doom and gloom for Arteta, with Harry Redknapp, once of Tottenham, still backing the Premier League hopefuls to come away with at least a point.

On the upcoming contest, the Englishman said to BetVictory: “I can’t wait for this one, year on year, this game delivers some classics. I had some memorable games against Arsenal in my time as Tottenham boss, I loved this derby…

“I can see goals and a lot of drama. If Odegaard is out, which it looks like he will be, it’s hard for me to predict an Arsenal win. 2-2.”

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Tottenham vs Arsenal predictions as five pundits rule Mikel Arteta set for misery

An injury-ridden Arsenal’s first real test of their title credentials will likely come away to Tottenham Hotspur this weekend, with the Gunners being tipped to struggle against their north London rivals.

Martin Odegaard is the latest Arsenal absentee, with the Norwegian joining fellow midfielders Declan Rice (suspended) and Mikel Merino (injured) on the missing list.

And ahead of the first derby clash of the season, Arteta has been told he could be in for a long afternoon against Spurs on Sunday.

Ex-Spurs boss tips former club to edge five-goal thriller

Ex-Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood is expecting goals and plenty of them when the two capital clubs face off.

During a chat with OLBG, Sherwood said: “Heading into the North London Derby, I’d have to lean towards Tottenham…

“I think it would be tight because they're two quality teams and Arsenal have done brilliantly in recent years. Mikel has done an unbelievable job with them.

“But just with the injuries and the home advantage for Tottenham, I'm just going to say that it will be a thriller that ends 3-2 to Tottenham.”

Arsenal now underdogs ahead of north London derby

Former player turned pundit Mark Lawrenson even went as far as saying Arsenal, because of their injury predicament, are now the ‘underdogs’ heading into the north London derby.

Rice and Odegaard started all but three Premier League matches together last season, winning two and losing one.

Speaking to Paddypower, the ex-Liverpool man claimed: “Arsenal missing Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard makes them underdogs going into the North London Derby.

“They’re both top players and out of all the players in that team, they’re two of the top three.”

Neville and Carragher expecting a Tottenham result

Whereas Sky Sports duo Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have both admitted Tottenham should fancy their chances too.

Neville told the Stick to Football podcast: “I just think that Arsenal could have a couple of players, well, they got a couple of players out, big players, Declan Rice and Odegaard probably, so I think that will harm them. They are massive players for Arsenal.”

Before Carragher added: “I think Tottenham will dominate the game, but Arsenal’s defence will make sure they get something from the game.”

Redknapp still fancies Arsenal to have a major say

But it isn’t all doom and gloom for Arteta, with Harry Redknapp, once of Tottenham, still backing the Premier League hopefuls to come away with at least a point.

On the upcoming contest, the Englishman said to BetVictory: “I can’t wait for this one, year on year, this game delivers some classics. I had some memorable games against Arsenal in my time as Tottenham boss, I loved this derby…

“I can see goals and a lot of drama. If Odegaard is out, which it looks like he will be, it’s hard for me to predict an Arsenal win. 2-2.”

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has revealed that his side have received a major injury boost ahead of the north London derby.

After their absences ahead of the international break, it was unclear whether Dominic Solanke and Micky van de Ven would be passed as fit to face the Arsenal, who have injury concerns of their own.

However, Postecoglou appears to be optimistic about both players featuring at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Asked about the fitness of the duo on Friday, Postecoglou revealed: “It’s fairly positive. Micky's good, he's trained all the way through the international break and it was good for him to stay with us to build him back up so he's ready to go.

"Dom's improved as well and trained the back half of this week. We still have two days to go with those guys so hopefully they get through training ok and are available."

The international break provided both Solanke and Van de Ven with the opportunity to overcome their respective problems, but not all players returned from representing their nations fully fit.

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Yves Bissouma sustained an injury whilst competing for Mali, and Spurs are continuing to monitor the problem ahead of Sunday’s clash. Postecoglou said: “We had the last of the boys in late [on Thursday].

“We'll have a look at them today and everyone's reporting all well except for Biss. He's got a bit of an issue, but we'll have a look at him over the next couple of days and see how it settles.”

Postecoglou will be hoping that Bissouma returns in time to feature given that Tottenham will be hoping to capitalise on Arsenal’s issues in midfield to dominate the contest.

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The Gunners will be without the suspended Declan Rice as well as Martin Odegaard, who sustained an ankle injury whilst playing for Norway. Mikel Merino is recovering from a shoulder injury.

Tottenham could be short of striker options if Solanke is not passed fit for Sunday’s match, with Richarlison and Will Lankshear both still ruled out.

Postecoglou concluded: “Richy's still got a bit of work to do, alongside Will Lankshear who is still in rehab.” If Solanke is unavailable then Spurs may opt to play Son Heung-min as a makeshift No. 9, with Dejan Kulusevski and Timo Werner both options out wide.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta could spring a surprise change for Sunday’s north London derby clash away to Tottenham Hotspur, one BBC host has claimed.

Arteta’s midfield is down to the bare bones heading into this weekend’s fixture, with Martin Odegaard ruled out after picking up an injury on international duty with Norway.

The Norway team doctor did issue a positive update for the Gunners faithful, claiming the midfielder hadn’t fractured his ankle, but he did predict a lengthy stint on the sidelines for the Arsenal skipper.

Odegaard joins fellow first-choice star Declan Rice (suspension) and summer signing Mikel Merino (injured) as Arsenal midfielders who won’t be in action at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Arteta left scratching his head in need of a solution.

A double pivot of Thomas Partey and Jorginho has been mooted, but with a combined age of 63 between the duo, there have been separate calls for fresher legs to be given a chance at the weekend.

According to Mark Chapman, host of the BBC’s Planet Premier League Podcast, that could arrive in the form of teenage sensation Ethan Nwaneri.

Discussing a rumour he’d heard, Chapman said: “At the other end of the scale as we move onto the north London derby, there are rumours going around at the moment, and these may be quashed by the time the game comes around.

“They have some issues in midfield Arsenal, Declan Rice is suspended, Martin Odegaard picked up an injury during the week, their signing in the summer, Merino is already injured. So there are these rumours that they may start a 17-year-old, Ethan Nwaneri.”

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If given a chance from the off, it would represent Nwaneri’s first-ever Premier League start, having only made a handful of appearances off the bench.

But, after excelling as a creative option from midfield in Arsenal’s youth set-up, he could prove the perfect tonic for Arteta’s selection problems.

Nwaneri might not be alone in making his first start for Arsenal, with talk Raheem Sterling could be parachuted straight into the starting XI as well.

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The ex-Manchester City and Liverpool ace arrived on loan from Chelsea on deadline day and has been working with Arteta on the training ground throughout the international break.

Sterling, who has a point to prove after being shunned by Enzo Maresca at Chelsea, will be keen to make an instant impact for his new club and silence the doubters in the upcoming north London derby.

Raheem Sterling has already exorcised the demons that made him struggle at Chelsea, despite not yet having made his Arsenal debut, according to one former player who turned out for both the capital clubs.

Sterling penned a surprise deadline-day move to the north London outfit last month, having been exiled out of the Chelsea squad by new manager Enzo Maresca.

It came just two years after the winger put pen to paper on a move from Manchester City, joining the Blues as part of a £50million deal.

But, as Sterling prepares for his first Arsenal outing this weekend, one ex-Gunner believes he’s already looking the part.

William Gallas told Prime Casino: “I think this can be a very good move for Raheem Sterling. It looks like it will be a positive move for Arsenal, and you can see that Sterling looks really, really pleased to have joined the club.

“I’ve seen the pictures of him in training; he looks happy. He looks relaxed. His body language looks good, at Chelsea, that wasn’t the case.

“I don’t know if this is true, but I look at him, I hear the things he’s said about Arsenal since he joined, maybe he always wanted to play for the club. He’s a London boy, maybe this is the shirt that he’s always wanted.”

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He continued: “When I said it wouldn’t be a loss if he left Chelsea, that was fair. He didn’t show his ability at the football club. It’s simple. He has an opportunity to show people what he’s all about as a player, and perhaps working with a manager that knows him, will help him do that.

“Arsenal have got a lot of wingers, but he adds to that. They need a striker, and they didn’t get one. It would be very good news for the club and Mikel Arteta if Sterling can score goals. I’ve got a feeling that he may just do that playing for Arsenal.”

It comes ahead of this weekend’s north London derby, which Sterling is expected to feature in.

And given Arsenal’s current injury crisis, there is talk Sterling could be thrown in straight from the start - news that will no doubt strike fear into the Tottenham Hotspur defence.

A Sterling with a point to prove is a dangerous one and what better stage to mark his Arsenal arrival than away to the club’s most hated rivals.

Tottenham star Rodrigo Bentancur is facing a multi-game ban over comments he made about Spurs team-mate Son Heung-min. The midfielder has been charged by the FA after making the remarks during an interview in Uruguay over the summer.

Bentancur and Son have been team-mates at Spurs since January 2022 after the Uruguay international joined the club from Juventus following a four-and-half year spell in Italy.

The 27-year-old started Tottenham’s opening clash of this campaign against Leicester but left the pitch on a stretcher after smashing his head into the turf. He missed Spurs' thrashing of Everton five days later but returned to action as a late substitute against Newcastle ahead of the international break.

In the summer, Bentancur carried out an interview in his homeland and appeared to suggester that people from South Korea “all look the same”.

He later apologised to Son as he wrote on Instagram: “Sonny brother! I apologise to you for what happened, it was just a very bad joke.”

In June, the anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out explained that they had received a “significant number” of complaints about Bentancur’s comments. And the FA have now taken action by charging the player. If their charge is upheld, Bentancur could face a significant ban between six to 12 matches in length.

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“Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged with an alleged breach of FA Rule E3 for misconduct in relation to a media interview,” the organisation wrote in a statement.

“It’s alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has breached FA Rule E3.1 as he acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought the game into disrepute.

“It’s further alleged that this constitutes an “aggravated breach” which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin. Rodrigo Bentancur has until Thursday 19 September 2024 to provide a response to this charge.”

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Son labelled the incident as a “mistake” at the time, with Tottenham releasing a statement that read: “Following a comment from Rodrigo Bentancur in an interview video clip and the player’s subsequent public apology, the club has been providing assistance in ensuring a positive outcome on the matter.

“This will include further education for all players in line with our diversity, equality and inclusion objectives. We fully support that our captain Sonny feels that he can draw a line under the incident and that the team can focus on the new season ahead.

“We are extremely proud of our diverse, global fanbase and playing squads. Discrimination of any kind has no place at our Club, within our game or within wider society.”

Arsenal have been handed a glimmer of hope as Martin Odegaard's injury reportedly may not be as severe as first feared. The Gunners' captain is undergoing further assessments following an initially promising scan; however, he remains a doubt for the upcoming North London derby against arch-rivals Tottenham.

While no definitive timeline has been established for Odegaard's return, Arsenal's medical team is cautiously optimistic that he won't miss a substantial number of key fixtures, including their Champions League clash with Atalanta and a vital showdown with Manchester City, according to The Mirror.

Odegaard picked up an ankle injury during international duty for Norway in their Nations League match against Austria on Monday night, casting a shadow over his upcoming club commitments.

Norway's team doctor Ole Sand has anticipated a three-week absence for such injuries, telling Norwegian media outlets: "Such ankle injuries often take at least three weeks. Anything other than that is just a bonus. And then it can take longer."

National coach Stale Solbakken even feared that Odegaard might be sidelined for the upcoming international games next month.

On a positive note, Sand added: "What we have so far obtained from the MRI examination in London is that there is probably no fracture in the ankle."

After flying back to England, Odegaard had a scan in Hertfordshire on Tuesday and is no longer under Norwegian FA care.

Arsenal have received a significant boost with scans revealing no fracture for Odegaard, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation. The potential loss of the influential player for several weeks or even a month would have been a severe setback for the Gunners.

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's manager, will address the media on Friday, where it is expected he will confirm Odegaard's absence from the upcoming Tottenham match. However, an official announcement has not yet been made.

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As the club continue their assessments, they will be eager for Odegaard to return as soon as possible, especially with new signing Mikel Merino sidelined for six-to-eight weeks due to a shoulder fracture sustained in training.

In another blow, Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice is suspended for the North London derby, leaving Arteta with a significant selection dilemma. However, there is some positive news as Gabriel Jesus could be poised for a comeback following his injury.