Spurs aim to damage Arsenal’s weakening hold on first place in EPL
Premier League leaders Arsenal will try to respond from a disappointing midweek draw when they play in the North London Derby on Sunday, visiting a spiralling Tottenham Hotspur side playing its first match since the firing of manager Thomas Frank.
In one of the more shocking results of the season, Arsenal (17-3-7, 58 points) gave back a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday.
Bukayo Saka and Piero Hincapie’s goals put the Gunners well in front with less than an hour gone, only for that lead to eventually evaporate entirely with Tom Edozie’s stoppage-time equalizer.
The result took the Gunners’ lead to five points over Manchester City, who have a match in hand entering the weekend, and marked the second straight league match in which Arsenal squandered a lead.
That may add to the nerves in North London. Arsenal have actually dropped only seven points from winning positions this season, good for eighth fewest in the league and better than City’s 11. And manager Mikel Arteta believes those nerves still can be channelled positively as the Gunners attempt to win their first league crown since 2003-04.
“I think it’s becoming more and more exciting because that means that you are closer,” Arteta said. “The more repeatedly you are in these kinds of positions, you’re going to win it. … So, first of all, you have to be there, and then in April or May, it will be decided who is the best, who can get over the line.”
Meanwhile, Spurs (7-11-8, 29 points) simply are looking to distance themselves from the relegation scrap, beginning the weekend in 16th place and five points above the line.
Frank was dismissed following consecutive defeats to Manchester United and Newcastle United. Interim manager Igor Tudor is working with a significantly depleted squad, saying he had only 13 players in training after taking over following Frank’s dismissal.
Spurs defender Pedro Porro won’t recover from his hamstring ailment in time for the Sunday clash. However, leading scorer Richarlison (hamstring) and striker Dominic Solanke (throat) could be available.
Tudor is imploring his fans to make the difference in a game that could provide a morale boost far greater than the three points at stake.
“The message is, give us support,” Tudor said. “The players need this. It is an amazing game to restart. I heard a lot of good things about them, about the love they have for the players. I am sure they will give us support and we show them that we care and we want to switch, we want to make a change immediately.”
Tudor reassured the North London side’s fans on Friday by declaring he was “100 per cent” confident they would remain in the Premier League next season ahead of his club debut against Arsenal.
“This (relegation battle) is not important,” he added. “Fighting for every position, relegation, first position, Uefa places – you achieve the position because of what you do during the week and on Sunday.
“It is a consequence of this. It brings you nothing if you think about relegation. All these goals are far away, I never give them importance.”
Tudor also brushed off suggestions that the club’s narrow margin for error should influence their approach.
“Five points (from the relegation zone), ten, two – it is the same. We need to be focused. Let’s focus on this and see what we can attain. Looking down or up brings you nothing,” he said.
Arteta rejected the term “bottlers” ahead of Sunday’s match.
“It’s not part of my vocabulary and I don’t see it like this because I don’t think anybody wants to do that as an intention,” Arteta told reporters on Friday, when asked about the term being used regarding their latest wobble in the title race.
He also called on his players to “live in the present”.
“We have a very clear instruction for ourselves, we have to live in the present,” Arteta said.