Arsenal Title Quests Gets Tottenham Test

NORTH LONDON DERBY

Today’s blockbuster North London derby between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal carries extra significance for both bitter adversaries.

Spurs head coach, Igor Tudor will experience the true definition of a baptism of fire today, while his opposite number Mikel Arteta is facing the dreaded bottle accusation again.

It was hitherto inconceivable to imagine a Premier League season without Tottenham and Arsenal locking horns, but if Tudor cannot arrest Spurs’ pitiful plight down the top-flight standings, the North London derby may cease to exist for 2026-27.

The now-unemployed Thomas Frank was – belatedly in the eyes of many a home supporter – given the boot after his injury-ravaged side were taken down 2-1 by Newcastle United in their most recent top-flight affair, a result that left the Europa League holders just five points above the relegation zone.

No Tottenham fan is under the illusion that their side is not in a relegation battle, especially as the hosts are the only team without a Premier League victory so far in 2026, taking just four points from 24 on offer.

But this is where Tudor comes in; the former Lazio, Marseille and Juventus head coach, whose time with the latter ended prematurely, has the job of steadying the ship for the remainder of the season, and history suggests that the Croatian could immediately get into the fans’ good books.

Indeed, Tudor has won his first game in charge of each of his last five clubs, but he inherits a Tottenham squad with the third-worst Premier League home record in the current campaign, featuring a paltry two wins.

Speaking of twos, fearful Arsenal fans up and down the land are now reliving the same silver-medal nightmare, after their side catastrophically dropped two points to a Wolverhampton Wanderers side who could be relegated with the lowest-ever Premier League points total.

A 2-2 draw was arguably the least that the Old Gold deserved too, as Mikel Arteta’s men inexplicably gifted possession back to the basement boys time and time again, while trying and failing spectacularly to run down the Molineux clock.

Arsenal remain in control of their title destiny, but their increasingly vulnerable advantage over Manchester City – whose fate is also in their own hands ahead of April’s Etihad blockbuster with the Gunners, will be reduced to just two points if the Sky Blues win their game in hand.

Dropped points on the road have become an unhealthy habit for the league leaders, who have now won just three of their nine Premier League games on rival territory, but their North London derby dominance has been unquestioned over the past few years.

Indeed, Arsenal are unbeaten in their last seven Premier League games with Spurs, have won their last three at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and made light work of their rivals in a 4-1 Eberechi Eze-inspired Emirates embarrassment back in November.