Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, perhaps the most bitter rivals in the Barclays Premier League, have played 182 North London Derby matches. “We have maybe more duels than usual in the game on the pitch and the pitch is quick as well so that makes for a very quick game”.
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And Sanchez, who hit a post in the first half before cracking a second-half free-kick against the crossbar, feels the team is good enough to compete for the title – they just need to show their appetite.
Arsene Wenger’s men head into the fixture following back-to-back defeats in the Premier League to Manchester United and Swansea City, and Walcott insists a win on Saturday is crucial. Tottenham enter the game just three points off league leading Leicester City while Arsenal trail Spurs by an additional three points.
Arsenal have the biggest injury problems going in to the encounter, with first-choice goalkeeper Petr Cech and main centre-back Laurent Koscielny both in the treatment room. His comments are like any other comments, they can not help us to win, nor be an excuse to lose.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini blamed fatigue for the 3-0 defeat, recalling also that his squad produced a stirring performance away at Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League a week ago.
“You never know. I think we have ten games”. In addition to that they will want to keep up the pressure on league leaders who are only a few points ahead of them.
Each of the sides’ last four meetings have seen both teams score and in this context backing a home win with goals at both ends and +2.5 goals appeal as 7/2 and 9/10 shots. Sitting on a respectable +27, they are the only team who might come close to +40, usually the bare minimum required, and they also have the meanest goals-against column. I don’t think so. We know and they know that it is a very exciting and important game. He’s got a good record against us, scoring twice last season and again in the 1-1 draw at our place earlier this season. “We have to focus on our job and remind ourselves that we have some quality as well”.
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As for Tottenham, they wasted an opportunity to all but kill Arsenal dead, but they’re still in better shape going forward. “Football is simple, not too complicated”.
