Tottenham and Arsenal drew 2-2 in a typically frenetic north London derby, allowing Manchester City to trim the gap in the Premier League title race with a 4-0 win over last-place Aston Villa on Saturday.
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Tottenham 1-1 Arsenal: It’s going to be interesting to see how Spurs approach this game.
Newcastle and Norwich both lost to stay in the relegation zone, with Newcastle manager Steve McClaren’s position likely under severe pressure following the team’s 3-1 home defeat to Bournemouth. After an anaemic and tepid performance at Manchester United which had already resulted in many questions being asked, they slumped to another damaging loss in their last outing against struggling Swansea City.
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal went further, suggesting the Champions league should revert back to its old format when only the domestic league winners took part.
He is without the injured Petr Cech for up to four weeks, and there will be no Laurent Koscielny until the home game against West Bromwich Albion.
After Saturday’s matches, both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur will have just nine games left to play in the 2015/2016 Barclays Premier League season, as will Leicester City.
“We always point out things when they don’t work but when something works like they do at Spurs right now, it’s important to talk about it. Not only the fact they are winning games; it’s the way they are doing it”.
Leicester played nearly three hours after the Tottenham-Arsenal game finished, and didn’t waste the opportunity to extend its advantage at the top.
“You can not say they [the fans] were never as angry as that. It is one of the few derbies where the title is at stake”. With Leicester still an unknown quantity at this stage of the season and at these lofty heights and the same can be said for Tottenham, Arsenal took the label of title favourites. He has enough experience to play this type of game and he has played this game before so I think he will be fine.
Wenger, though, believes the real test of their mettle starts now and reckons his own players are prepared.
Chelsea now turn their attentions towards their Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night, while Arsenal travel to Hull in their FA Cup replay on Tuesday.
“We’re in a good period and we need to keep the momentum”.
When it comes to goal difference and defensive records, Spurs have a edge on their North London neighbours.
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Manager Arsene Wenger is now running out of ways in which to defend his team, and that is one of many reasons why they simply must come away from this one with all three points, or at least having avoided defeat.
