The English Premier League returns this weekend with a huge north London derby between rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur being the biggest fixture of this round.
The Gunners currently lead the way and sit top of the table after 11 games, while Spurs have had a mixed campaign and start the weekend in fifth place, eight points behind their opponents.
We’ll take a look at the match-up betwen the sides and provide you with our best free soccer betting picks, as we look to earn you some extra cash while you enjoy the clash on the pitch.
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Mikel Arteta has built the strongest squad in England over recent years, and this season they are showing it with some stellar performances across all competitions.
So far in this campaign, Arsenal have lost just once in all competitions, to a stunning free-kick against reigning champions Liverpool, and have conceded just five goals in the process. Last time out, they were held to a surprise 2-2 draw with newly-promoted Sunderland, as they conceded a 95th-minute equaliser.
They currently sit top of the league, four points clear of their closest rivals ahead of the weekend of fixtures, while they are also one of just three teams to have a 100% record in the Champions League, where they haven’t conceded a goal.
But, the Gunners are dealing with some injury issues coming into this game which could cause them issues. Star defender Gabriel Magalhaes is set to miss the next four to eight weeks with a quadriceps injury picked up on international duty, while Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli are all pushing to return but may not be available.
Captain Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus are still unavailable.
Spurs used the summer to bring in Thomas Frank as their new manager, and the Dane started well but has recently been having a more difficult time of things in the dugout.
The Lilywhites have won five of their 11 Premier League games so far, including defeating Manchester City, and currently sit in fifth place in the table heading into the current weekend of fixtures. Last time out, the team were held to a 2-2 draw by Manchester United, despite scoring to take the lead in the 90th minute of the game.
In the Champions League, the team have two wins and two draws from their four games so far, but fans have grown disillusioned with the style of play and want to see more attacking play.
Tottenham will come into the game with a host of injury issues. James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are long-term absentees with knee injuries, but they will be hopeful of being able to welcome back all of Dominic Solanke, Ben Davies, Radu Dragusin, Yves Bissouma, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Mohammed Kudus, Cristian Romero, Randal Kolo Muani and Pape Matar Sarr after they were all unavailable before the international break.
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Despite the injury issues to key players, there is no doubting that Arsenal are the stronger of the two teams.
Defensively, they have shown they are capable of shutting down opposition attacks with relative ease, and even with Gabriel unavailable, the likes of Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie are more than able understudies.
In attack, the expectation is that several attacking options will return to the side, but even without them the likes of Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka, Mikel Merino and Declan Rice provide a goal threat.
Home advantage is always a big deal in a derby game, and it will likely be so again. Arsenal are rightly the favorites for victory, and at -240 there is good value in them to get one over on their local rivals.
The north London derby is a notoriously high-scoring game of football, with the passionate fan bases always pushing their teams to go one step further than they may in a normal game.
However, both sides have got big injury concerns heading into the game that mean they may not be at 100%. It’s also worth nothing that while Spurs have got one of the best away records in the Premier League this season, they haven’t been a free-scoring outfit, and neither have Arsenal.
Both teams are likely to be relatively cagey in the opening exchanges, and set-pieces are likely to play a big part in the outcome of the game. But with attacking talent potentially weaker than usual, and defence the key to victory for Arsenal, expect less goals than normal.
Take the +110 value on Under 2.5 total goals in the match before it drops as team news comes out later in the week.
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About the Author
Daniel is a football writer who has a great thirst for the Premier League and other major European leagues. A lover of the beautiful game and a firm believer that the eye test is better than statistics. Also an avid MMA fan.
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