The first North London derby of the season is set for a dramatic showdown this Sunday as Arsenal host Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners enter the fixture sitting proudly at the Premier League summit, holding a four-point advantage over Manchester City. Their arch-rivals, Tottenham, currently occupy fifth place, trailing Arsenal by eight points, adding extra spice to this highly anticipated clash.
Arsenal's Defensive Crisis Deepens
Mikel Arteta's preparations have been dealt a severe blow with the confirmation that key defender Gabriel Magalhaes has suffered a muscle injury in his right thigh. The Brazilian centre-back limped out of an international friendly for Brazil against Senegal and is now expected to be sidelined for at least a month. This is a major setback for Arsenal, who had kept eight consecutive clean sheets before conceding two goals against Sunderland in their last outing.
Gabriel's absence is felt at both ends of the pitch; he has been a significant threat from set-pieces this season, contributing two goals and three assists. In his place, summer signing Cristhian Mosquera is the leading candidate to step into the defence. The Villarreal recruit previously impressed when covering for William Saliba, with Piero Hincapié also providing an option for Arteta.
The international break brought further concerns for the league leaders. Riccardo Calafiori missed Italy's fixtures against Moldova and Norway, while Jurrien Timber sustained a knock on the knee while playing for the Netherlands. Arteta is scheduled to provide updates on these players, along with striker Viktor Gyokeres, who has been absent since being forced off against Burnley at the start of November.
There is some potential positive news, however. Before the break, Arteta expressed hope that Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke, and Gabriel Martinelli could return for the derby. Unfortunately, Kai Havertz has suffered a minor relapse in his recovery from a knee problem that required surgery in August. Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann indicated Havertz is not expected back until towards the end of the year.
Tottenham's Mounting Injury Concerns
Spurs manager Thomas Frank is also grappling with a lengthy injury list. Dominic Solanke, Randal Kolo Muani, Archie Gray, Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski, and Yves Bissouma all remain unavailable, with James Maddison still a long-term absentee.
The international period introduced fresh worries for the visitors. Midfielder Lucas Bergvall left the Sweden camp early, handing Spurs a new concern after he had only recently returned from concussion protocols. In another significant blow, Pape Matar Sarr was forced off during Senegal's match against Brazil at the Emirates and remained in London for treatment. Frank will provide an update on his condition later this week.
With both Solanke and Muani out, Richarlison is now Tottenham's only recognised senior striker, leaving them short of options in attack for this crucial fixture.
Predicted Lineups and Match Details
With Gabriel confirmed absent, Cristhian Mosquera is predicted to slot into the Arsenal defence. All eyes will be on Arteta's Friday press conference for updates on the fitness of captain Martin Odegaard, whose return would be a huge boost.
For Tottenham, the absence of multiple forwards means Richarlison is almost certain to lead the line, with the midfield composition dependent on the fitness of Bergvall and Sarr.
The North London derby kicks off at 4:30pm on Sunday, 23 November. The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event. Subscribers can also stream the action via the Sky Go app and NOW TV.
