Arsenal destined for derby delight
ARSENAL vs TOTTENHAM
Tomorrow 12.45pm
THERE has rarely been a dull moment in the history of the North London derby, but it is a clash which has outdone even itself in recent years.
It is impossible to name all the highlights, for there have been plenty of them, from Tottenham’s 5-1 win en route to lifting the 2008 League Cup, to the 4-4 draw at the Emirates the following season, when David Bentley scored from almost the half-way line and Spurs earned a point thanks to two goals at the death.
Then there was Younes Kaboul’s late winner, the odd goal in five, for Spurs’ first victory at the Emirates in November 2010, not to mention the six goals the teams shared at White Hart Lane later that campaign nor, most recently, Arsenal’s comeback from two goals – and 10 points – down to prevail 5-2 in last season’s home game and go on to pip their neighbours to third place.
The visitors will be haunted by memories of that game on their return to Ashburton Grove tomorrow lunchtime and, given their erratic form, now is not the time to be backing them to claim just a third Premier League victory at Arsenal.
Even accounting for the hosts making their worst start to a league campaign in a generation, and the fact they go into this contest a point and a place in arrears to the Lilywhites, they look a tempting price, at 19/20 with Coral.
Results have just about been better in front of their own fans than on the road for the Gunners. While the opposite is true for Andre Villas-Boas’ men, they let a 1-0 half-time lead slip when losing 2-1 at Manchester City last time out, and have now lost three of their last four league games.
Although Spurs have failed to score just once in the top flight this term, at home to Wigan, they have routinely undone their good work by letting them in at the other end. They’ve kept just one clean sheet in the league, when Hugo Lloris enjoyed a shut out against Aston Villa in his only league appearance to date.
Arsenal have had their own defensive lapses but, having scored the same number as Spurs, their goal difference is better by five.
There has been just one goalless draw in this fixture, in February 2009, since 1998 and the only other occasion when either side failed to register in the last 16 fixtures was Arsenal’s 3-0 win in October 2009, seven games ago.
All the evidence points to both teams scoring, available at 8/15 with Coral, and Arsenal to win 2-1 is a decent bet in the correct score market, at 7/1 with the same firm. With that in mind, consider selling goals at 3.2 with Sporting Index.
■ Pointers…
Arsenal at 19/20 with Coral
Arsenal to win 2-1 at 7/1 with Coral
Sell total goals at 3.2 with Sporting Index