English Premier
2025-01-15 - Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Wednesday 15th January 2025 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV
Arsenal
The exit in the FA Cup Third Round just days after losing the League Cup Semi Final First Leg by a couple of goals has really heaped the pressure onto this Arsenal squad. Expectations have greatly increased over the last couple of seasons and Mikel Arteta does need silverware to just keep the doubters at bay, but those Cup defeats have really put the manager and the squad under the cosh.
Injuries cannot be used as an excuse and the only way the fans will be appeased is if the team can produce a big performance in the North London derby as they look to keep Premier League title hopes alive. The Gunners are 2nd in the table, but the 6 point gap to Liverpool, who also have a game in hand, has not really gotten much closer thanks to some setbacks over the last month. The 6-3-0 home record will give Arsenal some confidence, even if the last two Cup results have been disappointing ones at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal have not won any of their last 3 games in all competitions, while they were beaten 0-2 by Newcastle United and then on Penalties by Manchester United in their last couple of Cup ties at home. All of a sudden, Arsenal have won just 2 of their last 5 games at the Emirates Stadium in all competitions.
Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber and Jorginho are all available for selection, but Gabriel Jesus suffered a serious injury on Sunday that will keep him out for the rest of the season and longer.
Tottenham Hotspur
There would have been plenty of laughing faces heading into the Emirates Stadium on Sunday as news filtered around that Tottenham Hotspur had been dragged into Extra Time by National League Tamworth in the FA Cup Third Round. The manager had to turn to the big hitters on the bench to eventually help Tottenham Hotspur prevail, but fans will point out that at least their team is still in the Cup.
Last week Tottenham Hotspur also earned a lead to take to Anfield for the League Cup Semi Final First Leg in early February, although attention for the remainder of January is building consistency domestically and in Europe. The side are 12th in the Premier League table and beginning to lose touch with the European spots within the Division and Tottenham Hotspur make the short journey to Arsenal with a 3-1-5 away record.
Tottenham Hotspur might have won in Extra Time on Sunday, but that result means they have been able to secure victory in 1 of their last 6 games in all competitions in normal time. Since beating Manchester City 0-4 at the Etihad Stadium, Spurs have failed to score in ninety minutes in 3 of the 5 away games played in all competitions and they have won once in normal time in that run at woeful Southampton.
Rodrigo Bentancur and Timo Werner have joined the long injury list at Tottenham Hotspur over the last week, but Richarlison is going to be available. Other key players are slowly recovering and could return before the end of the month.
Head to Head
One goal was all it needed for Arsenal to secure a 0-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the season.
Arsenal had won 3 in a row at home against Spurs, but were held to a 2-2 draw here last season.
Prediction
The second North London derby of the season is going to be played on Wednesday and both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are still trying to find a bit of positive momentum in the New Year.
Out of the two teams, Ange Postecoglou and his Tottenham Hotspur team have to be feeling a little better following a home win over Liverpool in the League Cup Semi Final First Leg and then avoiding a monster upset in the Extra Time win at Tamworth in the FA Cup Third Round.
During the same period of time, Arsenal have been dumped out of the FA Cup and they are two goals behind in the League Cup Semi Final against Newcastle United.
Unsurprisingly this has seen plenty of criticism levelled at Arsenal for failing to address the striking problems that have felt clear for most to see. Even now, they are being linked with a strong move for yet another midfield player and that despite losing Gabriel Jesus for several months and heaping the pressure on Kai Havertz.
On another day the German would have been celebrating the winning goal against Manchester United, but Havertz has produced some glaring misses in the last couple of fixtures to highlight the problems Arsenal fans feel have been there for some time.
The only way to respond would be to win the North London derby and just keep the pressure on Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Arsenal have certainly created strong chances in their last couple of games here against Newcastle United and Manchester United and they are still facing an injury hit Tottenham Hotspur defence. Confidence might not be in a great place, but things can turn pretty quickly if Arsenal can score early.
That is something that you would think Ange Postecoglou will be aware of, but he will not change his style and there is little doubt that Tottenham Hotspur need to get on the front foot to protect the defence.
Some of the fringe players did little to impress on Sunday, but the big names will be starting this one and Tottenham Hotspur can certainly test this Arsenal backline that has not been as watertight as would have been hoped.
Tottenham Hotspur are not easy to trust considering their failures to score in normal time in 3 of their last 5 away games in all competitions. However, they have given some of the big teams faced something to think about with their attacking talent and Spurs are facing a host lacking a bit of confidence, which should see them avoid a heavy defeat in this North London derby.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Arsenal 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back Tottenham Hotspur + 1.5 Asian Handicap at 1.70 with Bet365
