Tottenham Hotspur-Arsenal Preview

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says his players are "in good condition" as they prepare to face bitter rivals Tottenham on Saturday.

The Gunners have enjoyed an excellent start to the campaign, leading the league after winning six of their opening seven matches.

A two-week international period may have halted some of their momentum while potentially being not ideal to have such a huge game so soon after the break, but Arteta believes his players are ready to go.

"We've just finished the last training session," the 40-year-old told reporters. "We had many players arriving yesterday, we had a short period to prepare the match but the boys look in good condition."

Arteta also confirmed Oleksandr Zinchenko, Thomas Partey and Kieran Tierney would be available.

"They are part of the team," he declared.

Spurs head coach Antonio Conte has been impressed with the Gunners so far this season.

"I know the quality of this team," Conte said. "I know they are working with Arteta for many years, they are really well organised and Arteta, I said last season, he is a really good coach."

Tottenham themselves have had an impressive start to the season, still unbeaten after winning five and drawing two of their seven games, but that undefeated streak could be at risk against Arsenal.

Conte would not reveal which players would be available for the derby, but admitted the upcoming run of fixtures will be a struggle.

"Honestly I don't want to speak about the injury because I don't want to give advantage to Arsenal," Conte added. "But for sure we have to face some problems, some physical problems and we have to know also that we have just started to play the first game in a run that we have to play 13 games in 43 days."

Arsenal – Gabriel Jesus

The former Manchester City forward will be playing in his first Arsenal-Tottenham derby game, and will be hoping to build on a positive start to life with the Gunners which has seen him score four times in seven Premier League appearances already this campaign.

Tottenham – Harry Kane

The striker is the highest scoring player in North London derby history, netting 13 times. No other player has struck against Arsenal in the Premier League more often than the Spurs man, and he will be looking to add to that tally here.

- Arsenal have lost just one of their last 29 Premier League home games against Spurs (W17 D11), and are unbeaten in their last 11 against them at the Emirates since a 3-2 loss in November 2010.

- This is the first Premier League meeting between Arsenal and Tottenham with one of the sides top of the league since December 2007, with league leaders Arsenal winning 2-1 at the Emirates. If Tottenham win, it will be the first time in top-flight history that either side has beaten the other to replace them at the top of the table.

- Tottenham are one of two sides still unbeaten in the Premier League this season (won five, drawn two), with only Manchester City (23) netting more goals than Conte's side so far (18). Only once have Spurs remained unbeaten in their first eight games of a Premier League campaign, doing so in 2016-17.

- After failing to score or assist a goal in any of his first nine Premier League games against Arsenal, Tottenham's Son Heung-min has been directly involved in six in his last five against the Gunners (four goals, two assists). Just one of these has been at the Emirates however, netting in Spurs' 3-1 loss last season.

- Tottenham have scored at least once in each of their last 10 meetings with Arsenal in all competitions, their second-longest scoring streak against the Gunners, after a run of 24 between 1955 and 1967.

Updated September 30, 2022