Tottenham Hotspur manager Enzi Postecoglou and Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta have spoken out ahead of the first North London derby of the season.
Postecoglou and Arteta took part in a pre-match press conference today ahead of the first North London Derby of the 2023/24 Premier League season, which kicks off at 10:00 p.m. (ET) at the Emirates Stadium in London, England.
The rivalry between Tottenham and Arsenal is one of the most fiercely contested derbies in the Premier League and beyond. Both teams are located in the northern part of the English capital, London, hence the name “North London Derby”. There have been 193 North London derbies, with Arsenal leading the head-to-head record with 81 wins, 51 draws, and 61 losses.
With the 194th North London Derby on the horizon, Arsenal’s head-to-head advantage puts them on track for a third straight North London Derby victory. Conversely, Tottenham, who bowed to Arsenal in both North London derbies in the league last season, will be looking to end their losing streak. Spurs lost 1-3 on the road, and failed to win at home in January with a 0-2 defeat.
With a reversible fixture on the horizon, both Spurs and Arsenal are on the upswing after ending their best starts of the season. Both teams have four wins and one draw from five league games, with Spurs sitting in second place on goal difference and Arsenal in fourth.
The North London derby could see either club break their unbeaten streak, so both Tottenham and Arsenal fans will be hoping that their favorite club comes away with the points.
This is the first time in the history of the competition that Arsenal and Tottenham have faced each other in the Premier League while both teams are unbeaten, according to soccer statistics site Squawker.
“Playing them at Arsenal’s home is going to be a huge challenge for us,” said Postecoglou at the pre-match press conference, adding that he was nervous ahead of the first ever North London derby.
“We’re not going to change in terms of how we play,” he said, “we’re going to go forward and make their lives difficult,” predicting his usual high line, attacking football.
Like Postecoglou, Arteta had his sights set on victory. “Winning always helps to keep your mind in a good position, and we don’t need motivation for this game,” he said, insisting that “the derby, the most special game of the season, is a special moment for all of us, and we have to focus only on that.”
Speaking of Postecoglou, who has done well at Tottenham despite being a new manager, Arteta said: “I really like him. “I really like him, the players who have played with him always praise him and it’s not a coincidence,” he said, adding that “every game is difficult because you have the best managers and the best competition, and that’s the beauty of the Premier League.
Arteta also spoke about facing Tottenham without world-class striker Harry Kane (Bayern Munich). Kane has scored more goals against Arsenal than any other player in Premier League history (14), but he left for Germany in the summer transfer window to join Bundesliga champions Munich.
Despite Kane’s reputation as an “Arsenal killer,” Arteta was wary of the absence, saying, “Tottenham have a lot of quality players who can make a difference in a game.” “It was a big change for Tottenham without Kane, but they adapted really well,” he added.
Meanwhile, domestic soccer fans will be watching to see if Son Heung-min can score in his first North London derby as Tottenham captain. Son, who started playing for Tottenham in 2015, has faced Arsenal a total of 18 times, scoring five goals and providing five assists. With six wins, five draws, and seven defeats, the 194th North London derby is a chance to even the score with one more victory.
He was also just three goals away from his 200th European goal, so it would be interesting to see if he could take another step closer to the milestone. After scoring a hat-trick in a 5-2 win over Burnley in the fourth round of the league last season, Son was silent against Sheffield United in the fifth round, a 2-1 reverse on May 16, and failed to reach the 198-goal mark.바카라
“Arsenal won’t want to play us now,” he told The Times, “everyone is running for each other, everyone is fighting for each other,” he said.
All eyes will be on Son to find the back of the net in the first North London derby of the season to add to his tally and extend his side’s unbeaten run.