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Arsenal vs Tottenham: Four key battles that could decide the North London Derby

It's time for one of the greatest rivalries in England as well as in world football as Arsenal and Spurs will lock horns in the fierce north London derby, a game that is a special one for both sets of fans and the players.

Bengaluru, September 1: It's time for one of the greatest rivalries in England as well as in world football as Arsenal and Spurs will lock horns in the fierce north London derby, a game that is a special one for both sets of fans and the players.

Even though Spurs have been the better team over Arsenal in the last few years, the Gunners were victorious last time when these two met at the Emirates with a 4-2 scoreline whereas the reverse fixture ended in a 1-1 stalemate.

In this article, we will discuss four key battles that could decide the fate of the game.

Harry Kane vs David Luiz

Harry Kane is yet to discover his usual form this season and Arsenal will hope that he does not manage to do that tonight. David Luiz will have to have a solid outing to ensure that Kane cannot do much damage to the Arsenal defence. The Brazilian was torn apart by Mohamed Salah when Arsenal faced Liverpool last week and he must not repeat those mistakes again. Kane, on the other hand, was pretty poor against Newcastle in the 1-0 defeat and will be keen to get back to his usual best against the club he loves to score against most.

Moussa Sissoko vs Granit Xhaka

Sissoko has become a whole different player under Pochettino since the last season. He is Spurs' midfield powerhouse and his job will be doubled with new signing Tanguy Ndombele out injured. However, Sissoko must be kept silent in order to prevent Spurs from dominating the midfield area and Granit Xhaka will be assigned that job by Unai Emery. This will be a big individual battle that can have a big say on the outcome of the game.

Lucas Moura vs Sead Kolasinac

With Nacho Monreal having departed the club for Real Sociedad, Sead Kolasinac will be Arsenal's only senior option at left-back with new signing Kieran Tierney unavailable due to injury. Lucas Moura could get a start on the right flank against Arsenal in order to exploit Arsenal's weakness on the left-back position and Kolasinac will have to at his very best in order to prevent Spurs doing the damage from his flank.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang vs Davinson Sanchez

With Jan Vertonghen having been left out of the squad due to unknown reasons so far this season, Davinson Sanchez will start once again at the heart of the Spurs defence alongside Toby Alderweireld. The Colombian has flattered to deceive so far this season and will be surely targeted by Aubameyang. The former Ajax defender must pick up his game in order to stand a chance against Aubameyang who is unforgiving and will pay him dearly for his mistakes.

Story first published: Sunday, September 1, 2019, 13:15 [IST]
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