5 reasons why Tottenham Hotspur will struggle against Arsenal | EPL 2021-22
Bitter rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur will clash at the Emirates in the first North London derby of the 2021-22 season.
After getting their seasons off to contrasting starts, Arsenal look to be on the path to recovery while Tottenham Hotspur appear to be wilting. It's a match the supporters will undoubtedly savour. But for the managers in the dugout, anything short of a favourable outcome is almost unthinkable.
Tottenham Hotspur sit 10th in the Premier League table with nine points while Arsenal are 13th with six points after five rounds of games. There is a lot of pressure on both managers.
Arsenal and Tottenham have lost their 'big six' status, according to Jamie Carragher 🤐 https://t.co/i2h7gksfdp
As we all know, form goes out the window when arch rivals lock horns in the Premier League. Players will be committed to giving it their all and then some, and that's the recipe for an enthralling encounter.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five reasons why Tottenham Hotspur will struggle against Arsenal.
#5 Arsenal's defensive resilience
The word resilient may be too rich to describe anything Arsenal have been up to in the new Premier League season. But the fact of the matter is that they have kept cleansheets in their last three games across all competitions.
Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes are starting to understand each other better. They allowed just a single shot on target against Norwich City. They did well against Burnley as well and the Gunners really had to dig their heels in to keep their physically domineering opponents at bay.
It's not much but the Gunners did shut out AFC Wimbledon in the League Cup as well. Save for the hiding they received after being reduced to 10-men against Manchester City, Arsenal haven't been all that defensively vulnerable. That could be a problem for Nuno Espirito Santo's side.
#4 Tottenham Hotspur's goalscoring woes
After narrowly beating Manchester City, Wolves and Watford with a 1-0 scoreline, questions were asked of Spurs' sharpness in attack. They haven't really responded well and have since scored just four goals while conceding 10 in four matches.
They have missed the creativity and directness of Lucas Moura and will be happy to welcome him back. Steven Bergwijn's absence robs Spurs of a bit of dynamism in attack.
Santo's men have scored just three goals in five games so far. They have the second-worst attacking record in the league so far after Arsenal and Wolves, who have only scored two each. But Arsenal's two goals have come in their latest Premier League games while Spurs' came in the first three gameweeks.
🤪 Chelsea's defenders have scored as many Premier League goals this season (5) as Arsenal and Tottenham have managed as teams combined https://t.co/RuyvaQf0n0