"The key is can you stop it" – Kevin Campbell explains what Arsenal must do to beat Tottenham in north London derby and makes his prediction

Former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell has backed the Gunners to come out victorious against arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the season's first north London derby at the Emirates on Saturday (October 1).

The Gunners have started the new season on a positive note, winning seven of their eight games across all competitions. Mikel Arteta's side are atop the Premier League standings with 18 points from seven games, leading holders Manchester City and Tottenham by a point.

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With both teams vying for a place in the UEFA Champions League next season, the upcoming fixture promises to be a high-stakes affair.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Campbell claimed that he feels confident about a home win and asserted that the 13-time domestic champions have to be clinical in front of goal to register a win. He said:

"I'm feeling pretty confident, I've got to say, because time says and the past says, Arsenal will always get the better of Spurs at the Emirates and I'm expecting that to happen again and my man [Gabriel] Jesus to be the difference."

He added:

"Spurs are a really good side, let's be honest, they are very good. You know what Spurs are going to do, the key is can you stop it. Arsenal need to play and they need to take their chances, that's the difference."

Last season, the Gunners emerged 3-1 victors at the Emirates, while Spurs won 3-0 on their home turf towards the tail-end of the campaign.

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Meanwhile, four Gunners players were absent from their first-team training session on Tuesday (September 27) ahead of the north London derby, as per Football London. Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kieran Tierney, Thomas Partey and Takehiro Tomiyasu are the four absentees.

Tottenham, on the other hand, are set to be without Ben Davies in their upcoming Premier League match as he is currently recovering from a knee injury. Hugo Lloris' fitness is also under speculation as he recently pulled out of international duty after picking up a thigh injury.

Paul Merson predicts outcome of upcoming Arsenal-Tottenham clash

In his column for Sportskeeda, former Gunners forward Paul Merson shared his thoughts about the north London derby. He wrote:

"This is a game that never lets you down. The way they're playing at the moment, I don't see Tottenham being able to win. They did defeat Leicester by a 6-2 margin the other day, but the scoreline flattered them in my opinion."

He added:

"With Manchester City in the title race, both these teams should realistically aim for a top-four finish. Arsenal absolutely dismantled Brentford in their previous game, and their home advantage gives them the upper hand in this match."

Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur