Tottenham to test Arsenal’s big-game temperament after Gunners’ false dawn against Man United

Arsenal have been really impressive this season. The Gunners started the season in imperious form and have so far managed to maintain their form as they currently sit at the top of the Premier League table.

Unlike last season, where Mikel Arteta’s side made a disastrous start to the campaign, the North London outfit have been playing some delightful football this term and are deservedly churning out results.

So far, Arsenal have lost just one game all season, a 3-1 defeat at Old Trafford against Manchester United. They have since recovered to record wins against FC Zurich and Brentford.

As the Gunners prepare to take on city rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday, they will be facing one of their toughest tests yet.

⏳ 24 hours to go...

🔜 Counting down to #ARSTOT https://t.co/owzEb0UPfe

Spurs to test Arsenals’ big-game temperament

Like Arsenal, Tottenham have equally made a great start to the season and are yet to lose a game in the Premier League after seven rounds of matches. They are currently third in the league with 17 points from seven games.

Antonio Conte’s side will certainly test the Gunners.

Despite Arsenal's impressive form, there remain doubts whether they can do it against tougher opposition.

When the Gunners faced Manchester United in September, they didn’t show enough character and bravery. They were soundly beaten by Eric ten Hag’s side despite dominating possession for large spells.

Tottenham may have problems of their own. Spurs have generally been unconvincing despite managing to grind out results. However, they remain a difficult side to beat and will test the Gunners' big-game temperament at the Emirates, just like Manchester United did a few weeks ago.

🎙 Find out what Mikel had to say in today's #ARSTOT press conference 👇

Gunners aim to banish last season’s demons

Towards the end of last season, the Gunners looked like a team that was destined to return to the UEFA Champions League. That was until they met Tottenham.

Tottenham Hotspur dominated the Gunners for a 3-0 victory. The latter followed it up with another loss to Newcastle United, which all but ended their hopes of returning to the Champions League. Tottenham claimed the final spot with a fourth-place finish in the league.

As both teams gear up for another showdown, Arsenal have a rare opportunity to extract revenge on their neighbors and also banish last season’s demons.

“The mentality doesn’t change. We have to go game by game, we need to look to get better and improve in many areas and be humble, but at the same time really ambitious," Arteta said in his pre-match press conference. "That’s the way forward for us to achieve what we want.” (via Arsenal.com)

He added:

“The journey they (Spurs) have been on since Antonio joined and how things have changed, and the team that he’s building. They have a very clear identity in the way they are playing and it’s been really impressive. We know that both teams expect a really tough match tomorrow.”

The Gunners occupy the top spot in the Premier League as they have been the most consistent side this season. However, they risk dropping down the table unless they bring their best game on Saturday.