Notebook - Arsenal vs Spurs

After the conclusion of the September international break, our Premier League campaign resumes on Saturday as we make the trip to rivals Arsenal (kick-off 12.30pm).

Ahead of the game, here are the match’s key points of note…

1 – An unwanted record

It goes without saying that we haven’t enjoyed the best of times when making the trip to Arsenal in the Premier League. In our last 29 visits to N5 in the top flight, we have won just once (D11 L17) and haven’t won in our last 11 trips – our last league win at the Emirates coming in November, 2010.

2 – A remarkable turnaround

That last league victory for us in N5 was something of a north London derby thriller. In a game in which we found ourselves 2-0 down as we headed into half-time, we ultimately produced an incredible second-half fightback to go on to ultimately claim all three points in dramatic style.

A substitution at the break was the catalyst for the turnaround with Jermain Defoe called upon, replacing Aaron Lennon, to partner Roman Pavlyuchenko up front – that was then supported by a very attacking midfield consisting of Rafael van der Vaart, Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Jermaine Jenas.

The change sparked us into life, Bale getting us back into the game five minutes after play resumed before a penalty from Van der Vaart put us back on terms on 67 minutes. Then, with just five minutes left to play, Younes Kaboul rose highest in the box to glance home and see us snatch our first victory at the Emirates.

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3 – Coming from behind

That never say die attitude is something we have been clearly embodying this season as well. So far this campaign, we have taken seven points from losing position having comeback to win against Southampton and Leicester, and to draw away at Chelsea – no side has claimed more points than us from losing positions in 2022/23.

4 – An historic unbeaten run

If we are to avoid defeat at the Emirates, we’ll match our best-ever unbeaten run in the Premier League. Heading into the game, we are currently without defeat in our last 13 matches having won nine and drawn four of our matches since our last loss - April’s 1-0 defeat to Brighton. Our best unbeaten run in the Premier League currently stands at 14, a run we have recorded twice – first between August and December, 2015 (W6 D8) and then between December, 2017, and April, 2018 (W11 D3).

5 – Arsenal at the Emirates

Saturday’s home side are enjoying quite the run on their own turf as of late. Of their last six outings at the Emirates, Arsenal have taken maximum points each time, however it must be noted that in that run, they have not kept a clean sheet. In fact, the Gunners are currently on a run of eight home games without a shutout.

6 – Hitting the target

We have quite the record in front of goal this season - and that will be something we’ll be hoping to build on against the Gunners. Currently, only Manchester City (23) have scored more goals than us (18) in the Premier League this campaign, and we have also managed to score in each of our outings to date. Also, against Arsenal, we have managed to score in each of our last 10 meetings which is our second-longest scoring streak against them, after a run of 24 between 1955 and 1967. That current run includes hitting three against the Gunners back in a rather memorable meeting in May...

7 - Kane’s game

Having further cemented his status as the north London derby’s all-time top goalscorer with another two strikes against the Gunners last season, Harry Kane will be looking to add some more goals to his name against Arsenal on Saturday. A man in form for club and country with six goals to his name domestically and a strike against Germany for England on Monday, Harry will be keen to keep his run going at the Emirates and add to his record of 13 goals in this historic contest.

8 – Sonny firing

Another man who enjoys this fixture is Heung-Min Son – and he is also a man in form. Despite not netting in his first nine games against Arsenal, Sonny has since been involved in six goals in his last five north London derbies with four goals and two assists. And, while he may have had a slow start to this season by his standards, he has really found his shooting boots in the last fortnight with a stunning 13-minute hat-trick against Leicester in our last outing before twice hitting the target South Korea over the international break.