North London Derby day beckons, as relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur take on stuttering Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.
A winless start to 2026, combined with a perilous league position, means Spurs finally parted ways with Thomas Frank after eight miserable months. So, former Juventus manager Igor Tudor will lead the Lilywhites into battle this weekend for a significant derby.
Tottenham missed out on derailing Arsenal’s title tilt two seasons ago, but they have a huge opportunity to kick their fiercest rivals while they’re down on home soil. Mikel Arteta’s side should be cantering towards the league title, but they’ve instead contrived to lose control of the race.
After collapsing late on against bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday marked another setback, Arsenal’s grip on first place has been weakening at the wrong time of year.
Derby day is typically tense, and Sunday’s clash boasts huge ramifications at both ends of the table. While Arsenal are aiming to get their title charge back on track, Tudor has been tasked with steering Tottenham safely clear of the relegation zone. They’re just five points better off than West Ham United with 12 games to go.
Here’s Sports Illustrated’s preview of the North London Derby.
What Time Does Tottenham vs. Arsenal Kick-Off?
- Location: London, England
- Stadium: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- Date: Saturday, Feb. 22
- Kick-off Time: 4:30 p.m. GMT / 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT
- Referee: Peter Bankes
- VAR: Darren England
Tottenham vs. Arsenal Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
- Tottenham: 0 wins
- Arsenal: 4 wins
- Draws: 1
Current Form (All Competitions, Last Five Games)
| Tottenham (LLDWD) | Arsenal (DWDWW) |
|---|---|
| Tottenham 1–2 Newcastle | Wolves 2–2 Arsenal |
| Man Utd 2–0 Tottenham | Arsenal 4–0 Wigan |
| Tottenham 2–2 Man City | Brentford 1–1 Arsenal |
| Eintracht Frankfurt 0–2 Tottenham | Arsenal 3–0 Sunderland |
| Burnley 2–2 Tottenham | Arsenal 1–0 Chelsea |
How to Watch Tottenham vs. Arsenal on TV
| Country | TV Channel/Live Stream |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Sky Go UK, NOW, SKY GO Extra, Sky Ultra HD, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League |
| United States | USA Network, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo |
| Canada | DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network Canada |
| Mexico | Max Mexico |
Tottenham Team News
Tottenham may have changed managers, but there’s been no miracle on the injury front since Tudor arrived. The Croatian expects to have no players back this weekend, and he also confirmed that Dominic Solanke’s week was disrupted by a sore throat.
The striker should be okay to start in Sunday’s derby, though.
Tudor has historically opted for a 3-4-2-1, but Tottenham’s available personnel may force a subtle tweak. Solanke could partner Randal Kolo Muani in attack, with Xavi Simons operating between the lines.
João Palhinha may be used in defence, given that Cristian Romero is suspended and Kevin Danso is still injured. Also on the sidelines are James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Destiny Udogie, Pedro Porro, Wilson Odobert, Lucas Bergvall, Mohammed Kudus, Richarlison, Rodrigo Bentancur and Ben Davies.
Tottenham Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal
Tottenham predicted lineup vs. Arsenal (3-4-1-2): Vicario; Palhinha, Dragusin, Van de Ven; Gray, Sarr, Gallagher, Spence; Xavi; Kolo Muani, Solanke.
Arsenal Team News
Arsenal have received a couple of timely boosts with the derby looking. Arteta has said that Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz could both be back in action this weekend.
Ødegaard has missed the last two games with a knee injury, while the muscle injury Havertz sustained was originally expected to keep him out until March. The captain’s return should see Bukayo Saka drift out wide again, having started in a central role against Wigan Athletic and Wolves.
Mikel Merino is absent due to a foot injury, and little is known about when young Max Dowman will make his comeback from a fitness setback.
Leandro Trossard should be fine after coming off late on at Molineux.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Tottenham
Arsenal predicted lineup vs. Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapié; Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Ødegaard, Trossard; Gyökeres.
Tottenham vs. Arsenal Score Prediction
Nothing but ignorance means plenty have been quick to write Tudor off, but he certainly has a knack of getting a tune out of a new group of players right away.
Thomas Frank’s removal and Arsenal’s sustained blip means N17 will be alive on derby day, with a fixture that so many were dreading now regarded as one that the hosts could potentially get something from.
Tudor’s aggressive principles out of possession could catch a few teams cold, and Tottenham should soon be drilled like an Italian regiment. However, he‘s only had a few days to work with this depleted group, and although Arsenal are floundering at the minute, it’s still a big ask for Spurs to snatch a result against a side that has utterly dominated the head-to-head duel as of late.
Prediction: Tottenham 1–2 Arsenal
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Tottenham vs. Arsenal: Preview, Predictions and Lineups.
