Arsenal head into one of the biggest North London Derbies in recent memory riding high, having whooped PSV Eindhoven 4-0 in the UCL opener last night (more on that in a bit). But they’ll take on their local arch-rivals without a trio of players: Thomas Partey (who is expected out until early or mid-October, with a hip injury), Jurrien Timber (torn ACL – out for season) and Mohamed Elneny (convalescing from a knee injury).
With Elney, manager Mikel Arteta had this to say ahead of the PSV Eindhoven win.
North London Derby FYIs
Kickoff: Sun. Sept. 24, 2pm, Emirates Stadium, London, UK
Starting XI Predictions: Arsenal Tottenham Hotspur
Team News: Arsenal Tottenham Hotspur
PL Form: Arsenal WWDWW Tottenham Hotspur WWWWD
PL Standing: Arsenal 4th, 13 pts Tottenham Hotspur 2nd, 13 pts
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Google Result Probability: Arsenal 56% Draw 22% Tottenham Hotspur 22%
Gunners Team News
“He’s in a good place, obviously it’s been a while and it’s been a very significant injury, but I think he’s in the latter stages of that rehab process. He’s been training for almost two weeks with the team and he is in a good place. It’s always great to have him around.”
So while his return will occur before too long, his big derby clash on Sunday will come far too soon. As for last night’s triumph in continental competition, Arteta had to this say: “It was a beautiful night. In both boxes today we were exceptional and that was the difference.
I was really excited before the game. Our journey started last year and we earned the right to be in this competition.”
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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