Top 5: Arsenal v Spurs Premier League North London Derbies

Tottenham against Arsenal is one of the highest profile matchups the Premier League has to offer.

So ahead of Saturday’s clash at Wembley Stadium, we take a look at some of the best and most entertaining North London derbies.

Arsenal are the only one of the two teams to have won a Premier League title, having won it three times, most recently in 2004 when they had their famous ‘invincibles’ season. 

When you look at the head-to-head record between the teams, the Gunners are clearly dominant, having won 20 of their face-offs compared to Spurs’ 12.

Despite this, Arsenal haven’t won away at Tottenham in five years, and being four points ahead of their rivals means Pochettino’s men will be confident of getting a victory.

Throughout the years the North London derby has produced some wildly entertaining games, goals and storylines, and here we take a look at the top five North London derbies in the Premier League era

Arsenal the only one of the two teams to have won a Premier League title, having won it three times, most recently in 2004 when they had their famous ‘Invincibles’ season. 

When you look at the head-to-head record between the teams, the Gunners are clearly dominant, having won 20 of their face-offs compared to Spurs’ 12 in the Premier League era.

Despite this, Arsenal haven’t won away at Tottenham in five years, and being four points ahead of their rivals means Mauricio Pochettino’s men will be confident of getting a victory.

Throughout the years the North London derby has produced some wildly entertaining games, goals and storylines, and here we take a look at the top-five in the Premier League era…

5. Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham – 1994/1995

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyxS1PwmBLw

This match, late in the 1994/95 season, came a week after Spurs had been mathematically ruled out of qualifying for the Champions League by drawing with Newcastle, and Arsenal were on track for their lowest league finish in the Premier League era.

End-to-end is probably the best way to describe this game, as both goalkeepers performed outstandingly to keep the score as low as it was.

Ian Wright would convert a penalty to open the scoring for Arsenal midway through the second half, but Tottenham’s German forward, Jürgen Klinsmann would head an equaliser past David Seaman not long after.

4. Arsenal 2-3 Tottenham – 2010/11

Arsenal were heavy favourites going into this November clash, being seven points ahead of Harry Redknapp’s men.

The Gunners started the first half very strong, quickly establishing a 2-0 lead in front of their home crowd and maintaining it into half time.

However, the visitors came out revitalised, and not long after play had resumed, Gareth Bale halved the deficit.

Soon after, Spurs striker Rafael van der Vaart scored a penalty he had won after his free-kick hit the raised arm of Cesc Fabregas,

Then, with only four minutes left to play, Younes Kaboul found the back of the net with his head to complete a miraculous comeback.

3. Arsenal 5-2 Tottenham – 2012/13

The season following Tottenham’s comeback from 2-0 down, Arsenal returned the favour.

Spurs were nine points ahead of the Gunners in the table, and had not lost to their bitter rivals in any of their last four meetings.

Goals from Louis Saha and Emmanuel Adebayor put the Lilywhites 2-0 up, but Bacary Sagna and Robin van Persie scored two quick goals late in the first half to make it all square going into the interval.

The second half belonged to Arsenal, as Tomas Rosicky put Arsene Wenger’s side ahead not long after the second period had got underway, and two goals from Theo Walcott sealed the deal

2. Arsenal 4-4 Tottenham – 2008/09

This game gave us one of the greatest North London derby goals in history, as Tottenham’s David Bentley struck an incredible 40-yard volley past Manuel Almunia in the 13th minute to open the scoring. 

However, goals from Mikael Silvestre, William Gallas and Emmanuel Adebayor meant that Arsenal would hold a 3-1 lead after 65 minutes. 

Darren Bent hit the net to half the deficit, but Robin van Persie made the difference two again within a few minutes.

Tottenham were still down by two goals with only two minutes to play, but Jermaine Jenas gave them hope by scoring in the 89th minute, and Aaron Lennon equalised in the last few seconds to rescue a point.

1. Tottenham 4-5 Arsenal – 2004/05

Finally, we reach our number one.

Going into the game, Spurs had lost four successive matches while Arsenal were coming off their legendary ‘Invincibles’ season and were only two points off the leaders, Chelsea. 

Noureddine Naybet and Thierry Henry netted in the first half, and early in the second, Lauren dispatched a penalty Noe Pamarot had conceded by bringing down Freddie Ljungberg.

Soon after, Patrick Vieira put the reigning champions two up, but Jermain Defoe brought it back for Tottenham only a minute later.

Ljungberg quickly gave the Gunners a two-goal cushion again, but Ledley King brought it back for Spurs once again.

Robert Pires scored with 10 minutes left to seemingly secure win for Arsenal, but Frederic Kanoute made the deficit only one with a few minutes to go.

Ultimately, the reigning champions would take home the points in what was the most entertaining North London derby in the Premier League era.