Arsenal have had not a quite continuous game in the recent past just like Tottenham who are third in the table and keen not to loose again which is forcing the two North London teams tread carefully into the game in serch of a win.
A win would put them only one point behind their bitter rivals and simultaneously drag them right back into the race for Champions League football next season.
They go into the clash after a morale- boosting 5-1 victory over Bournemouth on Wednesday, with Mesut Ozil, Henrik Mkhitaryan and Matteo Guendouzi particularly impressive,
However, the Gunners have won only once in their last 10 trips to Spurs.
Playing Ozil full time: Ozil was exceptional against Bournemouth with a goal and an assist as they romped to victory.
However, manager Unai Emery has to decide whether he can be trusted in a big game away from home – and history suggests the German might have to make do with a place on the bench.
Ozil does not usually start against the big sides and was not even trusted to come on as a substitute in last month’s 3-1 defeat at Manchester City.In fact, his only 90 minutes against the current top six this season came against Liverpool in a 1-1 draw in November.
It might make sense to sacrifice him again for a midfielder who covers more ground, with Aaron Ramsey the obvious alternative. Ozil’s creativity from the bench could also prove useful if Emery’s side are chasing the game late on.
Carl Jenkinson started his first game Gunners since 2014 against Bournemouth and, while his display was largely error-free, Tottenham might be less forgiving than the Cherries.
He was rarely a threat going forward and often outpaced by Josh King, and Jenkinson vs Heung-Min Son looks like a total mismatch.Emery went with a back five on Wednesday, with Jenkinson and Sead Kolasinac pushed high in the wing-back positions.
He might be better served going back to a four with Shkodran Mustafi at right-back as a more solid option.If he sticks with the same formation, Ainsley Maitland-Niles has proved an able deputy at wing-back and his high energy could be useful in combatting Spurs’ fast players out wide.
Emery is never going to play two strikers in this game so one of Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang might have to settle for a place in the bench.
Both scored against Bournemouth but Lacazette was hugely impressive during his 26-minute cameo at the Emirates.
The Frenchman should get the nod as the central sticker as he will be fresher and has scored in all of his last three Premier League appearances. Aubameyang could still start out wide but that all depends on the system Emery deploys.
The Gabon star was supported by Mkhitaryan and Ozil last time out who both operated through the middle with the width coming from the wing-backs.