Five reasons why Tottenham can beat Arsenal in the North London derby

The North London derby rarely needs much hype – it is one of English football’s fiercest rivalries, and also one of the top flight’s most entertaining.

This weekend’s edition feels especially big. Tottenham sit in 16th place, have recently parted company with Thomas Frank and appointed interim head coach Igor Tudor in a bid save their season.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have dropped vital points in the title race in recent weeks and looked far from their best against Brentford and Wolves.

With the two clubs at opposite ends of the table, it should look like a straightforward win for the Gunners. It is anything but that.

Here are five reasons why Tottenham can beat Arsenal in a huge Premier League clash on Sunday.

Tudor is to do

It’s an old truism in football that a new coach can inspire an immediate lift in performance, and Tottenham will be banking on exactly that.

Tudor’s arrival represents a fresh beginning after Frank’s winless run and Spurs’ slide down the table. The Croatian has been clear that he expects his players to show courage, confidence and a renewed intensity on the pitch, insisting “there is no time to find excuses” and promising aggressive, forward-thinking football.

Under Frank, Spurs looked flat, disjointed and bereft of ideas in attack – the sort of performances that risked dragging them into a relegation battle.

Tudor’s message has been the opposite: go for wins and play to win, something that could galvanise a squad lacking belief.

A whole week’s training with a new approach could give Spurs the edge, with the players even given five days off after being knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round by Aston Villa.

Gunners running out of steam

Arsenal arrive in North London having played more games than Spurs across recent weeks, juggling their league commitments with cup competitions and European football.

That congestion has shown. On Wednesday night they squandered a 2-0 lead against bottom-placed Wolves, eventually drawing 2-2 after conceding a stoppage-time equaliser – a result saw questions raised

Adding to those worries, star winger Bukayo Saka hobbled off that Wolves clash and could face fitness doubts for the derby, despite having just penned a new contract at his boyhood club.

Derbies are emotionally and physically taxing, and a slightly jaded Arsenal outfit might be vulnerable to a high-intensity Spurs performance, especially if Tottenham start strongly.

Tottenham’s ‘fortress’

Nothing ignites a team like the roar of their own crowd, particularly in a derby.

The last time Tottenham registered a North London derby win was under Antonio Conte, when the stadium was a cauldron of noise and sparked fear in the visiting Gooners.

But, the home form this season has been dreadful, winning just three times in the Premier League this season.

On Sunday, supporters will be desperate to lift the team, and the boost from 60,000 fans baying for victory can have a real impact when the match is tight.

Arsenal’s recent inconsistency might make them feel less at ease in that environment, especially if Tottenham can roar into an early lead.

A new style under Tudor

One of Tudor’s first messages was about the tactical changes he plans to make. He wants his Spurs side to play on the front foot, to pin opponents back and to take the game to them, not sit deep and hope for scraps, as was so often the case under Thomas Frank.

He has talked about playing “brave but intelligent” football and not settling for draws, signalling a much more aggressive intent than the cautious approaches seen under previous managers.

Arsenal are a technically strong side, but in heated derby encounters, an assertive opponent can disrupt them.

If Tottenham commit numbers forward and press from the first whistle, they can create plenty of chaos and potentially exploit any defensive lapses.

Nervous Arsenal

Despite sitting top of the Premier League, Arsenal have dropped points in games where they might have been expected to win, a running theme in the last three seasons they have gone on to finish as runners up.

In 2026 so far they have taken just 13 points and have been pegged back from winning positions more often than almost any other top-flight side – only Wolves and Crystal Palace are worse off.

That pattern – dropping points late, struggling to close out games that appear won – suggests a psychological vulnerability.

Spurs can capitalise on that in derby conditions, and upset the odds to rescue their own campaign.