Arsenal v Tottenham: Premier League – Live | Premier League

16 min: Bergvall takes a heavy touch and tries to make up for it, plunging into a 60-40 that’s in Partey’s favour. The overzealous young man slips hysterically into Partey, and like the other week against Liverpool, should go in the book, but escapes with a tick. Full marks for determination and effort, but Bergvall has a red card waiting to happen.

15 minutes: A little space for Sterling down right. He reaches the town line and cuts back to…nobody in particular. A shame, because Arsenal had red shirts arriving elsewhere. “Sterling was dismissed by a reader after the Utd game as ‘simply not a very intelligent footballer’ but I don’t see how any player can thrive under Pep like he did if that’s true,” writes Paul Curievici. “I can’t be alone in thinking that he has one last renaissance in him? And he certainly deserves it, he was an exciting player in his prime.”

13 min: Odegaard wedges in from the right. Rice takes a lovely touch to cushion the ball down and into the path of Trossard, whose shot is blocked. A sense that an opening goal for the hosts is just a matter of time.

11 min: Rice curls towards the nearest post. Kinsky confidently punches away.

10 minutes: Odegaard fires it to the far post, where Gabriel’s presence wins another corner on the left. Rice comes over to take.

9 min: Odegaard swings the free kick towards the near post. Kinsky strikes, the ball pings off the nearest player and out to another corner from the right. Odegaard to swing this in properly.

8 min: Odegaard plays it short to Trossard, whose cross is blocked for a throw-in. Then Bergvall Timber cones out on the right sideline, and here comes another one of the famous set pieces.

7 min: Arsenal are well on top during these early exchanges. Odegaard dances down the inside-right channel and feeds Sterling on the overlap. Sterling crosses. Gray reads the danger and turns the ball out for a corner. This one to enter from the right.

5 minutes: … knocks it straight out of play at the other end for a goal kick.

4 min: More space for Lewis-Skelly, out to the left this time. His attempted cross pings off Dragusin and out to the first corner of the evening. Rice strolls over to take it and…

3 minutes: Lewis-Skelly drives in from the left and throws a wonderful pass down the middle to Sterling, who is in acres on the edge of the box. Kinsky gets to his feet. Sterling doesn’t know whether to try to round the keeper or think him, and he doesn’t either. A huge chance wasted.

2 minutes: Rice swings it in. Bergvall doesn’t connect properly with a clearing header but the ball falls kindly to Kulusevski who is able to complete the job.

Spurs start. They are immediately on the front foot, accompanied by pantomime boos. But Arsenal trip the ball and Sterling wins a free kick out on the right touchline, bundled over by Spence. An early chance for one of the you set pieces!

The teams are out! Arsenal in red with white sleeves, Spurs in second choice blue. Everyone looks really dandy. The atmosphere is cranked up to derby settings and we’re off in a few minutes. “Glanced at the 2010 MBM to find an gratuitous reference to Roy Hodgson,” begins Richard Hirst, who is on me and no mistake. “Perhaps you could remind your readers (he said pompously) what he achieved in 2010? Never to be forgotten in SW6.”

Postbag before the match. “Sterling – well, of course Arteta had little choice, although he might have tried to call a member of the public, if only for the first half hour. We’ve been here before – Pepe will think, and dear old Raheem, much as he deserves sympathy for a tough few years, is apparently keen to repeat some of that dance and give the ball away routine that was such a hit with the fans.Freddie Ljungberg is still out there somewhere, maybe Mikel could call him?” – Charles Antaki

“That was very nice of Sol Campbell (and Google) to give the away fans so much ammunition. I mean, as a neutral, he rarely comes across as a likable guy, but there were some really good lines in that ad. I’m sure his name will be taken amusingly in vain throughout the evening. Excellent work” – Sol Campbell Matt Dony

“Mingus! It’s one of my favorite jazz albums. It’s brilliant!” -Joe Pearson

Mikel Arteta talks to TNT Sports. “We love all these games … a beautiful occasion … this is the time of the season you have the opportunity to take advantage … to earn the right to be better than Spurs and beat them … take things as they come and make the most of it … the attitude and the way we played against Newcastle and Manchester United, let’s keep it up and we’ll win a lot of games … (Raheem Sterling) looks really sharp … he’s very motivated … he have a great opportunity today … the players are very excited … it’s a gift to be able to make many of our supporters very happy, so we will do our best to do that.”

You can get seven on Tottenham Hotspur to win tonight. That doesn’t seem very generous as they have won just one of their last 31 Premier League visits to Arsenal, that win coming all the way back in late 2010. In fairness to Spurs, their 3-2 triumph that day was one. for the ages: Relive it here in the old MBM format. (Contains references to Charles Mingus and Lester Young. Any old excuse…)

Ange Postecoglou talks to TNT Sports. “It’s a special game … we should all embrace that part of it … it’s not just another game … (Antonin Kinsky) has handled things really well so far … some big games, some tough ones game … it will be a big test for him but I’m sure he’ll do well … apart from (Archie Gray) helping us through this period, the growth we’ve seen in him and the advantage we get from it when we get some players back huge … we are super happy to get (Richarlison) back … him and Mikey Moore give us a few more options in the front third … Richy can’t wait to get out there and will see some action tonight … hopefully we can give the fans a night to remember.”

It’s derby day, so chances are the Emirates will be a melting pot tonight. It will be just as good from Arsenal’s perspective, argues Jonathan Liew. “For all the focus on Arteta’s attention to detail, the fixation on things like set-pieces and defensive clearances, he is essentially a coach of vibes.” Click below for more.

Arsenal make four changes to the XI that started the FA Cup defeat to Manchester United. Raheem Sterling, Leandro Trossard, Declan Rice and Thomas Partey are inside from off; Gabriel Martinelli, Mikel Merino and Jorginho drop to the bench as Gabriel Jesus prepares for surgery on his ACL.

Tottenham Hotspur make five changes to the side that started the win at Tamworth. Lucas Bergvall, Dejan Kulusevski, Dominic Solanke, Son Heung-min and Djed Spence move up; James Maddison, Sergio Reguilón, Brennan Johnson and Mikey Moore drop to the bench, while Timo Werner misses out entirely.

The teams

Preamble