Mikel Arteta could be blazed in eternal glory, should he guide his Arsenal outfit to their their first English Premier League title in 20 years. Standing in their way is a daunting test at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, this Sunday.
The Gunners will direct their ammunition towards a Tottenham Hotspur team that has its sights set on Champions League qualification, adding fuel to the North London Derby fire!
The fixture has produced some memorable moments over the years and given what’s at stake for both teams, Sunday’s match is expected to produce even more fireworks.
Arteta’s side is sitting precariously on top of the Premier League standings with just a single point separating them and defending champions Manchester City, who have a game in hand.
Although the table-topping Londoners have managed to collect crucial points against formidable opposition throughout the season, many of the Gunner’s faithful suffered a serious case of Déjà vu when their team suffered a recent shock two-nil defeat to Aston Villa on home soil.
It was around this time of the season last year when Arsenal started dropping vital points, which loosened their grip on that illusive Premier League title.
A loss to Bayern Munich in the semi-finals of the UEFA’s Champions League ensued and exerted further pressure on the manager to end the season with some silverware.
The Lilywhites on the other hand have not been the most consistent team in the English topflight. Hotspurs’ humiliating 4-0 defeat at Newcastle in their previous league fixture will serve as added motivation, as Ange Postecoglou looks for a reaction from his team. Indeed, it is up to the players to avoid a similar embarrassment …
Nothing less than a win will do for the Gunners and if Spurs want to compete in Europe’s most prestigious club tournament next season, these are games they need to win. In my opinion, Tottenham Hotspurs are poised to cause one of the biggest upsets of the season and turn the race for the Premier League’s title on its head.
Written by Benny Mhlongo