Mauricio Pochettino's men fought back from 1-0 and 2-1 down to take a point from their recent trip to Liverpool, which ended in dramatic fashion with Harry Kane converting an equalising penalty in second-half stoppage time. Tottenham struggled in the opening period and looked to be heading for another disappointing result against a fellow big-six side away from home, but a much-improved showing after the interval ensured they did not fall further behind the Reds in the race for the top four. Spurs are certainly enjoying a positive spell at present - they were superb in the 2-0 defeat of Manchester United at the end of January - but there is still work to do if Pochettino's charges are to finish in the Champions League qualification spots, with a point separating them from fourth at present.
Arsenal turned in one of their best performances of the campaign to date when they last took to the field, thrashing a dire Everton side 5-1 at the Emirates Stadium. Aaron Ramsey scored a hat-trick against Sam Allardyce's side, but more focus was placed on new signings Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ans Henrikh Mkhitaryan; the former scored with a wonderful dinked finish in the first half, while the latter provided three assists in a brilliant home debut. It was a much-needed dose of optimism after a testing few weeks for Arsenal, but they are still outsiders to finish in the top four and seal a return to the Champions League via the traditional domestic route: the Gunners currently trail fourth-placed Chelsea by five points, which makes this weekend's derby a must-not-lose encounter for Wenger and co.
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Tottenham have no injury concerns at present, with Toby Alderweireld and Danny Rose now back in contention following spells on the treatment table. Pochettino may shift to a back three if he deems Alderweireld ready to start in such a big game, with Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli pulled back into slightly deeper roles ahead of Mousa Dembele, and Son Heung-min selected to partner Harry Kane up top. Serge Aurier's dynamism could see him get the nod over Kieran Trippier at right wing-back, with Rose and Ben Davies vying for the spot on the other flank.
Arsenal will be unable to call upon the services of Petr Cech, who was taken off in the victory over Everton after sustaining a calf injury. Nacho Monreal should be available for selection once more following a bout of illness, but Danny Welbeck is still sidelined with a muscular problem and Santi Cazorla is a long-term absentee. Mesut Ozil, Mkhitaryan and Alex Iwobi are likely to continue as an attacking trio behind Aubameyang, while Ramsey's treble last time out means Jack Wilshere will almost certainly have to settle for a place on the bench. At the back, Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi will look to provide a solid base in front of stand-in shot-stopper David Ospina.
Spurs have overtaken Arsenal in the north London pecking order in recent seasons, but it could be worth backing Wenger's charges to take something from this game. With Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan now alongside Ozil and Iwobi, the Gunners have plenty of pace in transition and could take advantage if the hosts give the ball away in dangerous areas; there are still significant question marks remaining over the side's defensive solidity, but the odds available on a draw with both teams to find the back of the net are tempting.
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