Arsenal are set to travel across North London to face Tottenham Hotspur this weekend, in a crucial match between the two bitter rivals.
Mikel Arteta’s side are aiming to bounce back from their 1-1 draw with Brighton, which was filled with controversy as Declan Rice was sent off, and given that they play Manchester City a week later, there is little room for error.
Arsenal face several problems though, as first-choice midfield trio Rice, Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard could all miss the game, with the latter two picking up injuries, and Arteta will need to find solutions in the middle of the park.
Odegaard’s potential availability is currently unknown, as the midfielder twisted his ankle during the International break.
If he is absent, Arteta will need to replace his impact as a creative midfielder, as well as his leadership, in what promises to be a tough North London Derby.
If both Rice and Odegaard are absent, it is unclear who will wear the captain’s armband for the derby, but this should perhaps be given to Bukayo Saka, who has a deep-rooted dislike for Tottenham.
- READ MORE: What is the North London Derby? Everything you need to know about the Arsenal and Tottenham rivalry
When Bukayo Saka first destroyed Tottenham as an Arsenal prodigy
Saka is now Arsenal’s talisman and one of the best players the Hale End Academy has ever produced.
The England International has been at the club from a very young age, and his love for Arsenal growing up would have naturally been matched by his dislike for his club’s biggest rivals.
The winger has destroyed Spurs on several occasions, and scored against them both home and away last season.
However, the first time he truly felt the passion of the derby came in a youth game in 2019, shortly after his Premier League debut under Unai Emery.
In an FA Youth Cup tie against Spurs, Arsenal found themselves 2-1 down at half-time, but Saka scored from the penalty spot to take the game to extra time.
Goals from Xavier Amaechi and Folarin Balogun put Arsenal 4-2 up in a heated affair, and Saka provided the icing on the cake, picking the ball up at the edge of the box and firing in a screamer.
Arsenal won 5-2, a very familiar scoreline in the history of the North London Derby, and Saka’s celebration after his second goal saw him wind up the Spurs players as he sealed the win.
He had inspired a remarkable comeback to knock Spurs out of the Youth Cup, and it was clear that this fixture meant more to him as a true Arsenal starlet.
Bukayo Saka should be given Arsenal captaincy if Odegaard unavailable vs Spurs
Given the departures of Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah this summer, Saka is now the longest-serving first-team player at the club, and the only established first-team player who came through Hale End.
Saka is one of the main figureheads of the Arsenal team, and a key leader alongside Odegaard and Rice. If both midfielders are out, he is the natural successor to the armband for the North London Derby.
The 23-year-old will now hope to keep up his strong record against Spurs to lead Arsenal to a much-needed victory this weekend.
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