Tottenham v Arsenal Betting Preview

Arsenal make the short trip across north London seeking revenge for defeat to their local rivals earlier in the season whilst also aiming to keep their slim title chances alive.

Ironically, however, the outcome of this game could be more important to Tottenham at this stage of the season than the Gunners.

Spurs are currently three points behind fourth-placed Manchester City, with this match putting them on the same number of games played. With the two teams still to play each other in early May Harry Redknapp’s side remain in the hunt to achieve another top four finish and thus secure Champions League football for next season.

Peter Crouch is available again after being suspended for the midweek defeat to Real Madrid. Steven Pienaar is hopeful of returning from injury but the game comes too soon for injury prone duo Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate who are both back in light training.

Wojciech Szczesny and Johan Djourou both returned for the weekend draw against Liverpool and should retain their places in the starting XI while Alex Song could also start after coming off the bench on Sunday.

Should Arsenal fail to pick up all three points at betting odds of 6/4 then their title aspirations will certainly be ended for another season. A maximum return for Spurs at slightly bigger odds of 15/8 would move them level with City on 56 points from 32 games played. The draw is priced at odds of 12/5.

Despite dropping points against Liverpool on Sunday Robin van Persie did maintain his rich goalscoring streak by netting his sixteenth goal in his last 17 Arsenal games. He is priced at 6/5 to add to that tally here and 9/2 to open the scoring.

The Gunners’ relatively long trophy drought looks set to continue for at least another season and defeat against the auld enemy would only serve to compound their fans’ recent misery. There’s nothing more that the Tottenham fans would enjoy seeing.