No Declan Rice = no problem for Arsenal, at least when the ball is dead.

“Mikel Arteta seemed blessed with the ability to use key players throughout last season, enabling them to get closer to old ‘two-full-first-teams’ in sky blue,” says Bill Hargreaves. “Today will be a test. I still can’t say Tottenham without putting an ‘ing’ in the middle as dear old Ossie used to.”

This game does feel particularly hard to call, even more so with that ultra-attacking Spurs XI. But I’m paid the small bucks to stick my neck out, so I’m telling you now: the result will be between 5-0 and 0-5.

Big Ange: not for turning

This is a charming interview with Bukayo Saka.

Some weeks are bigger than others. In the next eight days Arsenal will play away to Spurs, Atalanta and the Erling Haaland team.

This is an excellent point from David Howell

“The other thing, with this being only September, is that we don’t know yet whether this title race is a normal one, or one where lawyers and assorted other professional interpreters of accountancy Numberwang will forcibly remove Manchester City from the equation.

“All the other teams are jostling for position in a peloton that may or may not have a sky blue breakaway to chase down. This is Schrödinger’s Table until that particular case is closed; there is indeed a huge day in the title race this week, but it’s not today. It’s tomorrow.”

Jonathan Liew sticks his thermometer up North London

I’m the only Spurs in here,” calls the landlady, a jolly woman of middle years called Tina. As you can imagine, running a Spurs pub on derby day is not a job for the meek. The Coach & Horses will be packed to overfilling, security hired to keep order, as well as to enforce the rule on no visiting fans.

But what about the rest of the time? What if an Arsenal fan – known pejoratively in these parts as a “Gooner” – were to stray over the threshold? Would they simply be turfed out? Or would a more exemplary punishment be demanded? “Oh, that rule’s just for match days,” Tina explains. “We get Arsenal fans in here all the time. There’s one over there. She’s my daughter.

The final score is Tottenham Hotspur 9-1 Arsenal. Sort of.

Team news: Van de Ven and Solanke return, Trossard starts

David Hytner meets Pedro Porro

Since I was small, I have had to fight for everything. You had to be tough in my house. Often there wasn’t any food. I know others have that situation, too, but that is how it was. That is why I have had to be tough. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, this spirit. It’s a winning spirit, as well. It can be positive within the game. It’s been part of me since I started. If you want to reach the absolute top level, you have to be strong mentally.

Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea and now Arsenal. Raheem Sterling has had a career less ordinary.

Preamble