Former Manchester United star Gary Neville has offered some advice to Arsenal as they prepare for the upcoming ‘North London Derby’ against Tottenham Hotspur. Neville believes that the result of this match could have a significant impact on Arsenal’s pursuit of the Premier League title.
Arsenal recently secured a resounding 5-0 victory over London rivals Chelsea in their Premier League Matchday 34 encounter on Tuesday night (April 23). This win propelled them to the top of the league table. However, Manchester City, who are just one point behind in second place, have the chance to overtake them by winning their game in hand.
Gary Neville Emphasizes the Importance of Facing Tottenham
With Manchester City breathing down their necks, Arsenal will face Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the highly anticipated ‘North London Derby’ on Sunday (April 28). Neville believes that a lot is at stake in this traditional English rivalry. Before delving into the upcoming clash with Spurs, he praised Arsenal for their performance against Chelsea.
He started by stating (via Sky Sports):
“Arsenal put on a very impressive display against Chelsea. They were excellent.
“I was particularly impressed with Chelsea’s performance against Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final last weekend. Mauricio Pochettino rightly pointed out that when Chelsea are bad, they are really bad. Arsenal, on the other hand, were very good. They secured a convincing victory and displayed dominance against a weak and depleted Chelsea side. Mikel Arteta’s team did what was required of them.”
Shifting his focus to the upcoming derby, Neville remarked:
“However, Arsenal’s crucial moment of the season is this upcoming match on Sunday.
“This fixture carries immense importance. I remember a few years ago when there was a battle for the Champions League spot and Tottenham got the better of Arsenal. The Gunners struggled to cope with the pressure. Nonetheless, the current Arsenal team is different. They are resilient and robust, but this match will be a true test, similar to what Liverpool experienced against Everton.”
He concluded by stating:
“Arsenal need to be prepared for what could be a fierce battle on Sunday. The initial 15 to 20 minutes could feel like a bloodbath. The Tottenham supporters are determined to prevent Arsenal from winning the league. Tottenham will be motivated to secure a victory, not just to thwart Arsenal’s title hopes, but also for bragging rights, triumphing in a north London derby, and accumulating as many points as possible.”
Arsenal and Spurs played out a 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium earlier in the season. However, in their previous meeting at Tottenham’s ground, Arsenal emerged victorious with a 2-0 win.
