The North London Derby is coming up as Arsenal and Tottenham are renewing their historical rivalry. The Premier League will be back after a world break with one of its greatest matches, the North London Derby. On Sunday, November 23, 2025, the Emirates stadium will be the venue for Arsenal vs. Tottenham Hotspur. The renewal of neighborhood rivals in this highly competitive match – and a local derby – has been a source of entertainment for football fans for over a century.
It is not just three points, this is a fight of pride, boasting rights. Moreover, a decisive point to the league title. In the case of Arsenal which is at the top of the table, this is a crucial challenge of championship.
A Derby Overshadowed by an Injury Crisis
The attacking choices of Arsenal have been crippling. The Gunners will lose such players as Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz. Moreover, their captain Martin Odegaard who will all be away on injury leaves. This has created a great creative and goal-scoring gap that manager Mikel Arteta has to fill.
Tottenham is also experiencing such a crisis. They have lost their entire squad with big absentees such as James Maddison, Dominic Solanke, and Dejan Kulusevski. This has been described by Manager Thomas Frank as one of the worst periods in injury crisis he has ever witnessed and this situation has certainly affected the club in terms of consistency.
The Weight of History
The North London derby has tradition and is richly historic. This rivalry started back in 1913 when Woolwich Arsenal got up and left Woolwich for Highbury – only four miles from the domain of Tottenham. This move was bitter feeling for Spurs. The hostility was further aggravated in 1919 when Arsenal rather than Tottenham were controversially voted into the First Division following the World War I something which has angered Spurs fans over the decades.
In the history of the game, the situation is favorable to Arsenal. Among the 211 total matches that they have played, Arsenal has won 89 matches, as opposed to 68 by Tottenham with 55 matches being a draw. Arsenal also have the edge in the premier league age with 30 victories over Tottenham of 16. The Arsenal fans mark this historical supremacy with the annual event of the St. Totteringham Day, the day when it is mathematically impossible for Tottenham to win the league ahead of them.
What’s at Stake
To Arsenal, this is a must-win to stand on the top of the premier league and demonstrate their worth. In the case of Tottenham, they have a chance to be a spoiler and break the title race of their opponent and to ascend the table themselves.
As featured on GoonerNews.com
