Best Combined XI: Arsenal v Tottenham
By Ryan Wrenn
Over the last few seasons, both Mauricio Pochettino and Arsène Wenger have accumulated some of the best talent in England at Tottenham and Arsenal.
These are the squads, after all, that finished third and second in the Premier League last season. The North London Derby has thus become more than just a local rivalry. It’s now a match between two legitimate title contenders.
Now, Sunday’s iteration of the derby is expected to be pretty lopsided. Arsenal are on a hot streak and Tottenham’s injuries to key players are catching up with them. That said, there’s enough players expected to start in the match to make a world-class team between them.
Injuries and suspensions mean that not all of each teams best players appear in the below team — only the ones expected to participate. Nevertheless, it’s clear to see this is a slick combined XI.
Hugo Lloris – Petr Čech might object, but based on current status it’s hard to argue that Lloris isn’t one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League at the moment. He and Tottenham’s backline are quite literally the best defense in the Premier League, having only conceded one goal in open play so far.
Danny Rose – The England left-back solidified his claim to Tottenham’s starting XI ago, but he continued to evolve in the position. He’s not only a reliable defender of his own flank, but also one of Tottenham’s biggest attacking threats.
Jan Vertonghen – Toby Alderweireld’s absence is a huge blow to Spurs, but it would be much worse without Vertonghen. The Belgian owns Tottenham’s penalty area, often covering over Eric Dier’s less than inspired play alongside him.
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Lorient Koscielny – Arsenal’s French centre-back might be slowly aging out of a starting spot at 31-years-old, but he’s arguably never been better than these last two seasons. Like Vertonghen, he’s a reliable presence at the center of Arsenal’s defensive efforts.
Héctor Bellerín – There’s a reason that Bellerín continually finds himself the subject of Barcelona transfer rumors. Like Danny Rose, the Spaniard is a genuine two-way threat at right-back and would give any side in the world trouble.
Victor Wanyama – Originally brought into Tottenham as Eric Dier’s backup, Wanyama’s slowly making a case for being a better fit at the base of the midfield. His mobility and aggression allow Pochettino to push other midfielders forward, thereby — in theory — bolstering Tottenham’s chances in front of goal.
Francis Coquelin – Coquelin came into this Arsenal side two seasons ago almost completely unheralded. The Frenchman grew into the role quickly, and established himself as Arsenal’s primary defensive midfielder even as new players were brought in. His distribution and ability to trigger counter-attacks will make him invaluable on Sunday.
Alexis Sánchez – Arsenal’s Chilean is a threat from seemingly anywhere on the pitch. He might play at striker on Sunday, but he could just as easily hassle Spurs’ full-backs on the wings. He is Arsenal’s primary threat and one of the most reliable goalscorers in this Premier League season.
Mesut Özil – It’s hard to overstate how massively important the German is to this Arsenal side. His languid movement masks a deep understanding of the game at any given moment. There’s no better tribute to his abilities than to see just how much attention Tottenham pay to marking him on Sunday.
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Christian Eriksen – Perhaps he’s not quite at Özil’s level, but Tottenham rely on Eriksen to read the game and provide the right passes, movement and shots for the right moment. He’s slumped a bit of late, but he’s due for a rebound.
Harry Kane – There’s a chance that the reigning Golden Boot holder might not even start on Sunday, but there’s no denying that Kane is the best pure striker on either side. If Tottenham have any edge in this game, it’s Kane.