The 199th competitive North London Derby is upon us, and the stakes have rarely felt higher—or more contrasting—for two of English football's fiercest rivals. On Sunday, 22 February 2026, Arsenal travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for a Premier League clash that pits Premier League title aspirations against a desperate fight for survival .
While Arsenal sits proudly at the summit of the table, they come into this match on the back of two consecutive draws that have tightened the title race. Tottenham, meanwhile, are enduring a catastrophic league campaign. Sitting in 16th place, they will be led by a new interim manager, Igor Tudor, following the dismissal of Thomas Frank . With both sides dealing with significant injury crises and the raw emotion of derby day, this is a fixture that promises drama, tension, and tactical intrigue.
Title Race vs. Relegation Scrap: The Diverging Fortunes.
Arsenal vs Spurs
Time: 4:30 PM GMT (11:30 AM ET)
Date: Sunday, February 22, 2026
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England
Title Race vs. Relegation Scrap: The Diverging Fortunes
Ahead of this 27th-round fixture, the league table makes for stark reading. Arsenal currently lead the Premier League with 58 points, holding a five-point advantage over Manchester City, who have a game in hand . However, Mikel Arteta’s men have hit a slight wobble at the worst possible time. After squandering a two-goal lead against Wolverhampton Wanderers—conceding a stoppage-time equalizer in a 2-2 draw—the Gunners have now drawn back-to-back matches, allowing City to close the gap . The pressure is on Arsenal to prove they have the mentality to go the distance, with pundits like Alan Shearer suggesting that anything other than a win would be a "disaster" for their title credentials .
On the other side of the divide, Tottenham’s season has unravelled completely. Currently on 29 points, they are just five points above the relegation zone . Shockingly, Spurs are the only side in the Premier League without a win in 2026, with their last league victory coming against Crystal Palace back in December . This alarming run of form cost Thomas Frank his job after just ten months in charge, following a meek 2-1 loss to Newcastle United . For Spurs, this derby is about pride and stopping a rot that threatens to define their season for all the wrong reasons.
New Manager Bounce? The Igor Tudor Factor
All eyes will be on the Tottenham dugout, where Igor Tudor takes charge of his first game as interim manager . The former Juventus, Marseille, and Lazio boss is known for his intense, aggressive philosophy and his preference for a three-at-the-back formation . He inherits a squad low on confidence but high on desperation.
In his pre-match press conference, Tudor was bullish despite the chaos surrounding him. When asked if he was confident about keeping Spurs in the Premier League, he responded, "Confident? 100 percent. 100 percent" . He has urged the fans to rally behind the team, calling the derby "an amazing game to restart" . However, history is not on his side. While Tudor has won his first match in charge in each of his last five club spells, he faces the monumental task of halting Arsenal’s recent dominance in this fixture .
For Arsenal, the managerial change presents an "unknown quantity." Mikel Arteta admitted that the team must adapt quickly, saying, "The derby is the one we have after and it’s the one we cannot wait to play... we have to show that on Sunday"
Devastating Team News and Injury Crises
The team news for this derby is dominated by two lengthy absentee lists, with Tottenham suffering a crisis of unprecedented proportions.
Tottenham’s Treatment Room:
Igor Tudor revealed he has been training with just 13 first-team players . The list of absentees is staggering. Captain Cristian Romero is suspended,
while long-term injuries rule out Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison,
Destiny Udogie, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, and Ben Davies . Pedro Porro and Richarlison are closing in on returns but are unlikely to be ready for Sunday .
This leaves Tudor with a patched-up defense likely featuring Joao
Palhinha out of position, and a heavy reliance on the legs of Micky van
de Ven and the creativity of Xavi Simon.
Arsenal’s Concerns:
While not as severe, Arsenal also have their worries. Captain Martin Ødegaard has missed recent matches with a knee issue and will be assessed, while Kai Havertz has a muscle problem .
Mikel Merino is out long-term with a foot injury. However, there is
positive news on Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard, who were both
withdrawn late against Wolves but are fit to feature . The potential return of Ødegaard would be a massive boost for the Gunners' creativity in the final third.
Tactical Battle: Chaos vs. Control
This match presents a fascinating tactical subplot. Adrian Clarke’s analysis for highlights that Igor Tudor’s teams are renowned for their "chaos" . Tudor favours a 3-4-2-1 formation and encourages aggressive, man-to-man pressing and positional rotation. This means centre-backs could push forward, and wing-backs might appear behind the striker. For Arsenal, who pride themselves on control and possession, this unpredictability could be disruptive .
However, this approach is a significant departure from the style Spurs have played, and it carries risk. Tudor’s teams are susceptible to quick transitions, and with a makeshift defense, Arsenal’s fluid attack could exploit spaces. Key to Tottenham’s press will be attacking midfielder Xavi Simons, who has won possession in the final third more than any other player this season .
Arsenal, meanwhile, will likely look to exploit the wide areas. With Tottenham’s defensive injuries, Bukayo Saka—who has a hand in six goals in his last eight appearances against Spurs—will be crucial.
Head-to-Head and Recent Form
History heavily favours the visitors. Arsenal have won six of the last seven league meetings against Tottenham, including the last four in a row . Furthermore, the Gunners have won on each of their last three visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and are looking for a fourth straight away win in this fixture for the first time in 71 years .
The aggregate score in the last four Premier League meetings is 10-4 in favour of Arsenal . Spurs’ last league win in this fixture came way back in May 2022 . Overall, in 211 competitive meetings, Arsenal leads with 89 wins to Tottenham’s 67 .
Arsenal’s Recent Form: Unbeaten in the league but stuttering with draws against Brentford and Wolves.
Spurs’ Recent Form: Winless in their last eight Premier League games—their worst run since 2007
Key Player Battles and Quotes
Saka vs. Van de Ven:
Bukayo
Saka, fresh from signing a new contract, will be Arsenal's main threat.
He is likely to be tested by the raw pace of Micky van de Ven. If Van
de Ven is given license to roam forward by Tudor, Saka could find space
in behind on the counter-attack .
Eze vs. The Chaos:
Eberechi Eze has a stunning record against Spurs, scoring six goals in his last four appearances against them . Operating as the number ten, his ability to find pockets of space in a chaotic Tottenham setup will be vital.
Declan Rice on the Mentality:
England
midfielder Declan Rice revealed the simple message he received from
Saka when he joined the club: "You can't lose derbies here to Spurs. For
the fanbase, everyone, the players, the staff – that’s the game you
can’t lose" . Rice believes this is the "perfect game" to respond to recent criticism.
Igor Tudor on Confidence:
Despite
the injury crisis, Tudor remains defiant: "Of course, we understand the
importance of the derby. Everyone expects three points from us. We are
aware of that. It’s enough to achieve our desired goal on Sunday"
Match Prediction and Outlook
This derby is a true battle of extremes. Logic suggests Arsenal should secure a comfortable victory. They have the quality, the recent head-to-head dominance, and face a Spurs side that is decimated by injuries and in horrific league form. However, derbies are often immune to logic. The "new manager bounce" is a cliché in football for a reason, and a fired-up Tottenham side playing with reckless abandon could cause problems .
The pressure is entirely on Arsenal. As pundit Paul Merson noted, this is a "free swing" for Spurs; if they lose, no one cares, but if Arsenal slip, the "bottle jobs" narrative will intensify .
Prediction consensus among pundits like Chris Sutton and Alan Smith leans towards an Arsenal win, with scores predicted anywhere from 1-0 to 3-0 . However, Harry Redknapp warned of a "nervy, entertaining draw" . Given Arsenal's need to respond and Tottenham's defensive fragility, an away win seems the most likely outcome, but expect the hosts to make it a fight.
Prediction: Tottenham 1-2 Arsenal
