Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are set to trade tackles in a fiery pre-season North London derby on Thursday at Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong.
This might be a friendly on paper, but there’s no love lost between these two bitter rivals, so matchgoers can expect an end-to-end contest.
The Gunners are flying high after winning all three of their summer games, including a thrilling 3-2 win over Newcastle United.
Meanwhile, Spurs come into the match on the back of an uninspiring draw against League One side Luton Town.
Emotions will run high, and bragging rights will be on the line, even if the season hasn’t started yet.
Fans who buy Spurs tickets from Seatsnet.com can expect sparks to fly in Hong Kong, although Thomas Frank’s side will be considered underdogs given their awful record against their next-door neighbours.
Match preview
Arsenal fans have plenty to smile about this summer. The Gunners are riding the wave of excitement after finally securing the signing of Viktor Gyokeres, who was unveiled to roaring applause in Singapore.
They capitalised on the atmosphere to clinch a 3-2 win over Newcastle in a pulsating pre-season clash.
The match was anything but routine. With Alexander Isak absent, it was Anthony Elanga who stepped up for the Magpies, giving them an early edge.
But Arsenal soon found their rhythm, and it was former Newcastle man Mikel Merino who drew the Gunners back on level terms.
What followed was a bizarre twist, as Alex Murphy accidentally fired the ball into his own net to hand Arsenal the lead just two minutes later.
Newcastle refused to back down. Just after the restart, Jacob Murphy fired in a crisp low drive to bring the score to 2-2. But Arsenal would not be denied, and a young star stole the spotlight.
Arsenal’s 15-year-old sensation Max Dowman, who had already impressed in the previous friendly against Serie A giants AC Milan, won a crucial penalty late on.
With nerves of steel, captain Martin Odegaard stepped up and slotted it home to seal a win for the North Londoners.
While big-name signings like Gyokeres have grabbed headlines, it’s Dowman who is becoming the name on the lips of every Arsenal fan.
Fans are snapping up Arsenal tickets from Seatsnet.com to watch the teenager in action, and he has more than held his own against seasoned professionals this summer.
Adding a quiet behind-closed-doors win over Watford to their summer record, Arsenal now boast three wins from three.
They’ll now prepare to conclude their Far East tour with a fiery clash against Tottenham before hosting La Liga duo Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao at the Emirates Stadium in their final pre-season fixtures.
Both Arsenal and Tottenham will be looking to protect their unbeaten pre-season record when they lock horns in Hong Kong.
However, while Arsenal have enjoyed a lively build-up to the new campaign, Tottenham arrive with a few more questions than answers under new head coach Frank.
Frank made a bright start to life in the Spurs dugout with a 2-0 win over League One side Reading.
But the North London club’s momentum faded on July 26, when two different Tottenham squads played out disappointing results against Wycombe Wanderers and Luton Town.
A brace from Pape Matar Sarr wasn’t enough to secure a win against Wycombe, who held Spurs to a 2-2 draw at their training ground.
Meanwhile, the second group of players failed to ignite any spark in a goalless affair with Luton at Kenilworth Road. They produced a flat performance that offered little for the 10,000 fans in attendance.
Adding to their frustrations, news broke that long-standing target Morgan Gibbs-White had signed a new deal with Nottingham Forest, dealing a blow to Tottenham’s hopes of strengthening their midfield.
Still, Frank’s side now embark on a 10-day international tour that could provide a fresh spark ahead of the new season.
The trip continues with matches against Newcastle in South Korea on August 3 and a headline reunion with Harry Kane in Germany, as Bayern Munich host Spurs in the Telekom Cup on August 7.
But before all that, Tottenham face their most familiar foes. Arsenal, unbeaten and brimming with confidence, await them in Hong Kong.
Spurs haven’t defeated their rivals in a competitive match since the 2021/22 Premier League season and have lost each of their last three encounters.
Ending that run would be a major statement from Frank, even though it’s only pre-season.
Team News
Every Arsenal fan would be refreshing their social media feeds to see whether new signing Gyokeres will be handed a full debut in the North London derby.
Arteta was his usual calm and cautious self when asked last week, giving little away.
But with the Swedish striker now fully involved in team training, it feels more a matter of when, not if, he steps onto the pitch. And what better occasion than a North London Derby?
Gyokeres isn’t the only fresh face in the spotlight. Cristhian Mosquera, who didn’t make the cut against Newcastle, is also pushing for a debut.
His chances have been boosted by yet another setback for Riccardo Calafiori, whose injury problems continue to mount. It remains to be seen how long he’d be out.
With Gabriel Magalhaes also nursing a knock and Jurrien Timber still recovering from an ankle injury, the door could open for Mosquera to show what he can do.
Meanwhile, Tottenham have made the trip without several familiar names.
Bryan Gil, Manor Solomon, Dejan Kulusevski, Radu Dragusin, Destiny Udogie, and new recruit Kota Takai have all stayed back due to injury.
Young talents Mikey Moore, Alfie Devine, and Dane Scarlett have also been left out as they seek loan moves to gain experience elsewhere.
Despite those absences, Frank still has enough firepower in his squad.
Mohammed Kudus, who came in from West Ham United in a £55 million deal, is in the mix along with captain Son Heung-min, even as talks about a potential move to Major League Soccer continue.
No final agreement is expected before Spurs return to the UK, so for now, their long-serving talisman stays firmly in the frame.
Arsenal possible starting line-up:
(4-3-3): Kepa Arrizabalaga; Ben White, William Saliba, Cristhian Mosquera, Oleksandr Zinchenko; Ethan Nwaneri, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice; Bendyo Saka, Kai Haverntz, Gabriel Martinelli.
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting line-up:
(4-3-3): Gugliymomo was Vicario; Pedro Pedro, Romero Crystairs, Micky van van with Ven, the Spance; Maddison James, Word Fish, Matar Matar Sarr; The Custom Mohames, Dominic Sominic, Green Son.
