Tale of the game

Tottenham have failed to win in their last 16 visits to Arsenal, losing nine and drawing seven, including last season’s remarkable 4-4 draw in what was only Harry Redknapp’s second game. They face an Arsenal team that has won all four home games, scoring 17 goals and conceding just four.

Arsenal jumped above Spurs last Sunday, into third place in the Premier League, when they drew 0-0 at West Ham, a day after Spurs lost 1-0 at home to Stoke. Arsenal miss Denilson and Theo Walcott. Spurs will again be without the banned Jermain Defoe and test Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King. Luka Modric is also out.

What they say:

Arsene Wenger: “We lost Lukasz Fabianski with a thigh injury. He will be out for three weeks. Of course, it is big disappointment - because he has just come back from injury. Almunia is back to his normal level. I have no worries about him but I don’t want to give an indication as to who will play yet. People don’t know who the number-one keeper is, but I do.”

Peter Crouch: “You saw at the start of the (West Ham) game when they (Arsenal) went 2-0 up that they play great football, as they always do. Hopefully, we can keep that to a minimum and, as West Ham proved, you can come back and you can score goals against them. Hopefully, we’ll be tight at the back and get a good result.”

Arsenal (Probable, 4-5-1): Mannone; Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy; Eboué, Song, Fábregas, Diaby, Arshavin; Van Persie.
Tottenham Hotspur (Probable, 4-4-2): Gomes; Hutton, Dawson, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto; Bentley, Jenas, Huddlestone, Palacios; Keane, Crouch.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg. Matches: 8. R1 Y24.

Last season: Arsenal 4, Tottenham 4; Tottenham 0, Arsenal 0.

Stat of the game: Spurs haven’t beaten Arsenal in the Premier League since November 1999, at White Hart Lane. Their last League win at Arsenal was in May 1993.

Betting tip: A draw is a healthy 9-2.