Tottenham v Arsenal: Premier League – live

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Partey clipped a lovely pass down the right to find Saka in space. He moved into the area and teased Sessegnon before zipping outside him towards the byline. Then Saka hit a right-footed cross that took a slight deflection off Sessegnon and was fumbled into his own net by Lloris. It came at him quickly, and there was a deflection, but that’s still a bad mistake I’m afraid.

Arsenal take the lead with a bizarre goal!

12 min Partey is exceedingly fortunate to avoid a yellow card for a deliberate handball that stops a Spurs break. That’s weird refereeing from Craig Pawson, because he gave a free-kick.

11 min Odegaard flips a decent free-kick that is headed over from 10 yards by Partey. A half chance.

10 min Arsenal are starting to pin Spurs back. Nketiah is fouled 30 yards from goal, to the left of centre, and Odegaard is over the ball…

9 min Martinelli charges into the area at dizzying speed and goes over after a challenge from Romero (I think). Nobody really appeals for a penalty.

7 min: Chance for Arsenal! Spurs get in an almighty pickle trying to play the ball out of their own penalty area. Lloris dithers, then Lenglet kicks the ball straight at Odegaard. It rebounds to Martinelli, who hooks it over his shoulder and across the area. Romero slips, which allows Nketiah a clear shot at goal from about eight yards. He hits the dropping ball with his left foot, not that cleanly in truth, and Lloris spreads himself to make a really good stop. That was a great chance.

6 min “I think Arsenal might win today which would of course give a painful amount of hope,” says Andrew Hurley. “I think it’s almost impossible to win the league with only seven players trusted for the six midfielder and forward roles, and running out of legs in March for Saka, Martinelli et al a distinct possibility. Smith-Rowe could make a big difference but they need two more players, one in particular to cover Partey, whose value is so underestimated by the media.”

Not by this one-man media! I’ve been obsessed with him for years. If you were in the Champions League I’d agree with you about Arsenal running out of steam. It could still happen but the Europa League reduces the risk. I’d be more worried about Arteta blowing up if it gets tight. The way to win it – like, duh – is to keep City at arm’s length. In a strange way I think you’re more likely to win it by 10 points than by one or two.

4 min After a patient build-up from Arsenal, Martinelli wriggles between Kulusevski and Doherty and pokes a shot that is blocked.

3 min “Good evening Rob,” writes Jones Manoah. “An expectant Gooner from Nairobi. Seeing my beloved Arsenal were ‘bullied’ by Chelsea today, here’s hoping they boss it here just to show Mudryk what he’s missing out on.”

2 min Spurs play confidently through the Arsenal press, with Son finding Sessegnon in space on the left. His cross is blocked.

2 min No tactical surprises – Spurs are playing 5-2-3, Arsenal 4-1-2-3.

1 min “Was in London back in 2013,” writes Chris Paraskevas. “Bumped into a travelling group of Greek Spurs fans who were down for the derby that weekend. I joined their group. Two of us didn’t have tickets but were allowed in to a nearby pub after pleading our case. Spurs fans are fierce and the area around White Hart Lane was surprisingly rough aesthetically. But I had an incredible experience – Bale scored the winner and the riot police moved everyone on, eventually. Great memories! (From an energised Newcastle fan in Sydney.)”

1 min Eddie Nketiah gets the north London derby under way.

“Good morning from Pittsburgh!” says Eric Peterson. ” This is the earliest all season that I’ve sat my backside down in front of the TV and waited through the pregame hullabaloo for the kickoff. Arsenal are good at burying teams in the first half hour. Spurs are good at not showing up until they (a) fall behind, (b) come out for the second half, or (c) both. Not a fixture for which to be fashionably late.”

Yes that’s an excellent point. Arsenal actually started really positively in May, too, before the whole thing unravelled.

Here come the players. The atmosphere sounds good – not quite as lively as it was for the evening game last season, but still pretty hostile.

A reminder of the teams

Tottenham Hotspur (5-2-3) Lloris; Doherty, Romero, Dier, Lenglet, Sessegnon; Sarr, Hojbjerg; Kulusevski, Kane, Son.Substitutes: Forster, Royal, Sanchez, Davies, Perisic, Skipp, Bissouma, Gil, Richarlison.

Arsenal (4-1-2-3) Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Partey; Odegaard, Xhaka; Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli.Substitutes: Turner, Tierney, Tomiyasu, Holding, Lokonga, Smith Rowe, Vieira, Smith, Marquinhos.

Referee Craig Pawson.

Antonio Conte on Pape Sarr’s inclusion

He’s a young player, a good prospect, and he deserves this chance.

Mikel Arteta speaks

[Discipline] is a key element of every derby. Both teams have been a man down in the last two derbies, and it will be crucial. We’ve prepared well and we want this – a lot.

Dejan Kulusevski’s pre-match chat

I think are we ready to play and now we need to show it. We need to enjoy it – attack, do everything together, have fun.

Remember When (part 2)

A reminder of the return game in October, when Arsenal deservedly beat Spurs 3-1.

Remember When (part 1)

The 2pm games have just finished, and these are the final scores.

Chelsea 1-0 Crystal Palace

Newcastle 1-0 Fulham

That means Spurs are now five points behind Newcastle and Manchester United in the race for a Champions League place, though they have a game in hand on Newcastle. Arsenal are still five points clear of Manchester City with today’s game in hand.

And Chelsea, who introduced the Arsenal target Mykhailo Mudryk at half-time, are leading Crystal Palace 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.

There have been fun and games in the second half at St James’ Park. John Brewin is watching that one.

No, you’re the favourite

Dejan Kulusevski returns from injury for Spurs, but there’s still no Rodrigo Bentancur. That means Pape Sarr will make his full Premier League debut in midfield, having been preferred to Oliver Skipp and the weirdly disappointing Yves Bissouma. In all there are three changes from the 4-0 win at Crystal Palace 11 days ago: Kulusevski, Sarr and Ryan Sessegnon replace Bryan Gil, Skipp and Ivan Perisic. Richarlison is also back among the substitutes.

Arsenal are unchanged from their last league game, the frustrating 0-0 draw at home to Newcastle.

Tottenham Hotspur (5-2-3) Lloris; Doherty, Romero, Dier, Lenglet, Sessegnon; Sarr, Hojbjerg; Kulusevski, Kane, Son.Substitutes: Forster, Royal, Sanchez, Davies, Perisic, Skipp, Bissouma, Gil, Richarlison.

Arsenal (4-1-2-3) Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Partey; Odegaard, Xhaka; Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli.Substitutes: Turner, Tierney, Tomiyasu, Holding, Lokonga, Smith Rowe, Vieira, Smith, Marquinhos.

Referee Craig Pawson.

Age is what you make it. Spurs are one of the oldest teams in the Premier League; Arsenal are the youngest. When they last met at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in May, Spurs were too mature, too streetwise, too much for an emotionally ragged Arsenal. But this season Arsenal have been fresher, hungrier and more vibrant, most notably when they hammered Spurs 3-1 at the Emirates in October.

The contrast in age profile – and style of play – are among the reasons why today’s north London derby is more mouthwatering than most. Another is that Harry Kane is one away from joining Jimmy Greaves as Spurs’ all-time leading goalscorer. But the big reason is the context: Arsenal have the chance to go eight points clear of an unfocussed Manchester City, while also denting Spurs’ hopes of reaching the Champions League and keeping Antonio Conte.

Spurs started the season excellently, in terms of results if not always performances, but they’ve lost their way since that trip to the Emirates in October. Going into that game they had 17 points from seven games; since then they’ve taken 16 from 11. And their home form has gone to seed, with three defeats in the last four games.

For richer and poorer, nothing changes the mood in north London quite like the result of the derby. Defeat in October blew Spurs off course; a win today could get their season back on track.

Kick off 4.30pm