When Spurs host Arsenal in their biannual Premier League showdown on Sunday, there is a shadow mark on the line for the hosts.
Tottenham have struggled in the north London derby in recent years, as Arsenal have emerged as a top opponent domestically and internationally. Spurs have won just once against the Gunners in their last seven meetings, a 3-0 home victory in May 2022 that saw them finish two points ahead of Arsenal in the final Premier League standings.
This fierce rivalry has been entertaining over the decades, and no matter where the two teams sit in the greater English football landscape, their matches have always retained an evenly contested nature.
That’s why Spurs will want to avoid defeat at all costs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this weekend, not only for their prospects of finishing in the top four this season, but also to resist a run of negative form that hasn’t been seen for some time.
It has been over 35 years since Tottenham last lost three consecutive home games to Arsenal, dating back to 1988 when they suffered the final of five straight defeats in the north London derby at home, a 3-2 league defeat with all five goals scored in the first half.
They’re not quite close to levelling that terrible run, but they’re close to going one step lower. Spurs have suffered back-to-back home defeats to Arsenal, a 3-2 loss in April followed by a 2-0 result in January 2023.
From a broader perspective, Ange Postecoglou has picked up just one point from his four league games against the Gunners, coming in a 2-2 draw a year ago at the Emirates.
Speaking of Arsenal’s stadium, Tottenham’s recent away record against their north London derby opponents is even more disappointing. They haven’t won at the Emirates since a 2-0 EFL Cup quarter-final almost six years ago, and haven’t done the same in the league since 2010.
