North London is heading east. Arsenal and Tottenham meet on Thursday in Hong Kong for a pre-season clash that’s friendly only in name.
Spurs? They’re unbeaten too, but it’s been less convincing. A 2–0 win over Reading, then a pair of flat draws against Wycombe and Luton. Thomas Frank is still figuring things out. However, he has Kudus, Solanke, and Son ready to make an impact. Udogie, Kulusevski, and Dragusin are all missing the tour.
Arsenal will be aiming for another title push this upcoming season. Tottenham, under new management, want to close the gap. This may be pre-season, but it’s still a North London Derby. And that means pride is on the line.
Arsenal vs Spurs: Key Stats
Head-to-head: Arsenal 89 wins, Spurs 67 wins, 55 draws
Last meeting: Arsenal 3–2 Spurs (April 2025)
Arsenal have won the last 3 North London derbies
Arsenal: 3 wins from 3 in pre-season (Watford, AC Milan, Newcastle)
Spurs: 1 win and 2 draws so far (Reading, Wycombe, Luton)
Kudus: 2 goals in last 3 games vs Arsenal (West Ham)
What to Expect From Both Teams
Arsenal;
Viktor Gyokeres is training with the team and could make his unofficial debut. So could Cristhian Mosquera, with Calafiori picking up another knock. Max Dowman continues to impress and might feature again. Kepa might make an appearance too. Arsenal are unbeaten and are finishing their tour with momentum.
Tottenham;
Thomas Frank is still shaping the squad. No Udogie, Kulusevski, or Gil on tour, but Kudus and Son are involved. Solanke leads the line again. Defensively, Spurs are still working out the kinks. They’ll want to avoid a fourth straight derby loss and find some rhythm before the real games begin.
Predicted Lineups
Arsenal (4-3-3) 🔴:
Raya; White, Saliba, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri, Zubimendi, Rice, Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli
Tottenham (4-3-3) ⚪:
Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Bentancur, Maddison, Sarr; Kudus, Solanke, Son
Players and Matchups to Watch
Gyokeres: First minutes in red? Eyes will be on the big-money man
Kudus vs Lewis-Skelly: Can arguably the best dribbler in the Premier League take on one of the world’s best young left-backs?
Maddison vs Rice: Creative vs combative in the middle
Saka & Martinelli: Arsenal’s wide duo have looked sharp
Son: Always a threat, possibly in his final season at Spurs
Odds Market on MSport
💵 Spurs to win: 4.70
💵 Over 2.5 goals: 1.44
It's pre-season, but it's personal. Arsenal are flying. Spurs are still finding their feet. Hong Kong hosts the derby, and someone’s leaving with bragging rights.
