By Betsefy
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be aiming to join an exclusive club of Gunners coaches when Tottenham Hotspur make the journey to the Emirates for Saturday’s North London derby.
The 40-year-old’s managerial debut against Tottenham came behind closed doors in the 2020-21 season, where Arsenal recovered from Erik Lamela‘s Puskas-worthy Rabona to win 2-1.
The Gunners also blew Tottenham away in a first-half display of attacking dominance at the Emirates last term, prevailing 3-1 before Spurs gleaned revenge with a 3-0 success at home.
Arsenal ultimately lost out to their North London rivals in the race for Champions League football, but a personal achievement could be on the line for Arteta this weekend.
Should the Spaniard lead Arsenal to victory on Saturday, he will become only the third Gunners manager to win each of his first three North London derbies in the league.
George Morrell was the first man to do so with Woolwich Arsenal between December 1909 and December 1911, and Terry Neill followed in the Scotsman’s footsteps between 1977 and 1979.
Furthermore, Arsenal have only lost one of their last 29 league games against Tottenham at home, with their Emirates meeting in the 2010-11 season ending in a 3-2 defeat under Arsene Wenger.
Victory for Arsenal would see them maintain their position at the top of the Premier League table and open up a four-point gap over Antonio Conte‘s third-placed side.
