Hungry and humble. That was how Mikel Arteta described Arsenal after October's north London derby victory at Emirates Stadium.

Tottenham have been less humble, more humbled, by their meetings with the Gunners this season, and Sunday's 2-0 home defeat made Spurs the victims of a first Gunners double in the north London derby since 2013-14.

With Arteta, Arsenal have a manager who understands his players, who draws the very best from them, and who might be just about halfway to a remarkable Premier League title.

In return, Arsenal's players get all the praise under the sun, but they are asked to stay focused, and duly they obey their Spanish leader.

When Arteta and captain Martin Odegaard demanded the players walk away from a post-match disturbance, away they went, to celebrate in front of their own supporters at the other end of the pitch.

This was Arsenal's first victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, they lead the Premier League by eight points after 18 games, and they have an awful lot to celebrate before putting on their next game face.

A fan in a Tottenham section appeared to aim a kick at Arsenal goalkeeper Ramsdale seconds after the full-time whistle, climbing on pitchside railings to do so before scampering away pathetically, oblivious to the existence of television cameras.

That buffoon will doubtless get his comeuppance and Spurs themselves may face FA sanctions. It was a sorry and needless way for the game to end from a Tottenham perspective, and it had already been plenty grim enough.

Ramsdale played his own brilliant role in a fine Arsenal victory, while opposite number Hugo Lloris had a nightmare, with his own goal setting the visitors on their way.

Arsenal won 3-1 at home in October to consolidate their early hold on top spot, when a fumble from Lloris in the first game allowed Gabriel Jesus to put the hosts 2-1 ahead.

Arteta said after that game: "It is a really hungry and humble team, believe me. We know where we are. There is nothing that we have done yet, and there are still a lot of things to improve, and that's the direction that we are taking."

His message still stands. The title is a long way off, but Arsenal do not look like a team about to implode.

Here, Arsenal nudged their way ahead in the 14th minute, with Bukayo Saka's cross from the right taking an inconvenient nick off Ryan Sessegnon before former France captain Lloris juggled it over the line in shambolic fashion.

Son Heung-min probably should have put Spurs level three minutes later, but Ramsdale made himself big to block the South Korean's shot after Sessegnon's clever pass.

A stunning volley from Thomas Partey left the right post shaking in the 25th minute as Arsenal moved in for the kill, and Odegaard was lethal from 25 yards in the 36th minute, sending a scorching low shot inside the right post as Lloris – him again – failed to get across to the skidding ball.

Arsenal looked light years ahead of their hosts in terms of their use of the ball, slowly strangling all life out of Tottenham.

Grant Xhaka completed all 32 passes he played in the first half. Often simple, each time those passes kept Tottenham off the ball.

Curiously, Tottenham's 43.82 per cent share of the ball in the first half was their highest in a Premier League home game this season, but they were rarely hurting Arsenal.

Odegaard's goal took him to eight for the season, making the Norwegian midfielder the team's leading scorer. He is fulfilling the captain's brief to lead by example quite marvellously.

Ramsdale saved well from Harry Kane's header just before the break, with Kane one away from matching Jimmy Greaves' Tottenham goals record.

Kane will have to wait for that moment. He would have recognised Arsenal's superiority here, and it would have hurt him as much as anyone. Will Kane ever win a trophy at Spurs? It feels increasingly doubtful.

If there was any consolation in their bleak position at half-time, Tottenham may have been aware 16 of their last 17 Premier League goals had been scored in the second half of games, including their last night.

So what did they have left?

The early signs were bright. Dejan Kulusevski, coming in off the left, whipped a shot just over the bar, before Ramsdale saved brilliantly from Sessegnon as the former Fulham player looked sure to score.

But this was a tale of two keepers, and Ramsdale was rock solid.

For Arsenal, Xhaka thrashed a free-kick over, while Nketiah was twice denied by Lloris.

Then at the other end, Spurs substitute Richarlison fluffed a late chance as he allowed Ramsdale to make a comfortable claim.

Tottenham's eight-game home unbeaten streak against Arsenal in the league is over. Though they sit fifth in the table, they are five points behind fourth spot, and 14 points now adrift of Arsenal, having played one more game than Arteta's team.

London life is proving sweet for the men in red, with this a seventh win in seven capital city derbies this season, and a fourth away clean sheet out of four.

Arsenal had not won seven consecutive London derbies since the 2007-08 season. They have not been champions of England since 2003-04.

This is a season of change. A championship beckons. Such is their position of strength, we are getting close to the point where they would have to blow it. But this team are hungry and humble, guided by great leaders. Tottenham, and Antonio Conte, must feel pig sick.

Aaron Ramsdale was left with a "sour taste" after being kicked by a Tottenham fan but insisted Arsenal will celebrate a memorable 2-0 victory on Sunday.

A costly Hugo Lloris own goal and Martin Odegaard's fizzing first-half strike sent Arsenal eight points clear at the Premier League summit after their first victory at Tottenham since 2014.

The win was somewhat marred by unsavoury scenes after the full-time whistle when Ramsdale – who had just been confronted by Richarlison – was kicked by a fan standing on the hoardings behind the goal.

The Arsenal goalkeeper acknowledged he was involved in some light-hearted exchanges with some Spurs fans but labelled the post-match incident as a "shame" after the bizarre incident.

He told Sky Sports: "The Spurs fans gave me some throughout the game. I was giving some back. The people I did give it to greeted it sportsmanlike but one fan tried to give me a little punch on the back.

"It is a shame as it is just a game of football at the end of the day. Both sets of players tried to bring me away but thankfully nothing too drastic happened.

"It is a sour taste but I'm sure we will enjoy it when we go back into the dressing room."

Tottenham defender Eric Dier echoed Ramsdale's sentiment, telling Sky Sports: "I didn't see it but obviously it is unacceptable and it shouldn't have happened. There's nothing more I can say."

Arsenal dominated throughout at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, though Ramsdale still made seven saves, including two fine stops either side of half-time against Son Heung-min and Harry Kane.

"We deserved the two-goal lead and maybe deserved more. We played the way we wanted to play in the first half and got the deserved lead," Ramsdale added.

"That's what I'm there to do. The manager also mentioned that in the last few north London derbies we haven't kept a clean sheet, so that spurred me on a bit."

Mikel Arteta's side completed their first league double over their fierce rivals since the 2013-14 season and ended Spurs' eight-game Premier League unbeaten run at home against Arsenal.

Asked about halting Tottenham's impressive derby record, Odegaard told Sky Sports: "It is about time. It felt amazing. We remembered what happened here last time.

"We wanted to play a better game and show a different side to us. We enjoyed the game."

Arsenal host in-form Manchester United on January 22, with Erik ten Hag's side trailing the leaders by nine points after derby victory over City on Saturday.

"We are in a good position, there is no doubt about that. We've got to stay humble and keep working hard," Odegaard continued.

"You saw the difference in the first and second half today so we have things to improve. We have to keep going."

Arsenal moved eight points clear at the Premier League summit after a commanding 2-0 victory at rivals Tottenham on Sunday.

Manchester City fell to a 2-1 defeat at Manchester United on Saturday and Arsenal capitalised to extend their lead to eight points with their first away win in the north London derby since 2014.

Hugo Lloris' incomprehensible own goal and Martin Odegaard's sublime first-half strike proved the difference at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where a fan seemingly kicked out at Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale at full time.

Antonio Conte's side improved after the interval but a largely uninspiring performance leaves Spurs five points off fourth-placed United, who have played a game fewer.

Lloris handed Arsenal the lead as he inexplicably parried into his own net after Bukayo Saka's tame right-wing cross-shot deflected off Ryan Sessegnon towards goal.

Tottenham's goalkeeper atoned somewhat by keeping out Odegaard's fizzing drive, while Thomas Partey struck the right-hand post with a thunderous volley.

Yet those warnings were not heeded by Spurs, who were 2-0 down when Odegaard was again offered room outside the area. This time, he picked out the bottom-right corner.

Ramsdale denied Harry Kane's header on the stroke of half-time before thwarting the Spurs striker and Sessegnon after the interval with impressive stops in quick succession.

Eddie Nketiah wastefully fired against the onrushing Lloris shortly after, though that mattered for little as Arsenal – despite a late flurry of Spurs pressure – eased to a potentially pivotal victory.

Tempers threatened to boil over at the end, when a Tottenham supporter kicked out at Ramsdale after a confrontation with Richarlison, though Mikel Arteta rushed across to drag his team away from a potential flashpoint. 

What does it mean? Gunners end Spurs away hoodoo in vital win

January was labelled by some as defining month for Arsenal's title challenge, with the Gunners having to face Champions League contenders Newcastle United, Tottenham and United.

Arteta's side were far from their best in a goalless draw with Newcastle but improved to dominate this time out.

Victory ended an eight-game Premier League unbeaten run for Spurs at home to Arsenal, who will look to build on their first league double over their rivals since the 2013-14 season as they seek their first top-flight title since 2004.

Odegaard stars again

Odegaard has been pivotal to Arsenal's upturn in fortunes this season, with the Norway international repeatedly providing creative masterclasses for the resurgent Gunners.

The 24-year-old playmaker has eight goals and five assists after 23 games in all competitions this term, surpassing last season's tallies of seven goals and 12 goal involvements.

Arsenal might have lost out on Mykhaylo Mudryk to London rivals Chelsea, but they have one of the league's outstanding attacking talents in Odegaard.

Lloris at fault again

No player in the Premier League has committed more errors leading to goals this season than the three of Lloris, though those Opta-defined stats do not include own goals.

His calamity marked his first own goal in the competition in his 354th appearance, while Chris Armstrong (in 2000) and Kevin Wimmer (in 2016) are the only others to turn into their own net in the history of this fixture in the Premier League.

What's next?

Arsenal are at home to in-form United on January 22, while Tottenham visit City three days earlier.

Premier League leaders Arsenal appear destined to miss out on their long-term target Mykhaylo Mudryk.

The Gunners had reportedly made several bids for the Shakhtar Donetsk winger, but he now seems set to join Chelsea after they began talks on a fee with the Ukrainian club.

As a result, Arsenal will need to turn their attention elsewhere during the January transfer window to bolster their squad.

TOP STORY – GUNNERS SWITCH ATTENTION TO BARCELONA'S RAPHINHA

Arsenal have turned to Barcelona's Brazilian winger Raphinha having missed out on Mudryk, claims Sportitalia.

The former Leeds United winger only joined Barcelona in July on a five-year contract, but has made only 12 starts from 22 overall appearances for the Blaugrana.

The Gunners hope that Raphinha would be a suitable candidate to return to England, given his previous Premier League experience.

ROUND-UP

– Fabrizio Romano claims Mykhaylo Mudryk will be at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea's game with Crystal Palace on Sunday after medical tests, having signed pre-contracts on a move to the Blues from Shakhtar Donetsk, warding off Arsenal's interest.

– Chelsea have also lodged a €30million (£26.5m) offer for PSV winger Noni Madueke, according to ESPN. The 20-year-old England youth international moved to the Eredivisie from Tottenham in 2018.

– Crystal Palace are set to launch a new bid to sign Conor Gallagher from Chelsea, claims The Sun on Sunday. Gallagher enjoyed a bright loan spell at Selhurst Park last season and has fallen down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge.

– Memphis Depay will exit Barcelona in January, according to Fabrizio Romano. Talks are ongoing with Atletico Madrid, whom the Dutchman is open to joining.

– Tottenham are readying a £20m (€22.5m) move for Bayer Leverkusen's Ecuadorian defender Piero Hincapie, reports The Sun on Sunday.

– Football Insider has suggested that Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita will leave the club on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of this season.

Mikel Arteta is making memories at Arsenal he says he will never forget as he saluted the Gunners' "incredible dressing room" ahead of the North London derby against Tottenham.

Following a blistering start to the season, in which they have won 14 of their first 17 games, Arteta's side can move eight points clear at the Premier League summit with victory over their bitter rivals on Sunday.

Arteta endured a testing start to life at Emirates Stadium, but the pendulum has certainly swung in his favour this term, and he is enjoying himself now.

"It's just an incredible dressing room. It's just a joy to work with [the players] every single day," said Arteta, who won the Premier League's Manager of the Month award for December.

"Some of the things that we've done together, I'll probably never be able to do them with any other team or with any other group.

"Especially on match days and the things that we do together, that will stay in my brain for the rest of my life."

The maturity of this young Arsenal team has particularly impressed Arteta, who has noted the way his relationship with the players has changed this season.

"[The players] are certainly more mature," he said. "I think the demands have changed as well and my role and what they, in my opinion, need from me is different as well.

"And that's why we always have to be evolving and trying to be ahead of what is coming, to give to the players and the rest of the staff what is going to make everything click to be more efficient and to win more games."

On the pitch, that has translated not only to better results but also better performances.

Arteta said of the changes at Arsenal: "We win more games, which is the most important thing and the thing that changes everything, and I think we play better.

"We deserve to win in the games that we have won, and probably that's the most relevant thing."

All eyes will be cast towards north London on Sunday for a derby that could have significant implications in the tussle for the Premier League title and the hunt for a top-four finish.

Arsenal's lead at the top of the Premier League will be just two points if Manchester City beat Manchester United on Saturday, while victory for Erik ten Hag's side would put them five ahead of Spurs in the quest for Champions League football.

Having so much at stake is nothing new for clashes between Arsenal and Spurs, with a meeting at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last May being decisive in the two sides' battle to clinch fourth spot, where a 3-0 win for the hosts saw the Gunners miss the chance to secure a return to Europe's elite club competition.

Arsenal then lost to Newcastle United and saw Spurs leapfrog them to secure a top-four spot on the final day of the season, but Mikel Arteta's side have responded superbly.

Gunning for glory

Arsenal's pursuit of a first league title since 2003-04 has caught many by surprise this season, as has Tottenham's inability to kick on having beaten their arch-rivals to Champions League football last term.

Since that loss to Spurs in May, Arsenal have won 15 of their 19 Premier League matches, picking up 47 points out of a possible 57, with losses coming in the aforementioned trip to Newcastle last season and at Old Trafford against United in September.

Spurs, meanwhile, have won 12 of 20 Premier League fixtures since the win against Arsenal, picking up 39 points from a possible 60 – six of which came in back-to-back victories to finish the 2021-22 season.

In attack, the two great rivals boast a similar record, with Arsenal scoring 45 goals in 19 matches and Spurs finding the net on 43 occasions, having played a game more, though five came in a 5-0 thrashing of Norwich City on the final day of last season.

Defence is where Arsenal have shown the biggest improvement, conceding 17 goals in 19 matches – just 14 of which have been this season – while Spurs have conceded 25 goals in the same period,

Those improvements for Arsenal have put them 15 points better off than they were at the same stage last season, while Spurs have exactly the same points total as they did at the halfway mark last year.

Kane leading the way as Arsenal come of age

Unsurprisingly, England captain Harry Kane has the best goalscoring record since the two sides met at the back end of last season, scoring 17 goals in 20 games – 15 of which have come this season, only Erling Haaland (21) having more.

A lack of goals from alternative sources has been an issue, however, with Son Heung-min scoring six in the Premier League since May 13, 2022, and Richarlison yet to find the net for Spurs in his 10 Premier League appearances.

Arsenal's top-scorer in the same period is Gabriel Martinelli (eight goals in 19 appearances), though Bukayo Saka is closely behind with six and Eddie Nketiah's fine run since stepping up to replace the injured Gabriel Jesus leaves him with three goals in 17 appearances, only five of which have been as a starter.

Saka (seven) and Martinelli (three) both have more assists than Kane, Richarlison and Son (two), though the England captain's tally of goals gives him the best minutes per goal/assist average of 105 minutes, with Arsenal's best being Nketiah (189 minutes).

Nketiah (17 per cent), Saka and Martinelli (both 15 per cent) have been similarly efficient in front of goal, while Kane's 21.8 per cent shot conversion rate is significantly higher than Son (11.5 per cent).

The fairly even spread of Arsenal's attacking options displays the shared responsibility that Arteta's side have in the final third, whereas Kane continues to carry his team-mates.

Kane stands as the highest-scoring player of all-time in the north London derby with 14 goals, scoring in all but one of his eight home Premier League games against the Gunners as he stands one away from matching Jimmy Greaves' all-time record for the club of 266.

Arsenal must show they can handle the pressure of being Premier League title "favourites", according to Tottenham head coach Antonio Conte.

Mikel Arteta's side head into Sunday's North London derby top of the table having won 14 of their 17 games.

But the Gunners dropped points in a goalless draw with Newcastle United last week, and with closest challengers Manchester City playing Manchester United on Saturday, Arsenal's lead could be cut to just two points by the time they step out onto the pitch at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

Conte is no stranger to title races, having lifted five top-flight crowns during his managerial career, including the 2016-17 Premier League while in charge of Chelsea.

He warned Arsenal that, despite their fantastic start, the real challenge starts now as they look to fend off City and claim their first league title since the 2003-04 'Invincibles' season.

"When you are at the top of the league the perception of your opponents change totally," Conte told reporters. "You are in that moment the best team in the league. For this reason, everybody wants to try to beat you.

"For sure, Arsenal has to face this situation of being favourites to win the league at this moment because they are top of the table. They have to show they are good to face this type of situation.

"In the last 10 years it was always the same, between City, Chelsea and Liverpool. Maybe Leicester [City]. Now Arsenal have a great opportunity.

"I think they are doing very well. Now they have to show they can stay there until the end of the season because I'm sure Manchester City doesn't agree and will feel the real possibility to win [the title] again.

"I think it is a battle between Arsenal and Manchester City."

Despite the huge animosity between the capital-city rivals, Spurs boss Conte still has respect for how Arsenal have turned things around after a tumultuous period in the late stages of and following Arsene Wenger's tenure.

Conte pointed out Arteta's focus on youth, as well as their recruitment in the transfer market, as reasons for the Gunners' success, saying: "They are working for many years in a project.

"They are doing very well. They sent away a lot of players, and bring in many players and they spend money to do it.

"It's normal when you work with the same young players and after four years they develop and become stronger.

"You have two paths you can follow.

"If you want to accelerate the process it is important to bring experienced players, winners, who know how to win, but you have another way, which is you need to have time and patience to develop young players."

Tottenham and Newcastle United are both keeping a close eye on forward Nicolo Zaniolo despite a mediocre stretch of form with Roma.

The 23-year-old has 11 Italy caps to his name, but he has struggled to show his quality this season.

From 13 Serie A appearances this term, including 12 starts, Zaniolo has only scored one goal with zero assists, after a 2021-22 season where he contributed only two goals in 28 league games.

Despite his disappointing goal tally, Zaniolo is reportedly demanding a significant pay increase to re-sign in Italy's capital, forcing Roma into a difficult decision.

TOP STORY – PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS CIRCLE FOR ZANIOLO

According to Calciomercato, Tottenham head coach Antonio Conte is a fan of Zaniolo, while the "increasingly ambitious" Newcastle are "waiting for new developments".

For Tottenham, their top priority remains retaining the services of Conte, and that could mean taking a leap of faith to secure one of his targets.

The report states the most recent negotiations between Roma and Zaniolo's agents ended with no progress, and with 18 months remaining on his contract, his transfer value will likely not get any higher than it is right now.

ROUND-UP

– The Times is reporting Newcastle also have strong interest in 25-year-old Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves.

– According to Caught Offside, Chelsea could sign 25-year-old Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram for €10million this month as his contract expires at the end of the season.

– Tottenham, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund are among the teams scouting impressive 18-year-old Oscar Gloukh from Maccabi Tel Aviv, who could be purchased for €9m, per The Sun.

– The Daily Mail is reporting 29-year-old Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could leave the club this month, with six months remaining on his contract.

– Liverpool are trying to convince 26-year-old Fiorentina midfielder and Morocco standout Sofyan Amrabat to head to Anfield, but he prefers Atletico Madrid, per The Mirror.

Mikel Arteta has admitted that Arsenal need to have better control over their emotions after being hit with consecutive FA charges.

The Gunners were issued with a £40,000 fine on Friday for failing to control their players in the goalless draw against Newcastle United, following appeals for a last-minute penalty at Emirates Stadium.

Another charge then came the way of Arteta's side for similar appeals in the FA Cup third-round victory over Oxford United, with Arsenal's behaviour in both matches attracting criticism.

Sunday's north London derby against Tottenham will provide another test of Arsenal's ability to control their temper, as they seek to maintain their position at the top of the Premier League standings.

Arteta faced questions about the charges in his pre-match press conference and, while he admitted the team needs to do better in that aspect, feels he cannot control his own emotions.

"I care a lot about the reputation of the club, especially. Mine, I cannot control. I am who I am," he said.

"I try to do my best to defend the players, to defend the club and that comes down to certain people who won't like it. For sure, if everybody would like it, it wouldn't be very good.

"It's not that I don't care. But I care a lot more, especially when I'm doing my job. When I'm sitting at home, I care about what my wife thinks and what people think but you don't see it.

"But when I'm in the public eye, I care a lot [about] what can we do the best for the club and the best to defend the players. And this is my role as well.

"I agree that we have to control what we can control and there are certain things that we can do better.

"That's what big teams do, and the next one it's over, and you can draw or lose and it can mean very different circumstances.

"You haven't played when, the opponent was better than you, get a wrong decision, you didn't finalise the action the way you should, and someone make an error. But the next game has to be over.

"And hopefully, we have learned and we will try to do that. But in this league, there is no guarantee because the next game is going to be competitive and the next one. So, you have to earn it."

Harry Kane earned a passionate tribute from Tottenham boss Antonio Conte ahead of the north London derby where the striker could break Jimmy Greaves' Spurs goals record.

Head coach Conte described the England captain as "not also a world-class striker but also a really good man", saying he had deserved the chance to overtake club legend Greaves and predicting he would "beat every record".

At the age of 29, Kane is already the highest-scoring player in north London derby history with 14 goals, and he has scored in all but one of his eight Premier League home games against Arsenal.

Kane moved to 265 goals for the club by scoring to earn Spurs an FA Cup win over Portsmouth last weekend, now just one short of Greaves' haul.

Ahead of what would be Kane's 413th appearance for Tottenham in Saturday's early Premier League game, Conte said there was more than meets the eye to his star man's contribution.

"You know very well, much better than me, the importance of Harry for us, for Tottenham, but also for the national team, because with the club and with the national team he has great numbers," Conte told a press conference.

"We are talking about a world-class striker and for sure he is going to beat every record.

"I think he deserves this, but I want to always underline also the other aspect, the human aspect about Harry, because we are not only talking about a world-class striker but also a really good man, a really good person, and for us he is an important point of reference."

Kane is two short of becoming the third player to reach 200 Premier League goals, after Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney. Shearer's Premier League record of 260 goals will soon come into sight, providing Kane does not move abroad.

He is at that stage of his career where the records and the landmarks crop up constantly.

Greaves died in September 2021, and was already an established striker by the time he joined Tottenham as a 21-year-old, having risen to prominence with a flood of goals for Chelsea before having a short stint with Milan.

Kane will probably scorch way clear of Greaves' Spurs record, and Conte will take delight in him getting there.

"I am sure that he is going to beat this record and he is doing something incredible," Conte said. "At the same time we try to help him and if he scores, he helps us. This is important to have this exchange of favours."

Dejan Kulusevski will be available to return for Tottenham against North London rivals Arsenal on Sunday.

Kulusevski was a key man for Spurs at the start of this season, but spent a spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury prior to the World Cup.

The winger featured in Spurs' final three games before the tournament in Qatar, and with Sweden failing to qualify, the 22-year-old used the break to try and return to fitness.

But while he played the entirety of Spurs' first game back, a 2-2 draw at Brentford, Kulusevski was absent for the home defeat to Aston Villa with a muscle injury before also missing the victories over Crystal Palace and Portsmouth.

However, the former Juventus man is in contention for a clash with bitter rivals Arsenal, who hold a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

"The news for sure is the situation is going to improve, especially for Kulusevski," Tottenham head coach Antonio Conte told reporters on Friday. "He had training sessions in the last few days with us. He's going to be ready to play."

Conte will not be able to call upon Richarlison and Rodrigo Bentancur, both of whom picked up injuries while at the World Cup and have not featured for Spurs since.

"About Richy and Rodrigo, both situations are improving," Conte added. "I think in this moment Deki [Kulusevski] is much more ready to play. 

"For us, it is important to have patience ahead of this period and not to risk accelerating and lose them for a long period. We will see."

Lucas Moura has also endured a frustrating time due to injury and the club have decided not to renew his contract, which expires at the end of this season.

Conte said: "This is the decision of the club [not to renew]. 

"Honestly in my mind, when we planned this season Lucas was an important player for us. If you see the season, he's played one or two games."

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has recently come under fire for his touchline antics after an angry confrontation with Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe during a goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium, with the Gunners feeling they should have had a late penalty.

But Conte, who clashed with former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel earlier in the season, feels Arteta is within his rights to be animated, explaining: "Arteta is another coach that shows his passion and transfers this into the pitch and his players.

"Our job now has become really difficult, so to see a coach sat on the bench is very difficult. For sure Arteta is a coach like me, we show our passion. Nothing is prepared in your mind.

"Sometimes you can celebrate in a strange way, but this passion is a pure passion. Arteta is another coach who likes to live the game."

Conte was more critical of Arsenal's conduct as a team, after receiving two FA charges in the space of six days for their behaviour against Newcastle and then Oxford United in the FA Cup, stating: "To intimidate and create a bad atmosphere is not fair. I hate the people who try to do it."

Mikel Arteta is aware of the impact a first victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could have on Arsenal's season ahead of Sunday's huge North London Derby.

Having beaten Tottenham 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium in October, Premier League leaders Arsenal are looking to claim a first league double against their local rivals since the 2013-14 campaign.

That season also represents the last time Arsenal won a North London Derby as the away team, with the Gunners losing on all three visits to Spurs' new home since it opened in 2019. 

With Arsenal looking to go 14 points clear of their rivals and maintain their advantage over Manchester City at the summit, Arteta is embracing the challenge ahead of them.

"We haven't won there, so that's the challenge we have ahead of us, we have to beat them at their place," the Spaniard said at Friday's pre-match press conference.

"We've had a few in the last few years – places where we didn't win in 15 or 20 years. We have a great challenge and opportunity on Sunday to get that one down.

"It's one of the biggest games of the season for us. We know how much it means right now for us in the table, and how much it means for our fans.

"We don't think about sending messages, we think about performing, playing well and earning the right to win the games.

"We know where we are. At Arsenal, we do not have any expectations other than winning games every three days, whoever we play against."

Spurs are looking to win four consecutive home league games against Arsenal for the first time in their history, with last May's 3-0 thrashing of the Gunners proving crucial as they beat their neighbours to Champions League qualification.

Reflecting on that defeat, in which Arsenal capitulated after Rob Holding's first-half dismissal, Arteta challenged the Gunners to showcase their improvement against their out-of-form hosts.

"There were a lot of things to learn and take from it," Arteta said of last season's trip to Spurs. "We are in a different place, but we have to show that by playing the way we want to play.

"Obviously, the way we have performed and the results that we've got, confidence-wise, have put us in a good position, but that's something you have to show in every single match against every opponent.

"Especially every away game brings a big challenge and this is no different. We have to prove we are good enough to go there and play our way to win the match."

Arteta was also asked about the club's pursuit of Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk – who appeared to hint at his desire to join Arsenal by posting a praying emoji on Instagram as reports suggested the Gunners had tabled another bid on Thursday.

"You know we cannot talk about any other players. There is interest in things we would like to do to improve the team because we are a bit short in certain areas," Arteta said. "As a club, we are determined to improve the team in every window."

Asked if he had taken notice of Mudryk's social media activity, Arteta laughed: "I won't tell you how good I am with a phone!"

Arsenal should be labelled as favourites in the north London derby, but Harry Redknapp says Harry Kane will always give his old team Tottenham a fighting chance.

Premier League leaders Arsenal make the short trip across the capital to face their rivals on Sunday.

A 3-0 defeat to Antonio Conte's team in the corresponding fixture last season was the start of Arsenal's capitulation in the run-in, which saw them miss out on the Champions League.

Yet Mikel Arteta's side are flying high this term and, having beat Spurs 3-1 in October, Arsenal are looking to complete their first league double over their rivals since 2013-14, which was also their last league victory away at Tottenham.

Former Spurs manager Redknapp believes Arsenal have the edge, but is confident Kane – the highest-scoring player in north London derby history with 14 goals – will take an opportunity if it comes his way.

"At the moment, you'd have to fancy Arsenal, to be honest, they look so good," Redknapp told Stats Perform.

"They're so full of confidence. I love the way they're playing. I think they've got some real quality players, but when you've got Harry Kane in your team, you've always got a chance, you've got a puncher's chance.

"They might get outplayed for long periods of a game but Kane can land a knockout blow anytime. So I wouldn't write Tottenham off by any means. I think it'll be a tight game."

Kane has scored in all but one of his eight league home games against Arsenal, only failing to find the net in a July 2020 clash, when the competition restarted behind closed doors during the coronavirus pandemic.

The 29-year-old has scored 198 Premier League goals and is just one strike away from matching Jimmy Greaves' record of 266 goals for Tottenham.

Only Erling Haaland (21) has scored more Premier League goals than Kane (15) this season, with the Spurs talisman having far over performed his expected goals of 10.5.

Wayne Rooney (208) and Alan Shearer (260) are the only players to have scored more Premier League goals than Kane, who Redknapp believes is the cream of the crop.

"Oh without a doubt, yeah," Redknapp said when asked if Kane will break the competition's goalscoring record.

"I think he'll smash it to pieces. Harry's just an amazing player, he's the best centre forward in the world in my opinion.

"He's right up there isn't he? Shearer you know how far do you go back you know, but you know, he's up there with the very, very best isn't he?

"The great Jimmy Greaves was a different type of player, Jimmy was a fantastic footballer. Genius. But Harry is just amazing. For me, he's the best all-round centre forward, he can do everything. The complete player.

"There's nothing he doesn't do. Team player. Great guy, not a problem. Perfect professional."

Former Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang only returned to London in September to join Chelsea, but his time at Stamford Bridge could soon be up.

The Gabon international has scored three goals in 16 games but has only started four times in the Premier League under Blues boss Graham Potter.

Chelsea have been active in the January transfer window, already bringing in Joao Felix, Andrey Santos, Benoit Badiashile and David Datro Fofana.

TOP STORY – AUBA COULD EXIT CHELSEA FOR BARCELONA RETURN

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is eager to leave Chelsea and wants to return to Barcelona, reports Spanish newspaper Sport.

Aubameyang reportedly had interest from Atletico Madrid too, but FIFA rules state a player can only be registered for a maximum of three clubs in a season, but only play for two.

Any move for the Gabon international, who played for the Blaugrana earlier this season, could hinge on Atletico's interest in Barca's Memphis Depay. 

ROUND-UP

– Atletico Madrid are weighing up a move for Leicester City's Turkish defender Caglar Soyuncu, reports Italian journalist Matteo Moretto. Wolves are pushing to sign Brazilian centre-back Felipe from the Spanish club, according to the Daily Mail.

– Southampton full-back Kyle Walker-Peters has interest from Manchester United and Chelsea, reports Talksport.

– The Sun reports Manchester United are also interested in World Cup stars Goncalo Ramos and Mohammed Kudus from Benfica and Ajax respectively.

– Foot Mercato reports Fiorentina's Moroccan midfielder Sofyan Amrabat would prefer to join Atletico Madrid instead of Liverpool or Tottenham. Fiorentina appear set to sell him for more than €50million after impressing at the World Cup.

– The Daily Mail says Marseille could receive a bid from Aston Villa for ex-Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi. New Villa boss Unai Emery worked with Guendouzi at Emirates Stadium.

– Leeds United have agreed a deal that could be worth up to £35.5million (€40m) to sign Hoffenheim forward Georginio Rutter, claims Sky in Germany.

Gareth Bale was only behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at the peak of his career, according to former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp.

Wales legend Bale announced his retirement from football on Monday, bringing to a close a career that included three LaLiga titles and five Champions League medals with Real Madrid, among other accolades.

Prior to his move to Spain, Bale made a name for himself at Spurs under Redknapp, where he won two PFA Player of the Year awards and scored 71 goals in 237 games for the Premier League side.

Speaking to Stats Perform, Redknapp said he was not overly surprised by Bale's decision, and feels at his very best his name belongs in the most esteemed of company.

"I suppose it was a bit of a surprise but not a great surprise," he said. "He'd gone to America [joining MLS side Los Angeles FC in June], not played many games and even though he came on in the [MLS Cup] final and scored a goal, he looked like he wasn't figuring in their team much.

"He played in the World Cup, did okay [and it was] great to get Wales there, a fantastic achievement. But in all honesty, it wasn't a Gareth Bale when they played England [losing 3-0 in the group stage] or anybody really that we've come to see over the years.

"He maybe felt he couldn't reach the heights [he used to] and the standards he set over so many seasons when he was absolutely fantastic for me, when he was the third-best player in the world for a period behind Ronaldo and Messi.

"And maybe he felt he couldn't quite get back to that again and decided [to] maybe call it a day. But he's had a fantastic career."

Bale had already been at Tottenham for a year before Redknapp was appointed in 2008, and the former West Ham and Southampton boss knew he had a gem on his hands as he decided to move him further forward from his original position at left-back.

"I sort of inherited him in that position," Redknapp explained. "But I knew him from Southampton, I'd followed his career very closely and knew that he was an amazing talent from a very early age.

"When I went to Tottenham, I was very much looking forward to working with him because I just felt he was a player with the ability to go on to become a big star. He was a left-back, I pushed him forward onto the left wing, but if he had stayed at left-back, he'd have been the best left-back in the world, he was just an amazing talent.

"He had everything really, he had the physique, he had the ability to run, that speed with and without the ball, he could dribble, he could shoot, he could head it. There was nothing really that he couldn't do.

"He wasn't obsessed with football. He wouldn't be one in the dressing room that would voice any opinions or one that would want to spend hours out practising after training. It just came very easy to him, he was just a fantastic, naturally gifted footballer and athlete."

Redknapp credited Bale's form at his peak to his professionalism, and after scoring 21 goals in 33 Premier League games in 2012-13, he earned a big money move to Madrid.

"He was so easy to handle, he was just a smashing lad," Redknapp said. "He was low maintenance, was never a problem, you knew at night he wasn't out in nightclubs or drinking. He's a family man.

"[He was] quite humble, quite shy. But when he got on the pitch and he got the ball, away he went and when he got it, whoever was playing against him was in trouble every time... [it was] just amazing what he could do."