North London Derby: Key Facts to Know Before the Arsenal vs. Tottenham Match

The rivalry between Arsenal and Tottenham has a rich history spanning 138 years. As the next match between the "Gunners" and the "Spurs" approaches, let's take a moment to reflect on how this fierce competition began and the most memorable moments that football fans still recall today.

How It All Began

London's Arsenal traces its origins back to 1886, when workers at a munitions factory decided to form their own football team. However, the future "Gunners" were based in Woolwich, and the decision to relocate was motivated by a desire to earn money from the sport.

Tottenham was founded in 1882, so when uninvited guests arrived in their territory (the Highbury area), few fans or players were pleased.

In the 1914/15 season, Arsenal was voted into the First Division. The "Gunners" finished the campaign in fifth place in the Second League of England, but the club president managed to persuade his counterpart from Liverpool to increase the number of teams in this way. The "Spurs," who also sought that spot, were left empty-handed, along with a deeper animosity towards their new neighbors.

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Despite the intensity of the rivalry, history does not record any major fan battles between the teams' representatives. The hero of the film "Green Street Hooligans" characterized the active fans of Arsenal and Tottenham as follows: "Arsenal is a good team, but they have a weak firm. Tottenham? Both the firm and the team are trash."

Fans actively "troll" each other on social media, but it is still not on par with the rivalry between West Ham and Millwall. The British themselves consider attending the North London Derby to be quite safe, and anyone looking for a fight under the guise of football is a fool and a loser.

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What’s Happening Now?

The first thing that comes to fans' minds is Sol Campbell's transfer to Arsenal as a free agent after spending nine years with the "Spurs," the club he came from. If any fan had a pig's head at hand, they would have certainly thrown it at the defender.

In the stands, various messages were directed at Sol: from simply calling him a thief and a liar to labeling him as Judas. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.

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Nevertheless, the most memorable photo in the history of the North London Derby features Theo Walcott, who suffered a serious cruciate injury and, while being carried off on a stretcher, reminded everyone of the score on the board. At that time, the FA Cup match ended with a 2-0 victory for the "Gunners."

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In reality, we can assert that the Arsenal vs. Tottenham derby is among the "lightest" in England and the world, as even matches between Dynamo and Shakhtar sparked more passionate emotions among fans and players before the war. These encounters rarely feature high tensions on the pitch or in the stands.

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Statistics of Head-to-Head Matches

Over the entire 138 years of this rivalry, the teams have played 196 matches across all tournaments. The absolute advantage lies with the "Gunners," who have celebrated victory 83 times. Tottenham has achieved 61 wins against their neighbors, while another 52 matches ended in a draw.

Interestingly, the "Spurs" have no advantage in any tournament in which they have faced Arsenal. Once, the teams competed for the Community Shield, which ended in a 0-0 draw, and the trophy was shared between the rivals. By the way, that was the last time such a practice occurred—after that, extra time and penalties were introduced.

What’s Happening Now?

Arsenal has emerged from a period of turbulence following Arsène Wenger's departure and has returned to the championship race alongside Manchester City and Liverpool. However, the "Gunners" seem to lack something each season (for instance, a central striker).

Tottenham last updated their trophy shelf back in 2008 when they won the English League Cup. During this time, the "Spurs" have lost finals in both the Champions League and the FA Cup, Russia has invaded Ukraine twice, several Ukrainian clubs have formed and dissolved, and the Londoners have yet to win any trophies.

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In the last five years, Arsenal has triumphed twice in the FA Community Shield, added to their collection of national cups, and has reached the brink of the coveted Premier League trophy for two consecutive seasons.

Today, football fans can look forward to the 197th match in history between the two London clubs, where Arteta's side will attempt to close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool, while their opponents, currently in 12th place in the league table and with little to aim for this season, will try to "spoil the fun" for Zinchenko and his teammates.