Arsenal vs Spurs | The best away side out to topple the leaders

No extra incentive is needed to get up for this one. Back after the last international break of the year, it's all eyes on Emirates Stadium for the north London derby at Arsenal on Sunday.

The cliche around these intense rivalries is form tends to go out of the window but, although that can be true amidst the derby chaos, one look at the form charts and this weekend sees the Premier League's best away side travel to the league leaders in the latest edition of this storied fixture.

Away victories over Manchester City, West Ham United, Leeds United and Everton as well as a draw with Brighton means we are the only side still unbeaten on the road in the top flight this season. 

Currently sitting fifth in the table heading into this weekend, we have amassed the joint-most points (13), the joint-most goals (12) and the fewest goals conceded (three) of any side on their travels. 

The Gunners have set the early pace and sit eight points above us in top spot. The NLD is always the biggest game in the calendar and both sides are looking to return to winning ways after conceding late equalisers in 2-2 draws last time out in the league.

Making the short trip to N5, history shows we'll need to be at our very best to overturn a disappointing recent record there which has seen us go winless in our previous 14 games (D5 L9) since a 3-2 win in November 2010.

We are currently the fourth highest-scoring side with 19 goals this term, 11 of which have come in open play (only bettered by two teams), and have found the back of the net in the previous seven away NLDs.

Set-pieces continue to provide a key battle ground in the Premier League across the board this term and that will likely be no different on Sunday. Arsenal have scored the most from set pieces (10) and we rank third on six goals. Meanwhile, our rivals will have to find a way past the meanest set-piece defence, with no side conceding fewer than our two this campaign.

A regular feature in the technical area is the dovetailing between the manager and set-piece coach during routines and this one pits Arsenal's Nicolas Jover against Andreas Georgson, both of whom have worked under Thomas Frank, to add another subplot to the derby.

Here are some other pre-match facts, courtesy of Opta, ahead of the north London derby:

• Only in 1995/96 (10), 2016/17 (six), 2020/21 (six) and 2023/24 (six) have we gone unbeaten in our opening six away games in a Premier League campaign.
• Micky van de Ven has scored more goals in all competitions (six) than any other centre back for a big five European league side this season.
• Richarlison has scored 15 goals in his last 21 Premier League starts, while his two league goals against the Gunners both drew former club Everton level in February 2020 and in December 2021.
• Joao Palhinha has avoided defeat in each of his last two Premier League appearances against Arsenal (W1 D1 - with Fulham in 2023/24), netting a late equaliser for Fulham in his most recent visit to the Emirates in August 2023.
• Frank won his first ever Premier League game in charge against Arsenal in August 2021 but is since winless in seven (D2 L5).
• Mohammed Kudus is available for selection, that provides a huge boost in attack given the winger leads the way for us on expected assists (1.3 xG) and chances created (15) in the Premier League this season, while only Richarlison (19) has had more shots than him (17).
• This will be the 10th time Arsenal (five wins) and Tottenham (one win) have met in the Premier League following an international break (three draws).
• We have won six of our last 10 league games that have come off the back of an international break (L4), although we did lose 2-1 at home to Aston Villa after the last break.
• The Gunners have lost just one of their 13 Premier League games that have come immediately after an international break (W10 D2).