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DERBY DECIDER
Harry Redknapp: Here’s my masterplan to help Spurs stop Saka and Arsenal… and put major dent in Gunners’ title hopes
Redknapp warned Ange Postecoglou to send a message to a key Spurs player
I HAVE to chuckle when I hear them call this the North London Derby where destiny is on the line for both clubs.
Because I can’t help thinking that it’s actually the Destiny OFF which could end up having the biggest impact.
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Arsenal can’t afford any slip-ups if they’re going to keep their noses in front of Manchester City and win the Premier League.
And as much as Tottenham would love to throw a spanner in the works by stopping that, there’s plenty at stake for them, too.
Three points is just as vital for Ange Postecoglou’s side if they’re going to nick fourth place off Aston Villa.
It’s a massive game at the best of times — I know that better than most — and the smallest details can make the biggest difference.
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And for Spurs that means how they cope without the injured Destiny Udogie, who might not get the headlines but has been outstanding.
His pace would have been vital against Bukayo Saka, who can destroy you, and Postecoglou’s got a big job on now Udogie’s missing, for sure.
Ben Davies will probably come in at left-back but in my book Spurs have to block off that side, so who plays in front of him is the key.
And it’s got to be someone defensively minded, too, because if they don’t double up on Saka he could run riot.
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Tactics Exposed: Why Kai Havertz is Arsenal’s most important player
By Dean Scoggins
KAI HAVERTZ endured a difficult start to life at the Emirates after his big-money move from Chelsea.
But has now well and truly found his feet.
The German, 24, has found his scoring boots in recent weeks, including his double against his old club.
But Havertz has been providing much more than goals in recent months.
In fact he has become Mikel Arteta’s most important player as Arsenal go for the title.
That’s after the Spanish boss made a genius tactical switch.
Click here to read all about it.
Or to watch the .
While that’s crucial, so is keeping a cool head, because Spurs will be bang up for this and the tackles are going to be flying in.
There will be a few cards flashed around, believe me.
The Wags of the North London Derby
When I was manager, every time we played Arsenal I’d hammer the same message into my team: be careful!
They were different times, of course, with not so many overseas players. But that meant everyone knew the importance, especially the London boys like Ledley King.
You want your players fired up but I’d always tell them: “I can’t afford to play this lot with ten men, so keep a lid on it.”
That’s something Ange needs to get through to Cristian Romero especially, because it doesn’t take much for the red mist to come down.
He’s got to make sure it’s not followed by a red card.
Mind you, Arsenal can look after themselves too. They’ve got bags of quality but they’re not short of guys who can steam in as well.
Declan Rice has been a great signing, Martin Odegaard is a fantastic player — and I’ve changed my opinion on Kai Havertz.
But for all that, I really can’t see Spurs getting beaten, so assuming they manage to keep Saka in check, I’d have to put my money on a score draw.
And with both sides desperate for three points, that wouldn’t do either of them any favours.
I can see goals, I can see bookings — plenty of them — but I just can’t see a winner.
Harry Redknapp
So I’m sorry lads, as much as I hate to sit on the fence, sometimes it’s the only place to take a pew — and this afternoon is one of those times.
I can see goals, I can see bookings — plenty of them — but I just can’t see a winner.
Which obviously means no one’s going home happy. Apart from City.
They beat Brighton on Thursday without breaking sweat and if they are in the same form at Nottingham Forest after the derby, City will be top by tonight.
A point behind Arsenal, a game in hand and a squad packed with world-class players… I’m not surprised some bookies have already paid out.
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And as much as City would love to still be in with a shout of another Treble, the fact that the Champions League is out of the way just makes them an even tougher nut to crack.
Then it will be on to the FA Cup final, where they will be red-hot favourites to beat United again.
Mikel Arteta's striker shopping list
By Jordan Davies
ARSENAL are stepping up plans to sign a world-class striker in the summer after their Champions League heartbreak.
Mikel Arteta splashed out £204.5m last summer on Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber.
But the Spanish manager accepts he needs a proven goalscorer to take the club to the next level.
And here are the players he is looking at to get the Gunners firing:
BENJAMIN SESKO (RB Leipzig, value £40m-£45m)
One for the future at 20 years old. Scored 16 goals for RB Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga last season and the Slovenian has carried on that good form in Germany with Leipzig this campaign.
VIKTOR GYOKERES (Sporting Lisbon, value £60m-£80m)
Been scouted several times this season. The Swedish striker, 25, is more of a traditional No 9 so may not suit Arsenal’s demand for flexibility but would bring a physicality that boss Mikel Arteta craves.
ALEXANDER ISAK (Newcastle, value £75m-£85m)
Impressed in his first two seasons in English football. The Swede, 24, has the pace and finesse to match his finishing ability, and Eddie Howe’s Toon may need to sell to balance the books this summer.
JOSHUA ZIRKZEE (Bologna, value £45m-£50m)
Dutch wonder is attracting the attentions of clubs across Europe. At 6ft 4in the 22-year-old forward would have no trouble adapting to the Premier League and already has an eye for goal.
XAVI SIMONS (RB Leipzig, value £70m-£80m)
An incredible talent in the Bukayo Saka mould, currently on loan from Paris Saint-Germain. The future of the Dutch attacker, 20, depends on how much money his parent club want to make from him.
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