Saturday 18 November 2017 12:42, UK
Harry Winks believes the balance of power in north London is tipping in Tottenham's favour ahead of Saturday's derby with Arsenal.
A life-long Spurs fan, Winks grew up in an era of Arsenal dominance as the Gunners finished above their rivals in the Premier League for 22 consecutive seasons.
Mauricio Pochettino's men stopped the rot with a second-place finish last term, three above Arsenal, and have gone on to flourish in the Champions League in the Gunners' absence, while underlining their credentials as genuine title contenders.
Winks believes Spurs can now be classed as the stronger force in north London, a claim he feels will be further strengthened with victory at the Emirates, live on Sky Sports Premier League.
In an exclusive interview with Soccer AM's Tubes, the midfielder said: "I hate to say it but Arsenal were probably the dominant force when I was growing up.
"I've got to be loyal to Spurs because I'm a Spurs fans, but over the years Arsenal have been ahead of us and got results. It used to burn me watching that.
"But I'd like to think things are starting to change a little bit. We are playing really well and hopefully we can get a result when we play them.
"I'd say the balance is tipping because over the past couple of years we have become serious contenders in the Premier League. We're up there fighting and we consider ourselves one of the strongest teams in the league.
"Arsenal is the one fixture we all look for. It's a game that's close to the fans, to me and to all of the boys. It's a game we want to win.
"As a Spurs fan I've watched the games and the rivalries throughout the years, so to play against Arsenal you have the bit between your teeth."
Spurs' strong start to the season has coincided with Winks' breakthrough into Pochettino's first team, with the 21-year-old featuring in all but four of their 17 games this season.
Winks' form drew international recognition as he made his England debut against Lithuania in October, and impressive performances in Europe against Real Madrid further highlighted his meteoric rise.
Asked to reflect on his journey from the fringes to first-team regular, Winks highlighted the influential role Pochettino continues to play in his career.
"To play in as many big games as I have and to get the results we have has been incredible," he added.
"I haven't had much time to look back over the past few weeks and see how it's gone but it's been brilliant, a dream come true.
"I've got massive respect for the manager and what he's done for me. Every time I get the opportunity to play, I know I've got to go out there and prove to the manager that the faith he's put in me in worthwhile.
"He doesn't tell me what to do, he speaks to me like he speaks to everyone, to go out there enjoy and express ourselves and to play with freedom. At the end of the day, that's what we all love doing.
"He's a fantastic person as well as a manager, he's someone you can always talk to and get advice from.
"I've had a lot of matches over the last few weeks and squad rotation has been important. The fact that we've still got results while I've been in the team means I'm happy with my performances."
Catch Tubes' full interview with Harry Winks on Soccer AM on Saturday from 10am on Sky Sports Premier League, followed by live coverage of Arsenal v Tottenham from 11.30am.