Sunday 8 November 2015 16:00, UK
It's the north London derby live on Super Sunday this week as the Premier League's two form sides meet but it could be France v Belgium that decides which side has bragging rights after the final whistle.
Olivier Giroud has scored 15 goals in 2015 and is the second top-scoring Frenchman in this calendar year behind Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann (20). He has scored in each of his last three Premier League appearances including the opening goal in the 3-0 win at Swansea last weekend, the 2,000th goal Arsenal have scored under Arsene Wenger.
The £13m striker has also scored in both of his appearances against Tottenham at the Emirates, including the 1-0 winner in September 2013. Giroud also has the best minutes-per-goal rate of any player in the Premier League this season, scoring every 88 minutes on average, so Tottenham will need to find a way to stop him if they are to enjoy a successful Sunday.
Up against Giroud will be Tottenham centre-backs Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen. The pair were first partnered together in senior football at Ajax between 2009-12. Ajax conceded 65 goals in the 82 League starts that the Belgians made side-by-side, whilst recording an impressive 71 per cent win percentage. That success also translated onto the international scene with Belgium keeping 12 clean sheets in the 36 games when they have started in tandem.
Only Manchester United and Arsenal have conceded fewer than Tottenham's nine goals this season and, thanks to the Belgian blockers, Spurs have faced just 37 shots on target, with only Liverpool (35), Southampton (31) and Man City (28) facing fewer. The defensive duo have made a combined 151 clearances this season, which only Norwich's regular pairing of Russell Martin and Sebastian Bassong can better.
The solidity that the Belgian twosome have brought to Tottenham's defence this season means that Spurs could be in line to emulate their previous best defensive performance in a Premier League season which currently stands at 38 goals conceded in 1995/96 and 2005/06.
Vertonghen actually rejected a move to Arsenal prior to joining Spurs, with Arsene Wenger reportedly looking to use him predominantly as a defensive midfielder. Now, along with Alderweireld, he is key to stopping Giroud and Wenger's Arsenal as Tottenham search for just a second League win at Arsenal since 1993.
Watch Arsenal v Tottenham live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 3.30pm on Sunday, or watch without a contract on NOW TV
