The link between Arsenal and Tottenham that reveals key to pivotal north London derby

Mikel Arteta and Ange Postecoglou’s approaches at Arsenal and Tottenham have been shaped by a shared philosophy, in a derby that could define the title battle and top-four race

If there wasn’t so much tension around this game, and between these clubs, Mikel Arteta and Ange Postecoglou might be able to settle in and discuss a few shared ideas. Both have worked in the City Football Group structure, which reflects how much the Abu Dhabi-owned champions shape the wider game. You can even look at how a former Manchester City player is joint top scorer with a current Manchester City player. There probably hasn’t been this extent of pure football influence since Barcelona fostered an entire generation of coaches from the early 2000s on. That is no coincidence since the City project directly sought to appropriate the entire Camp Nou ideology. This was one of the points of pursuing Pep Guardiola for so long.

A core of that philosophy, which seems so standard now but was once revolutionary, is persisting with the system regardless of what happens around you – or to you. You keep the faith. You trust the process. Arteta and Postecoglou have exemplified this, if from alternative interpretations of the tactics.

In his difficult first two years, the Arsenal manager insisted on playing through a possession game, even amid so many frustrating spells. Meanwhile, Postecoglou’s commitment to attack has been one of the themes of the season. “It’s just who we are, mate” has almost become a meme.

Postecoglou secured a 2-2 draw at Arsenal earlier this season (Getty)

You keep going through the process until you reach a point of end product. You don’t actively think about it but internalise it. The idea is that it becomes second nature, and teams can play on instinct. A problem for both teams in this north London derby, however, is they can’t but think about what all of this means. It’s just the latest version of this fixture described as maybe the most important ever. Whatever the truth of that, it is certainly one where both have to produce. This is a game beyond theory or process. It’s to do, or die.

A Tottenham Hotspur defeat could put them definitively behind Aston Villa in the Champions League chase with just five games left. As important as that is to the home side in this fixture, however, it obviously won’t be the main focus.

This is all about the title race. It isn’t quite the game to keep it alive but it isn’t far off. Manchester City’s emphatic win over Brighton indicated there won’t be any after-effects from the Champions League elimination to Real Madrid or the visible fatigue in the FA Cup victory over Chelsea. The champions seem to be over all of that. City’s remaining fixtures now look even more winnable, except maybe their own trip to Tottenham.

That means Arsenal can’t afford to drop more points. They have to ensure they have the maximum chance if City themselves slip. It’s just as well Arsenal gave their own display of power this past week. The season could have easily spun out of control after the 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa and their own Champions League elimination to Bayern Munich. Arsenal looked jaded, as if last season’s run-in was repeating itself.

They instead responded with a resolute win over Wolves, as if reaffirming everything about the team. That was followed by a 5-0 humiliation of Chelsea, maybe their most convincing display of the season so far. It puts a different spin on this run-in, too.

Mikel Arteta’s side ran riot against Chelsea in midweek (PA Wire)

It's no longer a three-team race, as Liverpool finally faltered. It may now be a race between two teams going at full pelt, which is arguably even rarer. It's certainly unusual to see such free-flowing victories at this late stage. Maybe the Champions League exits will serve the Premier League, energising its title race.

Whether it gets that far will depend on this weekend. This fixture has seen bigger games, in this exact context. Arsenal famously won the title at White Hart Lane in 1971 and 2004, their last league triumph.

This isn’t a game to secure the trophy, though. It’s to stay in touch. That’s where the theory comes in, as well as where both sides are in the process. That could be influential.

Arteta’s Arsenal are at a much further stage of development, resulting in the Basque developing multiple different approaches. The most pronounced could be seen in that other recent juncture game, the 0-0 at Manchester City. Arsenal were able to invert their progressive pressing approach and soak it all up.

James Maddison and Bukayo Saka will lock horns again on Sunday (Getty)

Postecoglou’s Spurs aren’t at that stage. He has multiple tactical alterations but all within the same system. He’s said it himself. They have a way. They’ll go for it.

That makes it hard not to think this game will have an obvious pattern. Arsenal will seek to catch out Spurs.

It may not be that simple, though, especially with all the emotion around it. There might not be that much time to think. The Spurs crowd, still buoyed by Postecoglou’s arrival despite a recent drop-off, will demand a performance. It will be raucous. It might well be like the game here in May 2022, when Spurs denied Arsenal a Champions League place.

Arsenal could well return the favour, as they look for more themselves.

This one isn’t about going through the process. It’s about making it happen. Both have to produce.