‘This time’: Son Heung-min now makes Arsenal claim ahead of the North London Derby
Son Heung-min has asserted that Arsenal won’t be eagerly anticipating their encounter with Tottenham Hotspur in the upcoming North London Derby.
The captain of Spurs shared his thoughts with The Times ahead of the highly anticipated clash at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Under the guidance of their new manager Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham has enjoyed a stellar start to the season.
They currently occupy the second spot in the Premier League table, having secured four victories in their first five matches.
Arsenal, too, has an identical record, with their only points dropped at home to Fulham prior to the international break.
Last season, Mikel Arteta’s team clearly dominated both derby matches, securing wins at both the Emirates and Tottenham’s home ground.
However, Son Heung-min believes that this time, Tottenham will present a significantly different challenge to their fierce rivals.
Son makes claim about Arsenal
In an interview with The Times, Son expressed the view that Arsenal would prefer not to encounter Spurs in the current season.
“[Arsenal] won’t want to face us at this time,” he said. “Everyone is running for each other, everyone is fighting for each other.
“If someone comes off you give a hand off and everyone is happy to do that. That makes us really strong as a team.”
There is no denying that Spurs will present a different kind of challenge for Arsenal this season, primarily due to the complete transformation in their style of play orchestrated by Postecoglou. In the previous season, Tottenham adopted a defensive approach in both encounters, allowing Arteta’s team to have full control of possession.
However, this season, Tottenham has undergone a significant change in their approach, and it’s unlikely they will deviate from their current style come Sunday’s match.
It’s important to acknowledge that Arsenal has made more progress in terms of their project under Arteta, while Postecoglou faces the formidable task of steering Spurs back toward the upper echelons of the table.
Nevertheless, the initial indications of Postecoglou’s tenure, especially this early in the season, have been promising. Sunday’s showdown should serve as a noteworthy barometer of Tottenham’s current standing and their evolution under their new manager.
‘This time’: Son Heung-min now makes Arsenal claim ahead of the North London Derby
