Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are set to face each other in a landmark pre-season friendly, marking the first ever north London derby held on foreign soil. The match takes place on Thursday in Hong Kong, providing both teams with a significant opportunity to fine-tune ahead of the Premier League 2025\/26 season.<\/p>\n
Tottenham, under new management with Thomas Frank, have had a cautious start to their pre-season campaign. They have completed three friendlies so far in England: opening with a 2-0 win over Reading, followed by draws against Luton Town and Wycombe Wanderers. The clash with Arsenal promises to be their sternest test yet under Frank.<\/p>\n
Arsenal arrive having shown strong form with recent wins over Newcastle United (3-2) and AC Milan (1-0), alongside victories in late May against Southampton and Newcastle. New signing Viktor Gy\u00f6keres, the Swedish forward, has joined the squad in Asia and may feature in this fixture. Cristhian Mosquera, a versatile Spanish defender who has yet to appear since the Newcastle match, might also make his debut.<\/p>\n
Injuries remain a concern for Arsenal, with Riccardo Calafiori recovering from a setback and Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalh\u00e3es, and Jurri\u00ebn Timber sidelined. Fifteen-year-old Max Dowman is expected to continue impressing with another appearance likely.<\/p>\n
Arsenal\u2019s predicted starting lineup in a 4-3-3 formation is:<\/p>\n
Raya; White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; \u00d8degaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli.<\/p>\n
Tottenham face their own injury challenges, with recent recruit K\u014dta Takai among several sidelined players including Dejan Kulusevski and Bryan Gil. Mikey Moore, unable to travel with the squad due to a potential loan move to Rangers, is absent. However, fans will see Son Heung-min, despite transfer rumors, take part. New arrivals Mohammed Kudus and Luka Vu\u0161kovi\u0107 are set to make their first derby appearances, with Vu\u0161kovi\u0107 already impressing with a goal and an assist in pre-season.<\/p>\n
Tottenham\u2019s predicted lineup (4-3-3) is:<\/p>\n
Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Sarr, Bentancur, Maddison; Kudus, Solanke, Son.<\/p>\n
While pre-season results offer limited competitive insights, both clubs are keen to secure a psychological advantage ahead of the league. A Tottenham victory would boost confidence and bring added pressure on Arsenal, while a win for Arsenal would confirm their status as front-runners in this season\u2019s rivalry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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