Spurs seek revenge in derby

LONDON – Arsenal host Tottenham Hotspur in what should be a particularly spicy north London derby on Saturday after pipping their rivals to a Champions League slot in a controversial end to last season.

The final day left a bitter taste in the mouths of Spurs players after they lost 2-1 to West Ham United in the wake of a sudden bout of illness which left many of them vomiting in the changing room before kick-off. Arsenal, in rude health, trounced Wigan Athletic 4-2 in their final match at Highbury and managed to wrest fourth place – and a qualifying slot in the lucrative Champions League – from their north London archrivals.Arsenal’s official match report on their win began with the sentence: “Sometimes fairy tales happen”, while Spurs made a vain appeal to the Premier League to have their game re-played.More than six months later, the events of May 7 still rankle with Spurs fans, whose team missed out on a debut appearance in the Champions League, and will provide plenty of opportunity for taunting by Arsenal supporters on Saturday.On the pitch, the theme will be a familiar one as both sides have ambitions for a top-four finish and neither have delivered on them.Arsenal’s title hopes have almost certainly been dashed by consecutive defeats at Bolton Wanderers and Fulham, leaving the Champions League as their only realistic target.Spurs, lying in 11th place, have a great chance to exploit Arsenal’s current weakness and come away from their first derby at the Emirates Stadium with all three points.Leaders Manchester United get their second chance in a week to open up a six-point gap on second-placed champions Chelsea, who are not playing this weekend.United blew their first chance last Sunday when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Chelsea at Old Trafford.On Saturday, they can double their lead and pile the pressure on Mourinho’s men with a victory at Gareth Southgate’s Middlesbrough in the late kick-off.Though they will be buoyed by a 3-0 midweek win over Everton, United will have to cope with the distraction of a crucial Champions League match at home to Benfica next Wednesday.Third-placed Portsmouth, on course for European competition next season, are at home to fifth-placed Aston Villa after earning a creditable 0-0 draw at Liverpool in midweek.Bolton, fourth and level on points with Pompey, travel to Reading, while Liverpool visit Wigan Athletic.Nampa-ReutersArsenal, in rude health, trounced Wigan Athletic 4-2 in their final match at Highbury and managed to wrest fourth place – and a qualifying slot in the lucrative Champions League – from their north London archrivals.Arsenal’s official match report on their win began with the sentence: “Sometimes fairy tales happen”, while Spurs made a vain appeal to the Premier League to have their game re-played.More than six months later, the events of May 7 still rankle with Spurs fans, whose team missed out on a debut appearance in the Champions League, and will provide plenty of opportunity for taunting by Arsenal supporters on Saturday.On the pitch, the theme will be a familiar one as both sides have ambitions for a top-four finish and neither have delivered on them.Arsenal’s title hopes have almost certainly been dashed by consecutive defeats at Bolton Wanderers and Fulham, leaving the Champions League as their only realistic target.Spurs, lying in 11th place, have a great chance to exploit Arsenal’s current weakness and come away from their first derby at the Emirates Stadium with all three points.Leaders Manchester United get their second chance in a week to open up a six-point gap on second-placed champions Chelsea, who are not playing this weekend.United blew their first chance last Sunday when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Chelsea at Old Trafford.On Saturday, they can double their lead and pile the pressure on Mourinho’s men with a victory at Gareth Southgate’s Middlesbrough in the late kick-off.Though they will be buoyed by a 3-0 midweek win over Everton, United will have to cope with the distraction of a crucial Champions League match at home to Benfica next Wednesday.Third-placed Portsmouth, on course for European competition next season, are at home to fifth-placed Aston Villa after earning a creditable 0-0 draw at Liverpool in midweek.Bolton, fourth and level on points with Pompey, travel to Reading, while Liverpool visit Wigan Athletic.Nampa-Reuters