The Premier League is back after two weeks of international break. Week 9 of Premier League play returns with a blockbuster match at the North London Derby. North London derbies are always packed with excitement and drama throughout the years.
In the North London derby, Arsenal take on Tottenham Hotspurs. The two top division giants face off in an intense clash resulting in a thrilling match for viewers across the continent.
Before the North London Derby, which pitted two teams against each other. For the first time in a long time, Arsenal’s Premier League season is off to a great start. They have won their first five consecutive Premier League games for the first time in 40 years. Arsenal seem to be a perfectly balanced team.
They are effectively playing from both ends of the field. The addition of Gabriel Jesus has changed the game for them offensively. Since his arrival, Jesus has added a whole new dimension to Arsenal’s offense. The defense pairing between Gabriel and Saliba has been outstanding.
When it comes to Tottenham Hotspurs, Antonio Conte has led them to a fantastic start to the season. Conte has fundamentally changed Spurs. Spurs are now among the top contenders for the championship this year thanks to Conte. At Spurs, Conte’s strategy has paid off well. The mentality and tactics of managing him are completely shared by the players. Spurs have a golden opportunity to beat the Gunners in the North London derby this weekend.
Many well-known players from both sides have contributed to this fierce rivalry. Players like Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and Harry Kane have made their mark in this cut-throat environment, but there have been many more too. The top five scorers in this rivalry are shown below.
Top 5 North London Derby Scorers
5. Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
Henry is arguably one of the biggest names in the world of soccer. He joined Arsenal in 1999 and made a name for himself playing for the Gunners. Henry for the Gunners was just outstanding. He used to pop up with crazy goals over and over helping Arsenal over the years in their quest for glory. He was a brutal force front and was unstoppable during his Arsenal days. Henry has scored 175 goals for Arsenal. But Henry had so far disappointed the North London Derby at his level, as he was only able to manage 5 goals in this iconic fixture.
4. Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspurs)
Next in line is none other than Welshman Gareth Bale. Bale in his first spell at Spurs was a complete beast. He blew up defense on the flanks and was troublesome to deal with. Bale enjoyed a lot of success at Spurs, especially from 2007 to 2013. During those years, he made 146 appearances for Spurs and managed to score more than 40 goals for Tottenham.
Bale returned to Spurs again on loan in the 2020-21 season. José Mourinho was then manager of Spurs and Bale initially enjoyed much success but then declined. He was only able to manage 20 appearances in that season and managed to score 11 times. Bale is always a great player and he used to step up. His favorite game was the North London Derby. He scored 5 goals in this game during his time with Spurs.
3. Robert Pires (Arsenal)
Another big name from the Arsenal history books is Robert Pires. Pires has been a phenomenal player throughout his career. He was the creative engine in the Arsenal team. He spent 6 seasons with Arsenal scoring 62 goals. The Frenchman has a good record in the North London derby, scoring eight goals.
2. Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur)
The only player on this list who has played for both teams is Emmanuel Adebayor. He has experienced success on both sides. The Togo-born striker scored 46 goals while playing for Arsenal between 2006 and 2009. He spent two seasons at Tottenham Hotspur, the first on loan in 2011-12 and the second in 2012-2015. Adebayor did better at Arsenal, scoring eight goals in seven games, against just two for Spurs.
1. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspurs)
The top scorer in the North London derby is none other than England’s Harry Kane. Kane has been a phenomenal player at Spurs. He has been the most reliable for the Spurs. Kane is Tottenham’s favorite player during big games. The Spurs count on Kane to step up in every big game and he doesn’t disappoint Spurs fans. Kane has scored 13 goals in this fiery North London derby. He is the only active player still playing on his brand new device.
For more such articles, click here.
