Solanke returns, Gunners experiment with Rice out – Spurs vs Arsenal line-ups

The first North London derby of the season is here, with Tottenham and Arsenal having differing fortunes in the latest team news…

Spurs are set to welcome back some key players as they look to get one over their biggest rivals after a slow start to the season. 

Meanwhile, the Gunners are going to be without one of their stars and it’s an absence that is going to force Mikel Arteta to experiment with his side. 

Here, talkSPORT.com takes a look at the injury latest and predicts how both teams could line up this weekend…

Tottenham 

Tottenham are coming into this huge derby off the back of their first defeat of the new Premier League campaign against Newcastle. 

Ange Postecoglou’s side have now won, drawn and lost so far this season, with performances not reaching the level needed to compete at the top just yet. 

However, Spurs will be boosted by the return of two players who missed the last game. 

The first of those players is Micky van de Ven who sat out of the trip to Newcastle after seemingly picking up a knock against Everton. 

Postecoglou confirmed that he ‘wasn’t quite 100 per cent’ and that due to the busy schedule after the international break, he was rested. 

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So it is likely that Van de Ven will be back fit to feature alongside Cristian Romero at centre-back, with Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie on either side. 

Guglielmo Vicario will be in goal behind them, of course. 

In midfield, Yves Bissouma will sit deeper than Pape Matar Sarr and James Maddison, with the latter looking to create for a very dangerous front three. 

And in that trio should see the second returnee in Dominic Solanke, who after missing two straight games, has rested over the break and is likely to be involved against Arsenal. 

He’ll be flanked by captain Heung-min Son and potentially Dejan Kulusevski who seems to be preferred to Brennan Johnson.

Summer signing Wilson Odobert may not be ready just yet to pay in such a huge game. 

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Arsenal 

Arsenal are yet to lose this season but they’re now having to deal with some issues.

Before the international break, Declan Rice was controversially sent off against Brighton and that meant he was suspended for this game.

Jurrien Timber also seemed to pick up a knock last time out, hobbling off the Emirates pitch as he was substituted.

However, during the international break, Timber has featured for the Netherlands and looks fit to play alongside William Saliba and Gabriel in defence this weekend. 

That is fortunate for the Gunners, considering their other preferred option at left-back, Riccardo Calafiori, looks to have picked up an injury while playing for Italy. 

There is no doubt that Ben White will keep his place at right-back. 

In midfield, Rice’s suspension means Arteta is going to have to change things. 

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Jorginho could come in to replace him, but his lack of pace and natural position being less attacking than Rice’s role, that may not be the solution. 

Instead, Kai Havertz could slot back into a No.8 position rather than playing as a striker. 

Havertz has spent a lot of time in that role since joining Arsenal and despite leading the line so far this season, he could be asked to drop back again. 

With Gabriel Jesus likely to miss out though, it leaves the Gunners without a striker and therefore they may have to call on Leandro Trossard again. 

Last year, the Belgian slotted into that role for a few games and performed well, with Arteta potentially having to experiment with it again. 

On either side of Trossard, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli will provide the width. 

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