The North London derby this year is finely poised with both teams coming into the game with big things to prove.

Tottenham, who won 2-0 in the last game, currently sit in third, on 23 points, with Arsenal sixth on 19, and recently trounced reigning European champions Real Madrid.

However, questions remain about whether they have the mettle and know-how to win trophies.

Arsenal started the season poorly but have put together a decent run of wins.

Yet, their 3-1 defeat by Manchester City last time out has left the club eager to show that loss was a blip, the result of bad officiating.

As with any derby there are subplots and these five players in particular will be desperate to prove a point....

Alexandre Lacazette

Lacazette was controversially benched against City but came on and scored (
Image:
Arsenal FC)

Signed for a healthy £52.7million over the summer , Lacazette has scored six goals in nine appearances. Further, in the demolition of Everton back in October, the front three of the Frenchman, Sanchez and Ozil bristled with menace.

Yet, Lacazette has been in and out of the starting eleven - only starting a full 90 minutes once - and it's not apparent how much Wenger rates the marksman. Against City Lacazette started on the bench - much to the chagrin of Arsenal fans - but came off the bench to score. He will be eager to get on the scoresheet and prove to Wenger that he's the solution to Arsenal's striking problems.

Moussa Sissoko

Sissoko seems to have all the physical attributes required for success at the top (
Image:
Getty)

Moussa Sissoko is a mystery. A standout player at Euro 2016 , when Spurs signed Sissoko from Newcastle back in 2016 they looked to have a player with pace, power, skill and a genuine penetrative threat.

But he's flattered to deceive. There were ironic celebrations when he scored his first goal for Spurs after 44 games against Huddersfield and he hasn't nailed down a preferred position, let alone a place in the starting eleven. Likely to be used as a substitute, if he gets his chance he simply has to grab it with both hands.

Granit Xhaka

All bark no bite? (
Image:
Stuart MacFarlane)

Xhaka was signed with a reputation as a midfield general who could tackle, control a game and pass the ball adroitly. With a Patrick Viera-shaped hole in Arsenal's midfield - still! - the belief was that Xhaka could fill it for the next decade.

Yet he has been under-whelming to say the least. Awarded a four out of ten in the last derby , he has been criticised for lax defending , poor discipline , and being neither attacking nor defensive enough. However, at still only 25 years old, and with only a year in the Premier League under his belt, there is still time for him to win over his critics. What better place to start than the derby?

Harry Winks

21 year-old Harry Winks has clearly benefited from Pochettino's skill developing young players (
Image:
Reuters)

The young scheming midfielder has been compared to Iniesta , gone toe to toe with Modric and Kroos, and the Spanish national teams have even been sniffing around due to his Spanish grandparents . At 21 years old, Winks is clearly a promising player but potential has to become proven.

In recent times, home-grown stars such as Ryan Mason, Bentaleb and Tom Carrrol have all featured in Spurs' first eleven before being sold off. The challenge for die-hard Spurs fan Winks is to show he is of the quality of Alli and Kane and it is in the big games when players show their class.

Jack Wilshere

(
Image:
REUTERS)

The Arsenal midfielder acts as a cautionary tale to Winks: bursting onto the scene in the 2010-11 season, Wilshere looked like he was going to be a world-beater, an exceptionally clever player with a great first touch, an eye for a pass and an effective turn of pace.

But constant, debilitating injuries have stalled his career and after an under-whelming season on loan at Bournemouth he finds himself back at Arsenal.

A Gooner through and through he has impressed in the Europa League and the cups but has yet to start a Premier League game.

Like Sissoko he will likely start the game on the bench but if he gets on the pitch he will want to show that his undeniable quality hasn't been ruined by injuries.

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