Ange Postecoglou has opened up on one lingering regret from his time at Tottenham ahead of this weekend’s North London derby.
The 199th north London derby is set to take centre stage this weekend at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spurs have come out on top 61 times, while Arsenal have claimed 85 victories.
However, this time around, both sides arrive in patchy form, but there is no denying that the red half of north London is in a far stronger position, sitting top of the Premier League table.
Spurs, by contrast, are 16th and just five points clear of 18th-placed West Ham United, having managed just two wins from their last 17 outings.
Ange Postecoglou wanted to win a North London Derby with Tottenham
Spurs are in desperate need of a spark, and having a new manager before this clash could well provide some much-needed bounce.
However, Igor Tudor is set to have his work cut out as Tottenham have yet to secure a competitive win in the Premier League against the Gunners since May 2022, a victory that came under Italian boss Antonio Conte.
Thomas Frank was well beaten in the reverse fixture 4-1, while Ange Postecoglou failed to get a result during his time in north London, with his best result being a draw.
The former Tottenham manager, speaking on The Overlap, has now revealed his Arsenal regret during his time at Tottenham, admitting he wished he had secured a derby victory and explaining what the fixture means to supporters.
Postecoglou said: “It is probably my one regret that I did not win one. I would have loved to have another crack at it. I would have loved to have won it because I know what it would mean to the supporters.
“I thought there was a rivalry when you are inside it and this game will come at a pretty pivotal time for the club (Tottenham). If you are talking about something to spark, the north London derby that is more of a spark you are lighting a flame there.”
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Given the intense rivalry between the two sides, Postecoglou is right in his assessment that a victory here could well prove to be a big turning point for Tottenham.
New boss Tudor could also quickly make himself a cult hero in his first game in charge, should he mastermind a victory over the Gunners and add to their misery.
While Spurs might be down there in the league, many fans will no doubt find joy in putting a big dent in the title aspirations of their bitter rivals, who are desperate to bring an end to a 22-year wait for a Premier League title.
Tottenham head into this weekend’s clash well rested after a 12-day break, whereas their bitter rivals Arsenal have played three times in the space of ten days ahead of the fixture.