BBC football pundit Mark Lawrenson has predicted that Tottenham Hotspur will lose to Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday.
He told BBC Sport online: “What a game to end the weekend. The north London derby is always explosive and, to add to it this year, it’s been like chalk and cheese between these two rivals when it comes to the transfer market this summer.
“Tottenham have been exceptional, and chairman Daniel Levy has got this transfer window business sorted. He knows what he’s selling, and he knows exactly what he’s buying. The quality of players coming in has been very good and he has not paid over the odds either.
“Technical director Franco Baldini may well be one of his best appointments, he is across Europe, speaks a lot of languages and knows what he’s doing. He has been instrumental in some of their signings.
“Arsenal, on the other hand, don’t appear to have any form of transfer policy. What have they been doing for the past three months? You have to improve and sign better players every year and they haven’t done that, and as a result the squad is in a mess. Tottenham’s best XI is certainly stronger.
“We know that Wojciech Szczesny is going to be a top goalkeeper but Arsenal need another one in desperately. Like Joe Hart, he is under no pressure and he is in a bubble at the moment.
“At the other end they need a striker. Olivier Giroud is a good player but is he good enough? Oddly, they have bid for Yohan Cabaye at Newcastle when I don’t think they need a midfielder like him at all. It doesn’t seem like they have a joined-up way of going after players, they are linked with different names every week. It’s a mess.
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“Having said all that, Arsenal weren’t that bad in their defeat against Aston Villa and they have had three good results since.
“They are up against the wall and I feel that they may pull this one off. Aaron Ramsey is starting to show he is a good player again and could be the difference, especially as Spurs’ new signings are still settling in.
Prediction: 2-1.”
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