Mark Lawrenson on who will come out on top between Arsenal and Spurs

BBC football pundit Mark Lawrenson has shared his prediction ahead of Tottenham Hotspur’s match against Arsenal.

The first North London derby of the new season takes place at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Tottenham are winless in their last seven away league games (D1 L6) and last experienced a longer winless run on the road between December 2011-April 2012 (8 games).

It has already been confirmed that Mauricio Pochettino will be without club record signing Tanguy Ndombele (thigh) and is joined on the sidelines by Juan Foyth (ankle), Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring) and Kyle Walker-Peters (hamstring) while Eric Dier is a doubt with a hip issue (Spurs official).

Pochettino must now decide whether to recall Serge Aurier for his first appearance of the season, or another option would be to change to a back three and play Moussa Sissoko as a right wing-back.

Lawrenson believes that it will be a case of honours even in the battle for the North London bragging rights with both sides playing out a score draw.

He told BBC Sport: “What has happened to Tottenham? They are there with four points but they were totally unconvincing against Newcastle.

“We have mentioned Arsenal and I thought they were naive against Liverpool and I am sorry but a defence with David Luiz in it isn’t going to get you top three.

“The situation with Christian Eriksen is also very interesting. Daniel Levy, you would argue, has come out on top of every deal he has done but this looks like one he will lose out on.”