Tottenham Hotspur can continue their stunning start to the campaign by making another statement showing away to bitter rivals Arsenal this afternoon, with the two north London foes currently both in the mix at the top of the table having picked up 13 points apiece from their opening five Premier League games.
While the Emirates has not been a happy hunting ground for the Lilywhites in recent years – having failed to win on the Gunners' own turf in the league since 2010 – it looks as if now could be the perfect opportunity to put that right, with the seemingly infallible Ange Postecoglou hoping to maintain the early momentum that his youthful side have fostered.
What is the Tottenham team news for the north London derby?
The high-flying outfit did suffer a major blow earlier this week following the news that veteran star, Ivan Perisic is set to miss the majority of the season after sustaining a serious knee injury, with the 34-year-old Croatian having only recently made an impact off the bench in the recent, dramatic comeback thriller against Sheffield United – having provided the assist for Richarlison's equaliser.
That significant setback has ensured that Spurs' options in the attacking ranks are somewhat depleted, particularly with promising Spaniard, Bryan Gil – who spent the second half of last season on loan at Sevilla – also not yet ready to return from injury.
The 22-year-old is still joined on the treatment table by the experienced midfield duo of Giovani Lo Celso and Rodrigo Bentancur, with BBC Sport reporting that the pair, like Gil, are still a 'few weeks away' from being brought back into the matchday fold.
On a more positive note, however, today's fixture could prove a first chance for deadline day signing, Brennan Johnson, to enjoy a taste of a north London derby, with the £47.5m addition having made a late substitute appearance against the Blades last time out.
Will Brennan Johnson start against Arsenal?
There is likely to be food for thought as far as Postecoglou is concerned, with it set to be no surprise if Richarlison – who scored and assisted off the bench a week ago – is recalled to the starting XI as the main man in attack, flanked by Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevski.
That being said, however, there may also be a justification for handing young Johnson his first start for the club, despite the magnitude of the fixture, with the 22-year-old potentially set to able to expose a potential weakness in Mikel Arteta's side, in the form of Ben White.
The former Nottingham Forest speedster could use his "frightening" pace to hand the England international a rough and uncomfortable outing later today – as described by compatriot Joe Allen – with Tottenham's new man having previously been hailed as a player who can "cause so many problems" for the opposition, in the words of journalist Josh Bunting.
While White has been a mainstay in Arteta's ranks since joining from Brighton and Hove Albion on a £50m deal in 2021 – making 90 appearances in that time – he is not an orthodox right-back by trade, a fact that the £70k-per-week Johnson could exploit if he is line up down the left flank.
As Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst wrote following Manchester United's defeat to the Gunners earlier this season, the makeshift full-back is rather 'gettable', having been given a torrid time by goalscorer Marcus Rashford in that prior clash.
Up against the lively Rashford, White was dribbled past on two occasions and won just two of his five total duels, with the hope being that a player with "so many qualities" like Johnson – as per Bunting – can also pose a relentless threat from the flanks.
It would be something of a baptism of fire for Postecoglou to throw the Wales international into the mix on such an intense occasion, yet with Daniel Levy having invested heavily to bring the 6 foot 1 machine to N17, now is as good a chance as any for him to begin to repay that faith and that price tag.
