Combined Tottenham and Arsenal XI: No space for Maddison or Martinelli

Tottenham return to Premier League action with a trip to Arsenal. We have put together a combined XI from both squads. Both sides are missing important players and face a test of stamina and resilience to see who will come out on top.

Combined XI: Tottenham and Arsenal

This combined Tottenham and Arsenal XI does not take into consideration players who are unavailable for Wednesday night’s game. So Bukayo Saka, Ben White and Tottenham’s 7-8 absentees are not included.

David Raya: With Guglielmo Vicario injured, this is not much of a conversation. Antonin Kinsky made a memorable debut against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup, but it would be premature to compare him to last season’s Premier League Golden Glove winner.

Pedro Porro: It would not be unfair to say some of Pedro Porro’s performances this season have been affected by fatigue as well as the disruptions facing the Spurs squad as a whole. Despite this, Porro has still put up the most Shot Creating Actions of any defender in the Premier League and the third-highest goal contributions from a defender.

William Saliba: Saliba is an imperious defender. He is an invaluable asset for Arsenal on and off the ball. He has the highest pass completion of any player in the Premier League. Arsenal’s system prioritises defensive security, which certainly aids Saliba’s performance, but few defenders are his equal.

Gabriel: Arsenal have become synonymous with set-piece goals and that is largely thanks to Gabriel’s strength and aerial threat. It was a Gabriel header that claimed Arsenal three points in the North London derby early in the season at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spurs will need to be prepared for that threat once again.

Riccardo Calafiori: Jurrien Timber and Djed Spence could have been considered here, but really, Calafiori is the best natural left-back available for the fixture. Calafiori is probably the one Arsenal defender who could play equally as well for Ange Postecoglou as he does for Mikel Arteta. His marauding runs into the attacking third made him a unique player at Bologna. Despite injuries disrupting his first year in England, he has put in good performances.

Declan Rice: It feels as if Declan Rice is not praised as much as he maybe should be. Equally proficient as a holding midfielder or when playing box-to-box, he doesn’t necessarily lead in any particular statistic. He does, however, bring an elite level of technical proficiency or athleticism which raises Arsenal’s floor as much as their ceiling.

Pape Matar Sarr: Yves Bissouma or Jorginho may have been a better defensive partner for Declan Rice. However, Pape Matar Sarr provides so much with his athletic ability and his passing range is improving year on year. Additionally, he is adding goal-threat to his game. He has already surpassed his best goalscoring season this year with 4 goals at the season’s midpoint. The goal he scored against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup alone was a finish you would expect from Europe’s best players.

Martin Ødegaard: Despite Arsenal only dropping a handful of points in the Premier League during his absence, for anyone watching them play, the injury to Martin Ødegaard back in September was a hammer blow. He has the highest per 90 progressive passes in the league and one of the highest shot-creating actions.

Heung-min Son: It is impossible to exclude Heung-min Son. During Mikel Arteta’s time managing Arsenal, no player has scored as many North London Derby goals as Son. His game is changing under Ange Postecoglou and he appears to be more of a playmaker than ever, but when Spurs click, he is still one of the world’s most lethal wide forwards.

Dejan Kulusevski: Admittedly, Dejan Kulusevski has played more of this season as a number 10, than on the right. However, there is no way he could be left out considering the season he is having. After playing more than 600 more minutes in all competitions than Ødegaard, Kulusevski has a higher number of shot-creating actions per 90. Additionally, he is one of the league’s best progressive ball carriers from midfield.

Dominic Solanke: In terms of goal return, only one assist separates Dominic Solanke and Kai Havertz in the Premier League. However, as Spurs sit second in the table for goals scored, it feels apt to include Solanke up front. Tottenham have led the league in pressing actions for the majority of the season and that press has been relentlessly led by Solanke. He is a perfectly rounded striker being a threat in behind and invaluable in his pressing work and hold-up play.

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