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'Arsenal, you'll never win on my watch!' Son Heung-min to start North London derby
Son Heung-min (32, Tottenham) is serious about facing Arsenal.
Tottenham will host Arsenal in the 35th round of the 2023-2024 English Premier League (EPL) season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, on Aug. 28 at 10 p.m. ET.
The heated North London derby needs no introduction. This time, the stakes are higher. Arsenal's title and Tottenham's Champions League spot are on the line.
After 34 games, Arsenal leads the Premier League with 24 wins, five draws, and five losses for 77 points, followed closely by Liverpool (74 points) and Manchester City (73 points). City has played two fewer games than Arsenal and Liverpool.
Arsenal still has four Premier League games left. If Arsenal can beat Tottenham, they'll cross the eighth ridge to the title. After that, Arsenal has three relatively easy games against No. 10 Bournemouth, No. 6 Man United, and No. 16 Everton.
Son Heung-min is serious about facing Arsenal. Currently in fifth place (60 points), Tottenham must beat Arsenal to move into the top four. With 32 games played, Spurs are closing in on fourth-place Aston Villa (66 points). Aston Villa have played two more games than Spurs, so a Champions League spot for Spurs is still possible.
Records will be broken. With 19 appearances in the North London derby, Son Heung-min is fourth on the all-time list with seven goals. Harry Kane is the all-time leading scorer in the North London derby with 14 goals. After his move to Munich, Kane is no longer accumulating goals.
Second and third on the all-time list are two Arsenal legends. Emmanuel Adebayor with 10 goals and Roberto Firmino with 9 goals are second and third. Right behind them is Son Heung-min with seven goals. In fifth place is Ian Wright, also of Arsenal, with six goals.
If Son Heung-min scores a hat-trick against Arsenal, he will pass Pires for third place on the all-time list with 10 goals.
Tottenham also decorate their Christmas tree in navy blue because of Arsenal"s red color. The rivalry has a lot of meaning. "We know what the North London derby means to the club, the fans and the players," Son said before the Arsenal game in September last year. We have to understand what kind of game it is," he said, vowing to win.
Arsenal's strongest player, Son Heung-min, will break out this time. With 15 goals this season, Son is seventh in the Premier League in scoring. He is only five goals behind the top two, Elling Holland and Cole Palmer, who have 20 goals apiece. If Son Heung-min breaks out against Arsenal, he could close the gap once and for all.