Defoe can deal Gunners blow in race for top four

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe has recovered from an ankle injury and could feature in today’s north London derby.

The England striker’s return to fitness provides welcome news for Spurs supporters who have seen summer signing Emmanuel Adebayor score just twice in 16 league games, in addition to their club missing out on the signature of Brazil international Leandro Damiao in January.

Defoe is 5/1 to open the scoring, and 6/4 to find the net anytime at the Lane today.

Andre Villas-Boas will be eager for Defoe to help spread the goalscoring burden, currently being shouldered by the irrepressible Gareth Bale. The Welshman has netted eight goals in six games, and is 4/1 to open the scoring here.

If ever there was a time for the expensively-acquired Adebayor to prove his worth it’s today, and it shouldn’t be forgotten that this is a fixture which has brought the best out of the player in the past.

With a record 10 goals in the North London derby (eight for Arsenal, two for Tottenham) the Togolese striker has shown he has the temperament to produce in such a hostile atmosphere. He opened the scoring at The Emirates in November, and is 6/1 to do so again this afternoon, though should he not start 2/1 represents an enticing price to register anytime.

For the visitors, Theo Walcott has netted in three of the last four derbies, and already has 11 league goals this season. The pacy frontman is 7/1 to open the scoring and 9/4 to score anytime.

Regarding the fixture as a whole, 15 of the last 17 ties between these sides has seen both sides find the back of the net; 1/2 for that to occur this afternoon certainly interests.

Spurs are unbeaten in 11 matches in all competitions, winning nine of those, and are unbeaten against Arsenal in the last four league clashes here. They are good value at 6/5 to take maximum points today, while Arsenal are 11/5 to do the same. Two of those four clashes ended drawn, and at 12/5 a share of the spoils is an intriguing price.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.