Can Arsenal catch up with Spurs? There’s value if you think so

Plenty will laugh this latest Match Bet off, but Arsenal fans are an optimistic bunch on the whole. And recent history suggests there could be some cracking value in the Gunners finishing the season above their north London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur.

It’s 9/1 for Arsenal to do just that, while our traders make it a 1/16 shot for Tottenham to claim local bragging rights.

Let’s just get one thing clear though – this bet is certainly an ambitious one given the positions both sides find themselves in right now.

But you’d have said that last year, when Mauricio Pochettino’s men were some eight points ahead of the Gunners with just four games left to play in the campaign.

We all know what happened there…

So can it be done again?

Theoretically, yes.

Spurs are currently nine points ahead of Arsenal in the Premier League, but the Gunners do have a game in hand over their neighbours.

Win that and they’ll be six points behind, and they’ll still have to face their bitter rivals between now and the end of the campaign.

Win that, and the gap is cut to three points.

The odds would still favour the white half of north London to outscore Arsenal in the final points tally – but it’s something they’ve not done since 1994-95.

And – because Gooners need some cheering up right now – it’s worth noting that this is a time of the season where Arsenal tend to thrive.

With 11 games to go last year, Wenger’s men lost just one game – picking up 20 points in the process. Tottenham, meanwhile, picked up just 16 points in their last 10 games, including just two points from a possible 12 at the end of the season.

The year before that, the Gunners accumulated 21 points from their last 11 games. Tottenham managed just 14.

So if anyone is likely to take things up a gear in the coming months, the history books say it’ll be Arsenal.

And if we’re going to build a case for the Gunners, we must remember that Spurs will be without star striker Harry Kane for around a month, and he’s likely to miss another five top-flight matches.

But we’re not getting ahead of ourselves here.

This is an Arsenal side who’re currently on their worst run in 21 years, losing four of their last five Premier League games.The air of uncertainty surrounding the Emirates right now should play into Tottenham’s hand in this bet.

But maybe – just maybe – this international break has come at the best time for Arsenal and the worst time for Spurs.

The Gunners will now take some time out before welcoming Manchester City to the Emirates after the break, while Spurs will travel to Burnley – one of the form sides in the division on home soil – next.

So can they possibly do it? Or will there finally be a shift in bragging rights in north London?

Have your say in the comments section below, or get your bet on here!

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