Tottenham vs Arsenal: North London rivals facing crunch derby in different states of play

Is it better to be undercooked or overtired? That is the question facing Tottenham and Arsenal ahead of Sunday's crunch north London derby, which could define both clubs' season.

Top-four chasing Spurs will go into the game on the back of a 14-day break since their dispiriting 4-0 defeat at Newcastle on April 13, the latest in a series of disruptions to the flow of their campaign which have frustrated head coach Ange Postecoglou.

Premier League leaders Arsenal, by contrast, will have played four times since their rivals' last game: the defeats by Aston Villa and Bayern Munich and then wins over Wolves and Chelsea.

There is a paradox in Postecoglou frequently expressing frustration at having so few matches this season (Spurs will play just 41 in total) when Arsenal's Mikel Arteta this week complained about his side's schedule.

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou

"If you look in any angle, it's not right," said Arteta, after Arsenal had been made to face Wolves just 48 hours after returning from Munich. "Let's protect the players and do everything we can to give them the maximum time to help them recover and perform and do the show that they do every week."

Postecoglou has also expressed concerns that the sheer volume of high-intensity matches will eventually impact the quality of football but, for the Australian, a stop-start campaign has been a telling factor in his side's scratchy form since the turn of the year.

"For a club like us, who want to compete at the highest level, you need a strong squad — and to have that you need consistent games and opportunities," said Postecoglou, who also had two weeks to stew on the 3-0 defeat at Fulham last month.

"I had the other extreme at Celtic [playing 60 games in 2021-22 and 53 last season]. I found that a lot easier to manage. If you ask me would I rather be in Europe? Absolutely, 1,000 per cent. I'd rather be in Europe at this time playing games."

Arteta is currently living that 'other extreme', with Arsenal set to play 52 games this term and the boss still relying on the same core of senior players.

Eight squad members — William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Ben White, David Raya and Kai Havertz — have played more than 3,000 minutes this season, while a number of Arsenal's fringe players have barely had a kick.

Their legs will feel lighter after the 5-0 demolition of Chelsea on Tuesday, when Arteta was able to rest Saka, Havertz, White and Leandro Trossard in the second half, but if Manchester City win their remaining games, the Gunners will have run out of steam in April for a third year running. They looked jaded in the second halves of the defeats by Villa and Bayern, and were short of their usual pep against a depleted Wolves, despite a 2-0 win.

So, would the managers swap places?

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta

Postecoglou would prefer to be playing every three days as he attempts to bed-in his prescriptive, high-octane style of play, and it is striking how short of rhythm Spurs have looked this calendar year, particularly compared to the opening 11 games of the season, when they were injury-free and flying.

There is a danger they will go into Sunday's derby cold against an Arsenal side who look sure to start the game with a ferocious intensity.

One potential positive for Spurs is whether the break will act as a re-set for a number of key players who have been struggling for form. Does their chastening defeat at St James' Park count for less after two weeks on the training ground?

Arsenal will begin the match with the greater speed and panache, in spite of what is sure to be a deafening and hostile atmosphere, but they struggled to cope when Villa and Bayern upped the intensity in the second half.

If Spurs are still in the game after the half-time break, when they have made a habit of improving in home matches, they can hope to capitalise on Arsenal's heavy legs.