Lee Dixon: Get set for another Spurs-Arsenal rollercoaster

If there are goals for Spurs, Bale will surely be involved

There will be goalscoring threats right across the White Hart Lane pitch on Sunday afternoon, says our in-form expert Lee Dixon, who is salivating over the prospect of another classic north London derby 

The North London derby has been English football's wildest rivalry in recent years and there is every reason to believe that Sunday's edition will match up to the classics of the Premier League era. 

In Gareth Bale, Spurs boast a frighteningly talented attacker playing the finest football of his career, while Jack Wilshere is a future Arsenal legend coming into his own very rich vein of form. Add in years of needle between two fierce rivals and the battle for Champions League qualification and we have all the ingredients for a very entertaining game. 

There are simply too many variables to make a call on the match odds market. Tottenham are unbeaten since losing at Everton on December 9, while Arsenal actually boast better 12 game form than their north London rivals. I can genuinely see any of the three results happening and even if one team were leading with minutes left, I wouldn't be confident of them going on to win. 

But while we can't be sure of picking the winning team, we can back plenty of goals with confidence. It beggars belief that in the last two seasons there have been 21 goals in the league fixtures between the two. Throw in the Carling Cup game from September 2010 and it's 26. Throw in this season's match and it's 33!

And there are goalscorers everywhere you look, the most obvious being Bale.
 
It would be remiss not to mention the Welshman, after another stunning week. Bale is now the 1.538/15 favourite to be named PFA Player of the Year after scoring the 14th and 15th goals of his Premier League season at Upton Park on Monday night. That's incredible form and, obvious though it is to say it, he is a massive danger to Arsenal and not just because he is in phenomenal form but because the way Arsenal play will give him opportunities.

The Gunners will attack but Spurs, with pace on both wings, will get opportunities to break and go at the away rearguard. Unless my old club sticks someone on Bale he will surely hurt them.

But, of course, when Arsenal are on the attack they have the weapons to hurt Tottenham. One player who will attract plenty of attention is Wilshere. I have been watching Jack recently and I love what he does. He is so different to what we have got here in England. He drives himself right across the pitch and into little holes, always looking to pass and move and stretch the opposition.

As a local lad and one of his team's leading talents, Jack will undoubtedly be one of the main men on Sunday.  One of my formative experiences as an Arsenal player came at White Hart Lane where I was literally put up against the wall and threatened by Tony Adams, David Rocastle and Paul Davis who told me in no uncertain terms what the fixture meant to them. Believe me, I made sure I put a shift in that day.

A few years have gone by since then but this fixture still means just as much to the fans and I hope it does for the players.
 
I absolutely guarantee White Hart Lane will be rocking for this fixture. Neither teams' top-four aspirations will be decided in N17 on Sunday afternoon but they can either take a big boost or a body blow. For what it's worth I fancy both to finish in the Champions League positions with the internal strife at Chelsea seeing them finish out of the top-four again. It's an eventuality that might actually appeal to both sets of fans!

My bets on Sunday will be pegged to the goals markets. With all that attacking talent and the fixture's recent history, I'll be going over in both halves - that's 1.5 in the first half and 3.5 after 90 minutes.

This fixture hasn't disappointed in recent years and I really can't see that changing on Sunday. Enjoy it! 

Recommended Bets 
Back over 1.5 goals in the first half @ 2.6213/8
Back over 3.5 goals @ 2.77/4