Martin Keown believes Arsenal should replicate the approach taken by Newcastle when they take on Tottenham and feels the speedy Gabriel Martinelli could be ‘vital’.
The Gunners travel to their north London rivals on Sunday knowing they can take a four-point lead over Manchester City ahead of Pep Guardiola’s side facing Nottingham Forest later in the day.
Spurs have actually had two weeks off ahead of the derby and have not played since they were hammered 4-0 at St James’ Park.
Eddie Howe’s side went man-to-man against Tottenham, pressing aggressively and winning the ball high up the pitch, and ripped apart their high defensive line.
Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon ran havoc and were played in on countless occasions, and Keown believes that same gameplan could be employed by Arteta on Sunday.
The key to it will be starting the pacey Martinelli, though he has fallen out of favour recently – with Leandro Trossard playing excellently – and the Brazilian has not started a Premier League match since March 4 against Sheffield United.
‘It is extremely unlikely that Tottenham will change their tactics for this one,’ wrote Keown in his column for the Daily Mail.
