KICK-OFFpublished at 16:30 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2021
Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham
And we are under way in the 189th north London.
Dawson own goal gives Man Utd win over West Ham
Result: Arsenal 2-1 Tottenham - Odegaard & Lacazette (pen)
Spurs led through Lamela's outrageous 'rabona' goal, Argentine sent off late on
Aubameyang left on Gunners bench over 'disciplinary issue'
Result: Leicester 5-0 Sheff Utd - Iheanacho hat-trick, Perez & Ampadu OG
Blades thrashed in first game since Wilder exit
Result: Southampton 1-2 Brighton - Trossard scores second-half winner
Emma Sanders
Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham
And we are under way in the 189th north London.
Arsenal v Tottenham (16:30 GMT)
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Arsenal v Tottenham (16:30 GMT)
The teams are out on the turf at the Emirates. We've had two entertaining games so far today. Dare we expect a third?
FT: Leicester 5-0 Sheffield United
Sheffield United
Sheffield United's Interim manager Paul Heckingbottom told Sky Sports:
“From the start [we were poor], we can make all the excuses in the world. It’s an upset dressing room in there. They boys’ leader has gone, it’s taken its toll on the players and staff today.
“We know hard work starts next week. It’s not nice to be in that dressing room right there.
“We’ve just been chatting in there, if confidence was something you could just click your fingers it’ll be easy.
“[We need] a recognition of what the team has done to get here. Five years ago this team was in League One. [We need] a recognition of that and try to get back to those levels.
“I’ll take the team till the end of the season and we’ve now got to organise until then. I’m thinking about helping the players and the club.
“It’s difficult because we’ve lost Chris [Wilder] who was a mate to me and many more. He was an idol to the fans. We’ve got to put things right for next season.”
Arsenal v Tottenham (16:30 GMT)
One guess who the main man might be for Tottenham today?
Harry Kane is the leading goalscorer in north London derbies, with 11 goals in 14 league and cup appearances.
His tally of 11 Premier League goals against Arsenal is bettered only by Wayne Rooney, who scored 12.
Spurs have 46 league goals this season, with 37 of them either scored or assisted by Harry Kane or Song Heung-min.
Throw a rejuvenated Gareth Bale into the mix and you have a serious challenge for the Arsenal defence to reckon with.
Arsenal v Tottenham (16:30 GMT)
Mikel Arteta also has a bit of an issue with Jose Mourinho. He is winless in all eight of his Premier League matches as a player or manager against the Portuguese.
In fact, Mourinho has lost just two of his 22 matches as a manager against Arsenal in all competitions (W12, D8).
One record the Spaniard will be desperate to avoid is becoming the first Arsenal manager to lose his first three north London derbies.
FT: Leicester 5-0 Sheffield United
Leicester City
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers to BBC Sport: "We were nice and aggressive. They are good players who have showed if you give them time they can play. We didn't give them many chances. When we had the ball we had to be patient. It took a little bit of time but once we got the breakthrough we were outstanding with the speed of our game.
"When we have that intensity to the game and work as hard as we do, the players deserve huge amounts of credit. They showed hunger and apetite in the game. They not only wanted to score goals but not concede. Sheffield United don't concede so many games so to score five and play with that intensity, I was really pleased.
"Kelechi Iheanacho is a great guy and when he has been asked to come in he has perfomed. Absolutely delighted for him to have got a hat-trick in the Premier League. It's a great achievement and all were very good team goals."
On having time this week to prepare between fixtures: "One intensity, two just little details in the game where we could prepare the team. We had that time in order to work on aspects of the game. It's not just about recovery but coaching. When we play with that energy and speed we are very competitive.
"It's all about learning. Our objective this season was to come in and challenge the cup competitions and go as far as we can. You can see the authority in the players. We had a few players coming back thankfully. The squad is looking strong so it will bode well for us."
Arsenal v Tottenham (16:30 GMT)
The Gunners are not in the best of form coming in to this. They have won just two of their past seven league fixtures, and have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their previous six.
They have also lost five Premier League home games this season, their highest total since suffering six defeats in 1994-95.
Arsenal v Tottenham (16:30 GMT)
Arsenal have some home league record against Spurs. They have only been beaten in two of their past 35 home league games against them (W19, D14), losing 3-2 at the Emirates in November 2010 and 3-1 at Highbury in May 1993.
However, the Gunners are winless in their previous five league and cup games against Spurs (D2, L3).
They have never gone six matches without a victory against their north London rivals.
For their part, Spurs are vying to complete a top-flight double over the Gunners for the first time since the 1992-93 season. They can claim three consecutive league wins in this fixture for the first time since 1974.
Arsenal v Tottenham (16:30 GMT)
Mark Lawrenson
BBC football expert
Tottenham are firing properly now - they have scored four goals in three of their past four games - and Jose Mourinho is always very keen to let people know about it.
I don't blame Jose for banging his drum about it, because Spurs have hit form and found some consistency.
That's what Arsenal need - they have produced some good performances recently but I am still not really sure what to expect from them week to week.
Prediction: 0-2
Lawro's full predictions v Bend it like Beckham actor Frank Harper
FT: Leicester 5-0 Sheffield United
Leicester City
Leicester goalscorer Ayoze Perez told BBC MOTD:
"A very good performance from the team. We knew the importance of this game, we needed these three points.
"Jamie Vardy has been unbelievable today, he can do it all. Congratulations to Kelechi [Iheanacho] for that hat-trick.
"We were very happy for him. Everyone is really pleased to see him scoring a hat-trick, he is such a nice guy.
"As soon as we broke through, we knew it was a good chance to keep scoring goals and to keep that hunger to get that goal difference [up]. We’re getting better, there’s still nine games to go, we’ll keep pushing."
Having never lost by more than a three-goal margin under Chris Wilder, Sheffield United have suffered their heaviest defeat in any competition since September 2008 (6-0 v Arsenal, League Cup), whilst this is their heaviest league defeat since April 2000 (5-0 v Blackburn).
Paul Heckingbottom is only the third manager in Premier League history to lose by 5+ goals in his first match in charge, after Alan Smith in 1994 (Crystal Palace 1-6 Liverpool) and Roberto Di Matteo in 2010 (West Brom 0-6 Chelsea).
Sheffield United have now conceded five times in a match as many times under Heckingbottom as they did in 227 games under Chris Wilder (once)
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If Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is on the bench does it mean he's in trouble till they need a goal?
Nicholas, Southend
All this talk of Pierre-Emerick Aubamayang being left out for disciplinary reasons is a joke. He couldn't have been that naughty as he's on the bench which is where he's started quite a few games. Just Mikel Arteta playing Jose Mourinho mind games.
Mark, Colchester.
FT: Leicester 5-0 Sheffield United
Leicester City
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers to Sky Sports: "Very pleased. Sheffield United are a tough team to break down. They have lost by just the odd goal this season so we knew we'd have to be patient. We counter-pressed well, were aggressive when we did have to defend and we had to be patient to wait for the first goal. When that came we played our shape well against their shape. Very pleasing.
"[Kelechi Iheanacho has] been in great form. He's playing at a really high level. Not just his goals but dropping in short into the right spaces. I thought he and Jamie Vardy up front - the combination was very good.
"[Vardy] allows the players to get up with him. He got in the righ positions. He had some chances and the keeper makes saves. He keeps going for the team. He maybe could have scored. We always appreciate everything he brings for the team.
"[Ayoze Perez is] so clever and so bright. He finds the space so well against that system. He did that and scored a fantastic goal. I'm delighted for him.
"I think the team is another year down the line. We need to work with that hunger and intensity. We are very competitive in the league. Fundamentally we defended well and looked dynmatic going forward. We can recover now and go again for the next game. We are working well with nine games to go. We will enjoy it, analyse where we could have been better and get ready for the next one."
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Spurs have the better starting 11. Arsenal have the stronger bench. Even if Spurs are winning, Arsenal could turn it around. Hope I'm wrong.
Graham, Spurs fan
Daniel Cheng: Auba's omission showing no player is bigger than the club. I don't really feel his best role is on the left anyway and only one of him or Laca can lead the line.
Arsenal v Tottenham (16:30 GMT)
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FT: Leicester 5-0 Sheffield United
Leicester City
Leicester's hat-trick hero Kelechi Iheanacho told Sky Sports:
"I don't know how to express this, I've been waiting for this day to come. I'm grateful to God, my teammates and my manager for for helping me grow.
"I wish everyone a happy Mother's Day. I dedicate this match ball to all the mothers in the world.
[On playing with teammate Jamie Vardy] "Playing with him is a joy, he makes so much space for me. I'm really happy, I'm delighted. Even when he's not scoring he's helping the team to win.
"It was the first win at home for a while and it's a clean sheet as well so we're all really happy.
"The gaffer made it clear when he came in that we need to keep going. We're getting very near to the top, hopefully we [can] finish near there."
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I wish when I was naughty I got told to have a rest and bank 250 grand. Is that a punishment?
Frankie
Think you probably need to have scored 84 goals in 138 games first, Frankie.
Arsenal v Tottenham (16:30 GMT)
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confirmed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was due to start against Tottenham but was dropped for disciplinary reasons.
“He was going to start the game, we had a disciplinary issue, we have drawn the line and we move on. He’s on the bench," the Spaniard told Sky Sports.
“We keep that internally, we have a process that we have to respect for every game and that’s it.
“It was a decision made after evaluating everything and who Auba and what he’s done and that’s it.
"We have other players who can play, recently we have changed the team quite a lot and there are players who are willing to play and deserve a chance, so I’m comfortable with that.”
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It must be a thing about teams in red and white stripes. Sheffield United remind me of Sunderland. I can see them in a relegation scrap in the Championship next season.
Adam, Tredegar
Ouch. Mate, too soon.