March 31, (THEWILL) – The season’s last north London derby is expected to be rescheduled for the penultimate week of the season.
THEWILL recalls that Arsenal’s January trip to Tottenham Hotspur was cancelled, due to a lack of players, a decision that angered Spurs because of the short notice given and the fact that just one member of the squad had tested positive for COVID-19.
While practically every other Premier League encounter that has been postponed this season has been rescheduled or played, the derby has yet to be rescheduled.
The Premier League has informed both teams that the match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would most likely be played the week of May 9th.
The rivals’ top-four struggle should still be ongoing by the time the match takes place, TV broadcasters hope as there will also be no Champions League or Europa League games in that midweek period to broadcast.
Nonetheless, many broadcasters think that the decision to schedule the derby so late in the season means it is more likely that the match will be purely for pride rather than for European qualifying.
Spurs are currently three points behind their arch-rivals, despite having played one more game, emphasising the importance of the derby.
Arsenal’s second-half form has seen them gradually pull away from their opponents, and they are targeting a top-four finish for the first time since the 2015/2016 season.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
