Game of the weekend: Arsenal vs Tottenham

Arsenal play Tottenham with both teams in the top four - the first time they have played each other while so highly placed for 19 years. In 1990/1 the game ended 0-0 and Arsenal ended the season as Champions; it is also 19 games since Spurs beat Arsenal - so there are plenty of good omens for Arsenal.

We've already been through some of the reasons why Arsenal will beat Spurs and conversely why Spurs will win and even whether any Spurs players are good enough to play for Arsenal (despite Robbie Keane's protestations) - so what else is there to say?

Well Arsenal has the joint most goals scored at home (17 in 4 games) and Spurs is the second best goalscoring team on the road (11 in 5 games) - so there are likely to be goals at both ends. Both teams are missing key players, Arsenal is without Tomas Rosicky, Denilson and Theo Walcott - and the goalkeeper position is in question as Mannone's form may keep out Almunia; for Spurs Aaron Lennon, Luka Modric and Jermain Defoe are missing.

A cracking game in prospect.

Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur; Kick Off 12:45pm 31 Oct 2009

Prediction Panel
Our panel contains both Squarefootball writers and readers, the writers are marked: (sqf).

Dave Blackburn : TBC
Chris Cox : 2 - 1
Graham Enwright : 4 - 1
Sue Gardener : 3 - 1
Chris Goodwin : 2 - 1
Paul Grech (sqf) : TBC
Colin Illingworth (sqf) : 3 - 1
Hugh Larkin (sqf) : 2 - 1
Peter Lee : 1 - 2
Don McMahon : 2 - 2
Antony Melvin (sqf) : 2 - 2
Paul O'Meara (sqf) : 4 - 2
Dave Nash : 1 - 2
Stephen Orford (sqf) : 2 - 1
Tony Ratton : 2 - 2
Peter Rendle : 2 - 0
Dan Taylor : 2 - 2
Andy Wakeman : 2 - 1
Isaac Williams : TBC
Mark Williams : 2 - 1

Panel Verdict
The panel is expecting a 2-1 Arsenal win.

Home: 11; Draw: 4; Away: 2; TBC: 3.

* Do we have it right, or do you know better? Please don't bother with derisory comments on the predictions after the match - unless you also pulled us up before it!