Spurs Starting XI vs Arsenal: Confirmed Team News and Predicted Lineup | OneFootball

Spurs selection headache under Igor Tudor

North London derbies are rarely gentle affairs, yet this one arrives with Tottenham battered and improvising. The club’s interim manager Igor Tudor, newly appointed to steady a wavering campaign, faces his first defining moment against Arsenal with a squad stripped by injury and suspension. It is not merely a game of tactics but survival, a selection puzzle that has little margin for romance.

Tottenham expect Dominic Solanke to be fit after illness, offering a rare lift. Tudor himself confirmed optimism, saying Spurs “expect the striker to be fit”, though the uncertainty still lingers like London drizzle. Spurs have as many as 12 senior players unavailable, a number that tells its own story.

Cristian Romero serves the second match of his four-game suspension after his dismissal at Manchester United, while Kevin Danso remains injured. Pedro Porro is sidelined with a hamstring issue, Richarlison continues recovery, and Wilson Odobert’s anterior cruciate ligament injury adds to a bleak list.

Tottenham Hotspur V Newcastle United. Premier League. Harvey Barnes Newcastle

Injury latest forces tactical rethink

Tudor has historically preferred a 3-4-2-1 system, but Spurs’ injury latest makes ideology a luxury. Without Romero and Danso, João Palhinha is tipped to drop into defence if three at the back is retained. It is hardly textbook planning, more a pragmatic shift born of necessity.

Pedro Porro’s absence pushes Djed Spence into a wing-back role, while Archie Gray is expected to feature on the opposite flank. Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr could anchor midfield, with Conor Gallagher pressing high in support of Solanke.

These choices are less about flair than resilience. Tottenham must hold shape, protect space, and survive Arsenal’s rhythm. Injuries do not simply weaken a team; they force compromise in chemistry, rhythm, and confidence.

Predicted lineup for Tottenham vs Arsenal

Tottenham’s predicted lineup:

Vicario; Palhinha, Dragusin, Van de Ven; Gray, Bissouma, Sarr, Spence; Gallagher, Simons; Solanke.

It is a team patched together from availability rather than ambition. Yet derbies have a habit of ignoring logic. Players find courage where form has failed them, and supporters forgive rough edges if heart is shown.

Solanke’s fitness, even at 80 per cent, matters enormously. Without Richarlison or other attacking options, Spurs’ ability to stretch Arsenal’s defence depends on his movement. Tudor will ask for discipline first, inspiration second.

Derby pressure meets Premier League reality

Tottenham’s predicament reflects wider Premier League truths. Managers are judged instantly, injuries arrive mercilessly, and the calendar waits for no one. Tudor’s appointment, as interim head coach on 17 February 2026, places him in the spotlight immediately. Arsenal, led by Mikel Arteta, come with title ambitions and momentum. Spurs arrive with patched-up limbs and stubborn pride.

Yet football’s beauty lies in uncertainty. Tottenham’s predicted lineup may not be glamorous, but it will be honest. If Vicario commands his area, if Van de Ven marshals courage, if Bissouma and Sarr can wrestle midfield into submission, the derby becomes something else entirely.