Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal: It’s a make-or-break North London Derby

The first North London derby of the 2026/27 Barclays Women’s Super League (BWSL) takes place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Both teams are in desperate need of a win.

Big time games require big time players.

Tottenham sit fourth in the table.

It’s a rare sight to see them positioned above their London rivals, who are in a shocking eighth place.

Renee Seeger’s side have won one out of their six games so far this season.

The Gunners have gone five games without a win since their 1-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on the opening weekend of the season.

It has been a tough watch for any football fan.

Spurs are also going through a difficult period.

The Lilywhites have conceded 12 goals in their last two BWSL games, losing 6-2 to Chelsea and 6-1 to London City Lionesses.

Martin Ho’s team will be aiming to add some cement to their wall in defence as they host this historical fixture.

Last time the sides battled, Alessia Russo scored a 27-minute hat-trick as Arsenal slew Spurs 5-2 at The Emirates.

However, a lot has changed since then.

Arsenal have not finished outside of the top three since 2014, but there are concerning signs that if things don’t change quickly at the club, then they might not achieve European football next season.

Two seasons ago, Sleger’s side dominated Europe, going on to win the UEFA Women’s Champions League beating Barcelona 1-0.

The same hunger and passion that was seen then will be required from both sides on Saturday.

There is no doubt that this derby will be full of passion and desire.

A rivalry like no other in the football world.

Spurs have won three of their six games this season, and although they have lost recently, they have found a way to keep scoring goals.

The in-form Victoria Pelova will feature in her first north London derby in new colours.

Pelova was one of the many surprising names to exit Arsenal, transferring to their rivals in the summer.

Arsenal, on the other hand, have shown they still have the ability but are failing to convert in the final third of the pitch.

It could potentially be down to questionable substitutions and tactics.

The Gunners will be praying that Russo, who was named England’s player of the year two weeks ago, will repeat last fixture's quality and show her clinical edge in front of goal.

There is a lot of tension in the Arsenal air as some think it may be time for a managerial change.

Either way, for the full 90 minutes, one can expect to see hostility and relentless effort as the neighbours go to war.