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Ahead of the Premier League meeting between Arsenal and Tottenham this weekend, we caught up with a couple of fans for their take on the match...
Arsenal fan - Lewis Potton
The North London derby has never been more important. With Arsenal still on Manchester City’s title coattails and Champions League progress looking incredibly bleak, all the fans could do with beating our local rivals this weekend. If only to try and banish the awful Munich memories.
After a defensively shambolic performance against Bayern in midweek, it’s imperative that French centre half Laurent Koscielny retakes his place at the heart of the Arsenal defence. I’ve always liked Gabriel, but he looked woefully short against the movement and ability of Lewandowski and Muller.
Playing at home against a Spurs means only one thing – this is a must-win game. Derbies often mean that form goes out of the window, but fans will be hoping that the likes of Ozil, Sanchez and Giroud can keep up the form that has seen Arsenal propelled the league’s summit. Despite the midweek hammering in Germany, I’m backing Arsenal to bounce back and beat Spurs 2-0.
Show all 17 1 /17Premier League Power Rankings: Week 12 Premier League Power Rankings: Week 12 <b>17) Andre Ayew (Swansea City) - down 2</b> After a blistering start to the season Ayew, like Swansea, had cooled off before the recent trip to Villa Park where against the relegation candidates he found his best form and eventually added the crucial match-winner. Things were much tougher against Arsenal last time out but this weekend Swansea will be eyeing maximum points again. If they're to get them, Ayew will be crucial.
Last Fixture: L - 0-3 - Arsenal
Next Fixture: Norwich (a)
2015 Getty Images
Premier League Power Rankings: Week 12 <b>16) Joleon Lescott (Aston Villa) - up 1</b> Remi Garde takes charge of his first game as Aston Villa manager this weekend and having watched his new side in person on Monday night, he'll have a better idea of the task ahead. During that 3-1 loss to Tottenham he will have seen an ageing defence struggle to contain their opponents. Four of them are over 30 (goalkeeper Brad Guzan, Alan Hutton, Lescott, Kieran Richardson) and Micah Richards has plenty of Premier League experience of his own. Scoring goals was a problem under Tim Sherwood, but an experienced defence made plenty of errors. Garde will want to make the team tough to beat, but the likes of Lescott have to improve, particularly with Manchester City coming to town this weekend.
Last Fixture: L - 3-1 - Tottenham
Next Fixture: Manchester City (h)
Premier League Power Rankings: Week 12 <b>15) Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) - down 1 </b> Sunderland were humiliated last time out, losing 6-2 to Everton. But whilst things were a shambles at the back, Sam Allardyce could at least take solace that his two strikers, Jermain Defoe and Steven Fletcher, bagged some confidence boosting goals. If the Black Cats are to have any hope of escaping the relegation zone, they'll need them to continue firing.
Last Fixture: L - 6-2 - Everton
Next Fixture: Southampton (h)
Premier League Power Rankings: Week 12 <b>14) Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) - down 3</b> Having fallen eight places last week, Rooney tumbles another three. The Manchester United captain looks less and less like a striker every week and his playing up top means United's most dangerous attacker, Anthony Martial, has been shunted out to the left, blunting his threat. Against one of the meaner defences in the league in the shape of West Brom, those struggles could continue.
Last Fixture: D - 0-0 - Crystal Palace
Next Fixture: West Brom (h)
Premier League Power Rankings: Week 12 <b>13) Salomon Rondon (West Brom) - no change</b> Two wins in a row for Tony Pulis' side were ended by the weekly Leicester comeback last time out. West Brom are getting to grips with their manager's methods, but whilst keeping goals out is the priority, someone is needed to put them in at the other end and that's the case this weekend for the trip to Old Trafford. Venezuelan Rondon hasn't made the fastest start to the life in England but he scored in last weekend's defeat and he clearly has the physical and technical tools to thrive. It could just be the Theatre of Dreams for his on Saturday.
Last Fixture: L - 2-3 - Leicester
Next Fixture: Manchester United (a)
Premier League Power Rankings: Week 12 <b>12) Odion Ighalo (Watford) - new entry</b> Troy Deeney, Watford's captain and cult hero, held this position last week. But despite his decent displays, including assists, a high work rate and great link-up play, his problems in front of goal continue. In contrast, Ighalo just can't stop scoring and took his tally to seven for the season in the 2-0 win over West Ham. For that reason, the Nigerian comes in.
Last Fixture: W - 2-0 - West Ham
Next Fixture: Leicester (a)
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Premier League Power Rankings: Week 12 <b>11) Sadio Mane (Southampton) - down 1</b> Graziano Pelle has previously appeared on this list and continues to be excellent, but Mane has 'it' (whatever that may be). Manchester United were laughed at when they made a move for the Senegalese in the summer, but every week that move looks like it would have been a coup. Mane is fearless, direct and fast, striking fear into whichever defender is tasked with marking him. He also has an eye for goal and has no qualms about working hard defensively to help the team. A top player playing a huge role in helping Southampton edge up the table.
Last Fixture: W - 2-0 - Bournemouth
Next Fixture: Sunderland (a)
Premier League Power Rankings: Week 12 <b>10) Christian Benteke (Liverpool) - down 4</b> With Daniel Sturridge still not 100 per cent fit, Christian Benteke has returned at the perfect time for Jurgen Klopp, scoring a good goal in an impressive second-half performance against Southampton and then again in the win over Chelsea. Liverpool's focal point in attack is crucial to their resurgence under new management.
Last Fixture: W - 1-3 - Chelsea
Next Fixture: Crystal Palace (a)
Premier League Power Rankings: Week 12 <b>9) Eden Hazard (Chelsea) - up 7</b> Defeat, again, for Chelsea last weekend. The 3-1 loss to Liverpool saw Hazard reinstated into the first team but he again failed to have the desired impact and was replaced by Nunes do Nascimento at the hour mark. In midweek, his cameo performance in the Champions League reminded everyone watching why he was last season's standout player. With Jose Mourinho absent from the Britannia Stadium this weekend, the Chelsea manager needs his key players to step up. Hazard is one of those players and a big performance from him could go along way to calming speculation over Mourinho's future.
Last Fixture: L - 1-3 - Liverpool
Next Fixture: Stoke (a)
Premier League Power Rankings: Week 12 <b>8) Olivier Giroud (Arsenal) - no change</b> His Arsenal career looked to have stalled at the start of the season when Theo Walcott was scoring and he was getting sent off in the Champions League. But where Walcott dropped, Giroud stepped up and has been impressive in cameo appearances against Watford and Bayern Munich, before he was superb against Everton and Swansea. Giroud is one of Arsene Wenger's main men for the next few weeks and will be looked to for the goals in the North London derby.
Last Fixture: W - 0-3 - Swansea
Next Fixture: Tottenham (h)
Premier League Power Rankings: Week 12 <b>7) Yohan Cabaye (Manchester City) - no change</b> A fixture in these rankings this season, Cabaye was at the centre of Crystal Palace's excellent start to the season. A run of defeats clipped the Eagles' wings but they will hope that has come to an end with a dogged 0-0 draw with Manchester United in their last outing. A tough fixture awaits this weekend with a trip to Liverpool, a match in which Cabaye will be essential to hopes of picking up some points.
Last Fixture: D - 0-0 - Manchester United
Next Fixture: Liverpool (a)
Premier League Power Rankings: Week 12 <b>6) Anthony Martial (Manchester United) - up three </b> Worryingly for Manchester United, the teenager is now the club's biggest threat and most obvious match-winner, a trait that has only been so much more evident in the last couple of matches where he was pushed out to the left. With Rooney continuing to struggle, Louis van Gaal desperately needs Martial to fill the void. With that in mind, will the Manchester United manager move the French youngster back into the middle for the visit of West Brom? With just one goal scored in their last four matches in all competitions, it must be tempting.
Last Fixture: D - 0-0 - Crystal Palace
Next Fixture: West Brom (h)
Premier League Power Rankings: Week 12 <b>5) Dmitri Payet (West Ham) - down 2</b> West Ham's incredible season was stunted last weekend when they were beaten 2-0 by Watford. Slaven Bilic will be eager to get things back on track when they host Everton this weekend and Payet, one of the standout performers in the Premier League this term, will be vital.
Last Fixture: L - 2-0 - Watford
Next Fixture: Everton (h)
Premier League Power Rankings: Week 12 <b>4) Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) - up 1</b> With David Silva and Sergio Aguero's continued unavailability, summer signing De Bruyne has been the go to man for creativity and goals. So far he's been delivering and whilst he wasn't on the score-sheet in the narrow 2-1 win over Norwich last weekend, he was arguably man-of-the-match, pulling strings and showing the most willingness to create chances among the players in the blue. This weekend could be a tough one for the league leaders, with Aston Villa potentially benefiting from the 'new manager bounce' that Remi Garde may bring.
Last Fixture: W - 2-1 - Norwich
Next Fixture: Aston Villa (a)
Premier League Power Rankings: Week 12 <b>3) Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) - down one</b> There was never any doubt that Vardy would remain among the highest placers in the Power Rankings after he continued his incredible goalscoring run with what turned out to be the winner against West Brom. The England international has now scored in eight consecutive games.
Last Fixture: W - 2-3 - West Brom
Next Fixture: Watford (h)
Premier League Power Rankings: Week 12 <b>2) Harry Kane (Tottenham) - up 2</b> Having moved up seven places last week after his hat-trick against Bournemouth, Kane continues to rise. That's due to his finely taken late goal against Aston Villa on Monday night and the fixture the England striker finds himself this weekend - the North London derby. Kane is firing again and with the likes of Moussa Dembele and Christian Eriksen impressing behind him, he can expect a few chances to fall his way at the Emirates on Sunday.
Last Fixture: W - 3-1 - Aston Villa
Next Fixture: Arsenal (a)
Premier League Power Rankings: Week 12 <b>1) Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal) - non-mover</b> Sanchez remains the best individual performer in the Premier League. There are just so many ways in which he can put his mark on a football match, not just goals. He can create for others, he helps his defender and the work rate and effort he puts in rubs off on the rest of the Arsenal team. No other player in the Premier League is as important to their club as Sanchez - and no more will that be true than when Arsenal host their fiercest rivals.
Last Fixture: W - 0-3 - Swansea
Next Fixture: Tottenham (h)
Tottenham fan - Chris Deeley
Arsenal away is one of the trickiest games of the year for any side, and it seems to be doubly so for Spurs, who have picked up just one win at the Gunners since 1993. It's a massive game for Spurs' European ambitions and Arsenal's title challenge, but nobody will care about that on Sunday afternoon. For one afternoon, everything else takes a back seat and it's all about the bragging rights in north London.
The biggest worry for Spurs will be Olivier Giroud and his brilliant run of goalscoring form, but Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld are big enough and ugly enough to deal with him. Probably.
On the Spurs side, it's all about Harry Kane coming back into a bit of goalscoring form at long last. If he can play like he did in the derby at White Hart Lane in February, it's game on.
Prediction: 2-2
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