Tottenham will face off against Arsenal in the North London derby on Sunday and both teams are gearing up for a fierce contest.
Tottenham have started the season in impressive fashion and they are currently second in the league table.
The North London outfit have played an exciting brand of attacking football under the new manager Ange Postecoglou and they are likely to fight for all three points against the Gunners tomorrow.
Popular pundit Steve Nicol has claimed on ESPN that summer signing James Maddison might struggle against Arsenal due to the intensity of the game. Nicol believes that the 26-year-old England international has never experienced a rivalry like Arsenal and Tottenham in his career before and he might struggle to adapt to the game.
“I think it does. Listen, derbies like this are 100% more intense and everything is quicker. You have to think quicker, everything you do has to be done in a manner you have never experienced before. James Maddison for example will pick the ball up and as he’s thinking of what to do, someone will be stuck to him. He’ll be thinking ‘hold on a second.’ he’s never experienced something like this,” Nicol said.
Maddison will have to be quick with his decision making and he will have to stay composed in decisive situations.
There is no doubt that the 26-year-old is a top-class player and he has proven himself in the Premier League over the years. He has managed to hit the ground running since his move to Tottenham as well. He has already established himself as a key player for Postecoglou and the fans will be expecting a defining performance for him in the North London derby.
Tottenham need his creativity and decision making in the final third in order to break down a resilient Arsenal defence.
Both teams will be pushing for all three points and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.
