For Tottenham Hotspur fans, getting used to being the favourites to win a North London Derby has taken time to adjust to.
However, ahead of today’s meeting at Wembley, Spurs supporters should be brimming with confidence despite the obvious nerves before kick-off.
Tottenham are rightly favourites for the game and victory should all-but ensure that the ‘power balance’ in North London is firmly cemented in the Lilywhites’ favour.
Heading into the game, there really are no excuses for Mauricio Pochettino and the Spurs side.
The Tottenham manager has a full squad to select from, with the likes of Toby Alderweireld, Danny Rose, Serge Aurier, Harry Winks and even Lucas Moura available for selection should he so desire.
Spurs have shown against both Liverpool and Arsenal at Wembley this season that dominance over top-six rivals is more than attainable with the right attitude – and that is even before mentioning the side’s European feats.
Victory today would create a seven-point gap between Tottenham and Arsenal, move Pochettino’s men temporarily into third place and land an almost fatal blow on the opponents’ chances of Champions League qualification.
Arsenal have sold their best player and have wilted in the big games for the last couple of seasons, unable to handle the pressure put on them by top teams that play with intensity.
Every Tottenham fan at Wembley today will urge Pochettino to get his side to come out of the blocks quickly, focus on the task at hand and go for the jugular.
Both United and Liverpool, who are better teams than Arsenal, could not live with Spurs when this approach was taken.
It is time for Tottenham to fully assert the club’s dominance over our rivals, take a big step forward in the race for a top-four finish and decimate the opposition’s chances of a successful campaign.