Unai Emery Insists Arsenal Can't Rely on Individual Players Against Tottenham This Weekend

Unai Emery has stressed he doesn't want just one player to step up against rivals Tottenham this weekend, with the Arsenal manager instead looking for a "team

Unai Emery has stressed he doesn't want just one player to step up against rivals Tottenham this weekend, with the Arsenal manager instead looking for a "team of heroes" in the first north London derby of the season.

The 47-year-old has faced Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham three times since he took over at Emirates Stadium in 2018, winning his first derby match 4-2 while also picking up a point on the road at Wembley last season.

The Gunners host Tottenham again this weekend and will look to extend their lead over Pochettino's side to five points in the table, but Emery insists every single player has to be a hero in order for the club to reach new heights on Sunday.

"I want not one player to be the hero but for the team to be heroes," Emery said, quoted by The Daily Mail. "Each match for me is very special. Each match I am feeling some special moments with Arsenal. Maybe it's one step more for us to show our best capacity, our best performance."

Emery added that both clubs are coming into the match on a much more level playing field compared to previous years, something which is backed up by the fact Arsenal are narrowly the bookies' favourites to snatch a win.

He added that the north London derby would offer Arsenal the perfect chance to bounce back following their 3-1 defeat to Liverpool, a scoreline which has hurt the club even though it is slightly deceptive.

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Tottenham will be making the short hop across London looking to make amends of their own after losing at home to Steve Bruce's Newcastle United. Club record signing Joelinton scored the only goal of the game as the Magpies picked up their first points of the season.