Tottenham vs Arsenal: Petr Cech and Laurent Koscielny absences give Spurs the edge, says Danny Rose

Warning: Rose says Spurs have the edge
Michael Regan/Getty Images
Tom Collomosse4 March 2016

Danny Rose believes the absence of Petr Cech and Laurent Koscielny gives Tottenham a crucial edge in tomorrow’s derby with Arsenal.

The Gunners goalkeeper and their key centre-back are out after being injured against Swansea and Manchester United respectively.

Spurs can temporarily replace Leicester at the top of the Premier League if they win, while Arsenal can draw level with their north London rivals should they prevail.

Rose is encouraged by the news from Arsenal’s treatment room. He said: “It’s a big bonus for us. Cech has been one of the buys of the season, not just for Arsenal, but in the whole of the Premier League. Koscielny is one of my favourite defenders in the league.

“We were gutted to lose at West Ham but whenever we have lost this season we have bounced back and there is no better occasion to do that than the derby.

Tottenham vs Arsenal: Combined XI

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“The derby will be great. Every one of them I have been involved with has been tasty, such as when we’ve been fighting for places in the top four. We will both look to put our season back on track.”

Rose and Kyle Walker are expected to be restored to the team after the pair were rested for the midweek defeat at West Ham.

Walker is the longest-serving current player at Spurs, having joined the club in the summer of joined the club in 2009. He has seen stars such as Luka Modric and Gareth Bale leave for Real Madrid but he is confident that should Spurs receive another approach from a major club for a key man, they would be better-placed to keep him.

Walker said: “We have a nice foundation at the club where the manager and the players are singing from the same hymn sheet.

“In the past we’ve had managers coming and going, players coming and going and things up in the air. With Bale and Modric, when Real Madrid came knocking, it’s Real Madrid and we weren’t the team then that we are now. Now we have a good starting block and we need to build on it.”

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