Igor Tudor set for rude awakening? Sutton delivers brutal Tottenham prediction with bold Arsenal forecast

Tottenham will be doing everything possible to beat Arsenal and deal a further dent to their title hopes.

Tottenham Hotspur are banking on Igor Tudor to save them from getting embroiled in a relegation battle, having signed him on a deal until the end of the season. At the end of his first week in the job, his side will host arch-rivals and title-challenging Arsenal in the Premier League.

Spurs are at a low ebb after Thomas Frank’s calamitous eight-month tenure. Igor Tudor has to pick up the boys, motivate and get them firing for Sunday’s North London derby. The big Croat couldn’t have expected any bigger test than facing Arsenal in his first game as Tottenham’s interim boss, but it provides him with a glorious opportunity to become an instant hero in the hearts of the White Hart Lane faithful.

Tudor will have a limited pool of players to pick his strongest XI, with 11 players on the sidelines. To add insult to injury, skipper Cristian Romero will serve the second of his four-match ban after picking up a red card for a ridiculous challenge on Casemiro in the defeat to Manchester United.

Igor Tudor’s Tottenham face an acid test against Arsenal

Tottenham’s upcoming Premier League fixtures do not make for encouraging reading either. The Lilywhites are set to face Arsenal, Fulham, Crystal Palace and Liverpool in their next four league matches, making it difficult for fans to see where the much-needed points will come from as Tudor’s side looks to avoid a relegation scrap.

As far as Arsenal are concerned, they have endured a blip in form in the Premier League recently, winning only two of their last seven fixtures. The 2-2 draw to basement club Wolves at Molineux in midweek dealt a crushing blow to the Gunners’ title ambitions.

Yet, BBC Sport pundit Chris Sutton believes Arsenal will secure a big win over Tottenham when they travel to N17 on Sunday. Writing in his column for the BBC, Sutton said:

“From what I’ve read about new Tottenham manager Igor Tudor, he is a guy who goes in at clubs and, in the short term, gets a tune out of his team.

“Spurs really need that to happen now, because they desperately need a win or two to get out of reach of relegation.”

The former Norwich City striker thinks this is a “big game” for Spurs as they can put another big dent to Arsenal’s title aspirations.

“So, this game is big for them for that reason, and also because they can put another dent in Arsenal’s title hopes too,” he added.

“Spurs and their fans have not had a lot to shout about this season, but if they can get something here, then this could be a defining moment in their campaign, and affect Arsenal as well. They would love that.

“It was an incredible wobble by Mikel Arteta’s team against Wolves, drawing 2-2 after being 2-0 up, and I certainly didn’t see it coming.

“You can imagine how Spurs will be chomping at the bit, and I am expecting them to make a fast start and have a real go at them – but Arsenal have to deal with that, and find a way of bouncing back.

“I think the Gunners can do that, and their quality will make the difference in the end. I worry about Spurs in forward areas, and it will be interesting to see how Tudor lines them up in defence too.

“Ultimately, if Arsenal turn up and play how we know they can, then they will win – and I am expecting them to make a real statement.”

Sutton feels that Arsenal have the quality in their squad to overcome Spurs. Tudor will be under pressure to deliver a positive result in his first game as the Lilywhites look to win their first league fixture in 2026. However, that pressure could play into Mikel Arteta’s hands. The Gunners would aim to put Tudor’s boys on the back foot early and maintain control throughout the game, with Sutton predicting a 3-0 away win for the visitors.

After watching Arsenal draw at Molineux, Tudor will formulate a plan to exploit their weaknesses and try getting a morale-boosting win for Spurs.