Perhaps the most surprising piece of team news ahead of the last ever north London derby to be played at White Hart Lane concerns Tottenham’s defence.
Kieran Trippier is preferred to Kyle Walker at right-back as Mauricio Pochettino continues to rotate the duo during a busy run-in.
Walker played 90 minutes in the 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on Wednesday. He started the game poorly but improved in the second half, and many believed he would start against Arsenal.
But it appears Pochettino is still unwilling to play Walker in more than one match per week. Trippier started in the FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea last weekend, and is trusted at right-back for yet another big test.
Elsewhere, Mousa Dembele is only fit enough to make the bench after injuring is ankle in the first half at Selhurst Park.
As a result, Spurs have the choice of either partnering Eric Dier with Victor Wanyama in central midfield, or deploying a back three including Dier, allowing Christian Eriksen to drop deeper.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to all the team news.
#THFC: Lloris (C), Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies, Dier, Wanyama, Son, Eriksen, Dele, Kane. #COYS pic.twitter.com/ZSpZOJu64X
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) April 30, 2017
Subs: Vorm, Walker, Wimmer, Dembele, Sissoko, Nkoudou, Janssen. #COYS
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) April 30, 2017
Walker to City confirmed
— Spooky (@Spooky23) April 30, 2017
Walker and Dembele should really be starting in a NLD if they’re fit enough for the bench. Not going to complain much now though… #COYS
— Spurs In The Blood (@SpursInTheBlood) April 30, 2017
#thfc So Trippier has started the FA Cup semi-final & the north London derby this week, while Walker’s started at Crystal Palace. Surprising
— Ben Pearce (@BenPearceSpurs) April 30, 2017
Somethings happened with Walker I imagine.His performance on Wednesday was awful, dropped at Wembley and Tripp preferred today as well.#THFC
— StephenVictorWanyama (@StevieV14) April 30, 2017
Walker didn’t look like a man off to city in celebrations wed. Tripper has edged him out on form for me. That’s how poch works.
— General Burkinshaw (@TsideSpurs) April 30, 2017
Don’t think Walker has been great over last two months, Tripp has been excellent. Walker put in big shift on Weds. Can understand selection.
— The Spurs Report (@spurs_report) April 30, 2017
Surely Walker is injured/ill/fatigued or on his way out. The tactical arguments for playing Trippier over him today are not good ones.
— Nathan (@TTTactics) April 30, 2017
#thfc My guess is that Walker’s absence is a mental / focus issue, rather than a tactical or fitness one. He’s far better than Trippier.
— Dan Kilpatrick (@Dan_KP) April 30, 2017
Trippier’s ability unquestionable as he’s grown game by game in a Spurs shirt but Walker’s omission again in a big game a little odd.#THFC
— Ricky Sacks ? (@RickSpur) April 30, 2017