Tottenham vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League line-ups as James Maddison and Declan Rice start in north London derby

Here’s the state of play for Spurs, then…

They currently sit in fifth, seven points behind Aston Villa – but having played three matches fewer. While that means it’ll be a packed schedule for Tottenham in the run-in, Villa’s second-half collapse against Chelsea yesterday does mean it’s effectively back in Spurs’ hands for fourth.

If they were to win all three they’d be two points ahead. If they win two and draw today, for example, it would be down to goal difference – Villa’s is currently five goals better, so a pair of 2-0s would leave only one in it.

All very convoluted and largely irrelevant if the Gunners spank their rivals here, mind.

Fifth will get a Europa League spot for next season in all probability after the Premier League clubs mostly exited Europe last week.

The champions have another game in hand after thrashing Brighton on Thursday night, as Guardiola’s side aim to win a fourth league title in a row – a feat that has never been achieved in the history of English football, and the title is still in their hands.

So, with four weeks to go, which team has the best fixtures and who has the hardest run of games to end the season?

Here’s where the title could be won and lost…

The overall picture for Spurs has changed since they lasted played on April 13, with fourth-placed Aston Villa able to establish a six-point advantage while fifth is no longer set to provide Champions League football.

It does not decrease the significance of Sunday’s clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Arsenal aware a victory would move them a step closer to a first title in 20 years.

However, Postecoglou referenced his time in charge of Celtic when he looked ahead to a crucial fixture between two bitter rivals.

Lineups are in – here’s the team news for the derby:

Tottenham: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Davies, Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Maddison, Kulusevski, Son, Werner

Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu, Rice, Partey, Odegaard, Saka, Havertz, Trossard

Team news is just a few minutes away – the Gunners are not expected to make many changes away from their regular strongest lineup, but Spurs continue to battle several injuries and left-back Destiny Udogie is done for the season.

We’ll see very shortly who Postecoglou and Arteta select for this massive match-up.

Mikel Arteta insists his sole focus remains on Arsenal’s last four games of the season and not on the results of their Premier League title rivals.

The Gunners will go into Sunday’s north London derby at Tottenham top of the table, although the destination of the title is not in their own hands with reigning champions Manchester City just a point behind and with a game in hand.

With Liverpool also involved, the three-way title run-in has already provided twists and turns but – as interest peaks towards the end of the campaign – Arteta is happy to sound like a broken record as he aims to deliver a first league crown to Arsenal in two decades.

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino says VAR is “damaging English football” after his side were denied an injury-time winner at Aston Villa.

The Blues thought they had overturned a 2-0 half-time deficit at Villa Park when Axel Disasi crashed home a header only for it to be ruled out for a foul on Diego Carlos in the build-up.

Referee Craig Pawson did not award the foul in real time but did so after being advised to check the pitchside monitor by VAR Christopher Kavanagh.

Tottenham forward Richarlison is primed to start upon his return from injury for Sunday’s north London derby with Arsenal.

Spurs enter this home fixture after a two-week break, which has allowed Richarlison to fully recover from a knee injury that halted an impressive run of nine goals in 10 matches and prevented him starting since February 17.

Tottenham have struggled for consistency in Richarlison’s absence and lost 4-0 at Newcastle a fortnight ago, but the Brazil international is ready to provide a point of difference and bring the physicality to Arsenal’s rock-solid defence on Sunday.

The Gunners will make the short trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday knowing they will remain at the summit if they leave with the three points.

It would take Arsenal a step closer to a first league crown in two decades, when Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles secured the title at White Hart Lane.

Spurs have since moved into a new home and will have a partisan crowd cheering them on against Arsenal as the hosts aim to keep their own top-four ambitions on track.

Arteta wants to remove the emotion of derby day and focus on the job at hand.

It’s a scene as old as time: rows of loyal and passionate supporters chanting from the terraces in support of their beloved sports team. Beautiful, emotional and stirring, chanting in unison in a stadium environment can be one of the most moving and arresting sounds you’ll ever hear.

It can also be disgusting, abusive and extremely hurtful.

The tribal nature of chanting is partly what makes watching sport exciting. Anyone remember the empty-stadium matches we all had to watch on TV during the pandemic? In the absence of “live” fans in the ground, even the most anticipated of games between bitter rivals were reduced to what felt like a friendly kickabout in the park.

Fans, chanting, vocal support – it all creates atmosphere. And sport, now that we’ve experienced it, is worse off without it. But when does chanting turn into abuse?

On Tuesday night, Arsenal and England star Declan Rice was subjected to what can only be described as abusive chants from a group of Chelsea supporters watching the game. Except the chants weren’t just about him – they were also aimed at his girlfriend, Lauren Fryer.

Read Gemma Abbott’s Voices column on abuse at football matches: