Weary Arsenal re-join the fray for Tottenham match

For their third game in eight days, the last thing Arsenal needed was a full-blooded derby clash with Tottenham.

But that is exactly what Arsene Wenger's men face at Highbury today and the Arsenal manager admits fatigue could pose as much of a threat as the much-improved form of their north London rivals.

"It is our third game in a week so there is a slight concern about tiredness and it is always a tough game against Tottenham," Wenger admitted.

"We will have to be at the top of our game to beat them."

Arsenal will however go into the match in buoyant mood.

Last weekend's 4-1 romp against Leeds left them top of the league and still unbeaten on the domestic front while Ashley Cole's last gasp winner against Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday has resurrected their Champions League campaign.

Spurs make the short trip to their neighbors with a point to prove having lost the same fixture last season after having Wales midfielder Simon Davies sent off after 30 minutes.

That decision was later recognized as a mistake when one of Davis' two yellow cards was rescinded. Spurs were also frustrated at White Hart Lane when a late penalty allowed Arsenal to take a point from a match the home side had dominated.

"On a different day we would have won that game 2-0 or 3-1 but if we have the same commitment on Saturday, we have a real chance of picking something up," said Spurs goalkeeper Kasey Keller.

Bolton ended Spurs' unbeaten run under David Pleat last Saturday and the caretaker manager, in charge since Glenn Hoddle was sacked, believes his side can learn from the way Nigerian midfielder Jay-Jay Okocha kept testing Keller from distance.

"We have to take a leaf out of Bolton's book and have shots from further out instead of trying to be too intricate around the last man and create free space," Pleat said.