Craig Bellamy predicts whether Arsenal or Tottenham will finish higher this season

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Arsenal secured the North London bragging rights as they beat Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend.

Craig Bellamy has told Monday Night Football on Sky Sports (broadcast on 20th November 2017 from 19:00) that while Tottenham have a long way to go before they prove themselves to be the top team in North London, he expects Mauricio Pochettino’s men to finish above Arsenal in the Premier League this season.

Spurs have received a huge amount of plaudits over the last couple of years, while Arsenal have struggled to challenge for the title in recent seasons and Arsene Wenger has seen his position come under more scrutiny than it arguably ever has been.

And their respective fortunes meant that it was Tottenham that went into the weekend’s North London derby at the Emirates as many people’s favourites to claim the bragging rights.

However, Arsenal surprised many, claiming a 2-0 win that they thoroughly deserved to leave them just one point behind Spurs in the Premier League table – seemingly opening up the battle between the two sides as to who will finish higher in the top flight this season.

But, while Bellamy is not sure that Tottenham’s progression in recent years means that they are North London’s number one side just yet, he predicted that Spurs will still finish above the Gunners this term.

“I think it’s a long way from being the shift in power because Arsenal have had years and years of dominating this derby, but also the Premier League – finishing above Spurs,” he told Monday Night Football on Sky Sports (broadcast on 20th November 2017; from 19:00).

“I believe as well as Arsenal played just then, I believe that Spurs will finish ahead of Arsenal this season. But it’s going to take a long time before we really start talk about the power being shifted.”

Had the question been asked shortly after Tottenham’s 4-1 win over Liverpool back in October, you would perhaps struggle to find many who would disagree with Bellamy’s opinion, but with two defeats in their last three in the league, perhaps there may now be several more who feel that Arsenal have a genuine chance to finish above their rivals.