Tottenham and Arsenal have been bitter rivals ever since 1913.
That was the year Arsenal moved from Woolwich in south London to Highbury in north London – encroaching on Tottenham territory and sparking a feud that still exists to this very day.
The move has consequently seen some of the most intense games of football occur over the years – with both sides determined to secure bragging rights whenever the north London derby pops up on the calendar.
Arsenal fans even have a day of celebration called St. Totteringham’s Day to recognise the moment in the league season when it becomes mathematically impossible for Tottenham to finish above the Gunners.
On this note, let’s take a look at how Tottenham have fared against Arsenal over the years within a range of competitions.
Premier League
- Games: 66
- Wins: 15
- Draws: 24
- Defeats: 27
Tottenham and Arsenal have played out some thrilling spectacles in the Premier League, with that memorable 4-4 draw at the Emirates Stadium back in October 2008 a standout fixture.
Aaron Lennon. 90+4. Scenes. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1cnaCmPSTf
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 23, 2023
Admittedly, Spurs do not have the best record against the Gunners in the Premier League – winning only 15 of the 66 north London derbies since it was rebranded from the First Division in 1992.
Harry Kane – who is open to returning to Tottenham – is the top scorer in Premier League north London derby affairs with 14 goals, while Emmanuel Adebayor, who represented both sides, is joint-second alongside Heung-min Son with eight goals.
FA Cup
- Games: 6
- Wins: 2
- Draws: 0
- Defeats: 4
Surprisingly, there have only ever been six north London derby clashes in the FA Cup since the competition was born in 1871.
Spurs have won two of these six games, including a 3-1 victory in the 1991 semi-final which set them on their way to winning the trophy that season.
League Cup
- Games: 14
- Wins: 4
- Draws: 3
- Defeats: 7
There have been 14 editions of the north London derby in the League Cup – currently known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons.
An outrageous finish 🤤 pic.twitter.com/YSzzocqwln
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 30, 2022
None of these encounters have actually come in the final, but there have been several meetings on the quarter-final and semi-final stage.
Clive Allen is the top scorer in north London derbies which took place in the League Cup, with three goals to his name.
Division One
- Games: 111
- Wins: 39
- Draws: 24
- Defeats: 48
Tottenham’s relegation to the Second Division in 1977 saw the north London derby put on hold for a while – although there were still 111 fierce First Division clashes between the two.
Spurs won 39 and drew 24 of these meetings, including a 5-0 win over Arsenal on 25th December 1911.
FA Community Shield
- Games: 1
- Wins: 0
- Draws: 1
- Defeats: 0
Tottenham and Arsenal have only ever met once in the FA Community Shield – also known as the FA Charity Shield.
The meeting occurred after Spurs beat Nottingham Forest to win the FA Cup, while Arsenal won the 1990/91 First Division title.
Back then, the FA Community Shield was not decided on the day like it is in the modern era, and both sides shared the trophy for six months each following a 0-0 draw at Wembley.
Liverpool and Manchester United also shared the trophy in 1990.
London League
- Games: 6
- Wins: 3
- Draws: 1
- Defeats: 2
The London League was a competition held in London and the surrounding areas of south-east England from 1896 until 1964.
Like the United League, which you will find out about later, Tottenham faced Arsenal in this competition six times, experiencing slightly better fortunes with three wins, including a historic 5-0 victory on 4th November 1901.
Southern and District Combination League
- Games: 2
- Wins: 1
- Draws: 0
- Defeats: 1
Between the London League and the United League, Spurs and the Gunners faced off twice in the Southern and District Combination League.
Tottenham won the first of these two meetings by a 4-2 scoreline at home, before losing the other 2-1 at Arsenal.
United League
- Games: 6
- Wins: 2
- Draws: 2
- Defeats: 2
The United League existed in England from 1896 to 1902 – and again from 1905 to 1909.
It was created in 1896 to provide clubs who played in other leagues across southern or central England with an additional midweek game.
Tottenham faced Arsenal in six United League encounters during that period of time, winning two, both by a 3-2 scoreline, while drawing two and losing the other two.
| Games won | 67 |
| Games drawn | 55 |
| Games lost | 89 |
