Arsenal and Tottenham’s combined XI ahead of the north London derby: The Gunners’ centre back partnership is SPLIT UP, Declan Rice needs replacing – and who leads the line?

The Premier League is back in full force this weekend, with Tottenham and Arsenal set to face off in the first North London derby of the season on Sunday.

Spurs will be looking to regain their top four support after a mixed start to the season, while Arsenal will view this match as a must-win in their bid for their first Premier League title in 20 years.

Mikel Arteta is battling a midfield crisis, with captain Martin Odegaard a major doubt after picking up an injury in Norway’s win over Austria. Declan Rice is unavailable due to suspension, while new signing Mikel Merino is out with a shoulder fracture.

Spurs meanwhile also have a number of selection issues, with Richarlison sidelined against Newcastle after picking up an injury in training, and Yves Bissouma left off the pitch for Mali’s clash with Eswatini. Dominic Solanke is also a doubt.

After two straight home defeats to their fierce rivals, how many of Ange Postecoglou’s men could find themselves in a starting XI alongside Arsenal’s injury-plagued squad? Here is Mail Sport’s combined Spurs and Arsenal XI.

Goalkeeper: David Raya

Although goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has easily taken over from club legend Hugo Lloris, Raya are the clear favourites with a league-high 16 clean sheets last season.

Raya benefits from a rock-solid defensive line but has shown he can also make the decisive saves in Arsenal’s title fight.

Right back: Pedro Porro

Tottenham’s dynamic duo Porro and Udogie will be key to their hopes of a return to the Champions League next season.

Ben White, who has played both at centre-back and right-back, has proven to be a reliable option on the right side of Arsenal’s strong defence.

But with Porro’s blistering strike and an impressive seven assists last season – the most of any Premier League defender apart from Kieran Trippier – he could make the difference in what is sure to be a thrilling derby.

Central defender: William Saliba

The centre-back position is arguably the strongest for both Arsenal and Spurs, but the composed French defender should be one of the first names on the squad sheet.

Saliba is a regular in Arsenal’s defence and kept 18 clean sheets last season, more than any other player in the league.

Central defender: Cristian Romero

Both Micky van de Ven and Gabriel Magalhaes are unlucky not to be there, after their performances last season showed why they are among the best central defenders in the world.

However, World Cup winner Romero has emerged as a confident leader in Tottenham’s defence after honing some of his trademark ruthlessness.

The world-class defender is known for his hard tackling, but was also the Premier League’s highest-scoring defender last season with a number of goals.

Left back: Destiny Udogie

Jurrien Timber has started two of Arsenal’s opening three games and looks set to cement his place in the first team this season, but Udogie is the obvious choice here.

Arsenal’s new signing Riccardo Calafiori would undoubtedly be included in the discussion, but the defender is also still an injury doubt after suffering a painful knock to his calf in the match against France in Italy.

The young Italian has breathed new life into Spurs’ attack with his marauding runs down the flank, while strengthening his team’s sometimes shaky defence with his devastating tackles.

Midfielder: Thomas Partey

The excellent Declan Rice would be an obvious choice here, were it not for his suspension following his red card against Brighton.

With Yves Bissouma also injured at Tottenham Hotspur, it makes sense for Partey to take on the role.

The ball-grabbing midfielder has started in all three of Arsenal’s opening games and will provide much-needed pressure on the defence in midfield against Spurs’ aggressive upper line.

Central midfielder: James Maddison

The creative midfielder enjoyed a cracking start to the season at Tottenham with eight goals in his first nine games, but his campaign was largely disrupted by a long-term injury.

With two assists to his name already this season, Maddison looks well on his way to regaining his form and adding some much-needed creative juices to this Spurs team.

Central midfielder: Kai Havertz

The versatile Havertz, normally deployed as a false nine, is one of the few midfielders available to Arteta this weekend.

The technically gifted German scored 20 goals last season and would form a striking combination with Maddison in midfield.

Right wing: Bukayo Saka

While Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski performed decently last season, this season is a no-brainer.

Saka played superbly in Arsenal’s final season, scoring his highest goal to date with 16 goals and nine assists.

With his quick feet and fearsome pace, the young Englishman is an absolute terror to any backline he faces.

Left Wing: Son Heung-Min

Although the Tottenham captain has played as a striker before, he excels most as a winger.

The 32-year-old was again among the top scorers last season with 17 goals and no fewer than 10 assists.

The clinically minded South Korean is still one of Tottenham’s best players and deserves a starting place.

Striker: Dominic Solanke

This is probably the most difficult position to fill, with Gabriel Jesus and Richarlison both struggling with injuries.

Solanke is sidelined with an injury but after nearly making a comeback against Newcastle, the striker looks set to feature in his first North London derby.

The £65million club record signing was a revelation last season, scoring 19 goals for a mid-table side like Bournemouth.

Spurs fans will naturally be curious to see what the striker can achieve alongside the likes of Son and Maddison.