Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal aka the North London Derby is without a doubt, one of the English football’s most iconic rivalries and while the clubs may not be competing for titles anymore, the passion in the players and fans remains unbridled each time they take to the field.

While Spurs may be the form team after stunning Manchester United and holding Liverpool to a draw, Arsenal haven’t been too shabby of late as their new-look side smashed Everton last week.

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In fifth place and on the verge of moving into the top-four, the Lilywhites will seek to banish their Wembley woes against a side that seem to love the venue but Saturday’s early kick-off promises to be anything but routine.

For Arsene Wenger’s side are chasing the top-four as well and the chance to close within a point of the Lilywhites will add extra incentive as their expensively-assembled forwards look to blow Spurs away.

With such a high-profile clash, there are bound to be a plethora of talents all around, but The Statesman has picked the five players that are likely to be front and centre of the proceedings at Wembley.

Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur)

Dele Alli’s supposed ‘sex-tape’ has been doing the rounds since Spurs’ chaotic 2-2 draw with Liverpool last week and while the 21-year-old isn’t in line for a suspension since it isn’t an offence, such an incident has to be embarrassing and couldn’t have come at a worse time.

For the precocious talent has fallen short of the impossibly-high standards set by him this season and an off-field incident such as this will be fodder for Gunners fans and the taunts will be audible from before kick-off on Saturday.

With Lucas Moura nearing his debut, the competition for places in the Lilywhites squad is heating up and Alli will have to let his feet do the talking when they take on the Gunners.

Considering the fact that their defence is far from the best, Alli and Co. will be champing at the bit to get themselves on the scoresheet.

Wenger called him out for his diving to add spice to the mix, will Alli respond by conjuring a moment of magic or lose his cool in the fiery cauldron of the North London Derby?

Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)

All the talk about Spurs being a one-man team has been done to death but the fact remains that without their star striker, the Lilywhites would be struggling to place mid-table, let alone top-four.

The reigning Premier League Golden Boot winner (for the past two seasons) and the man on top of this season’s charts, he will be relishing the chance to score his 101st Premier League goal against his former club.

The fact that Arsenal let the 24-year-old Kane go when he was a schoolboy probably still rankles Spurs’ No.9, even if the publicly states that it was the best thing that happened to him.

Kane’s clashes with Laurent Koscielny have rarely seen him not come out on top for the Gunners’ defensive woes are well-documented and in theory, Spurs’ hitman has the clear edge.

If he fires, Spurs are likely to win, it’s as simple as that.

And keeping close tabs on a player Arsene Wenger has called the ‘best striker in Europe’ will be an onerous task for the visiting defence.

David Ospina (Arsenal)

Arsene Wenger, in his pre-match press conference on Thursday, insisted that he has full faith in David Ospina’s abilities in the wake of Petr Cech’s injury.

The 35-year-old Cech is racing against time to face the Lilyhwites but in all probability, Ospina will start in his stead and that is a worrying sight for the Gunners faithful as the South American has made a number of high-profile errors in the past.

Primarily utilised by Wenger in cup competitions this season, Ospina hasn’t seen too many minutes this season and while he did decently against Everton last week, this Spurs team is a very different beast.

Kane and Co. do not need any gifts and with a shaky backline in front of him, Ospina will be a busy man and how the custodian copes at Wembley could well determine the outcome. He’s not the best with crosses and even fumbles routine shots while on the other hand can make some outstanding saves to make him a divisive figure among pundits and fans alike.

Arsenal’s attack is stocked with talent all over, but football games aren’t won on offensive firepower alone and if Wenger’s men can’t run a tight ship at the back, they can forget about bragging rights and possibly, the top-four.

Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal)

With Jack Wilshere fit again, Wenger faces a selection dilemma as the resurgent Englishman is seemingly unable to play with Aaron Ramsey.

Ramsey, who notched his first hat-trick for the club in their 5-1 win over Everton last week, is almost certain to start for surely Wenger wouldn’t drop a player who had just resisted a treble?

As mentioned earlier, however, Spurs are several notches above the Toffees and their midfield is packed with no-nonsense midfielders.

Arsenal’s Welshman has a great engine, but does he have the tactical discipline to play alongside wildcard Granit Xhaka?

Mousa Dembele and Eric Dier may not have plenty of goals in them, but the two can certainly boss a midfield battle and Ramsey will have to produce a mature performance in which he manages to execute a dual-layered role (support in attack and defence) perfection.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Arsenal)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang got off the mark on his debut while Ramsey struck a hat-trick, but it was Henirkh Mkhitaryan who stole the show against Everton with a treble of assists.

The Armenian has a lot to prove after an underwhelming stint with Manchester United and he seems like a man in a hurry.

Too often the creative burden has been lumped on Mesut Ozil, but the Gunners new No.7 has arrived to share the responsibility and along with former Dortmund man Aubameyang, Arsenal now have a forward line as good as any in the English top-flight.

In his first North London Derby, will the Armenian shine? Let’s not forget, he started the season with United in blistering form only to tail off mysteriously.

Under Wenger at the Emirates, Mkhitaryan is at the right place to leave his mark in the English top-flight and he can’t afford to not perform in big games such as these if he wishes to salvage his reputation.

Spurs don’t look particularly stingy at the back without Toby Alderweireld and since it is unlikely the Belgian will start after playing the full 90 minutes in their midweek FA Cup win over Newport County, Arsenal’s forwards will be raring to go and if ‘Mkhi’ can get going, the away side might just nick it.