Tottenham Hotspur Can Cause Problems For Arsenal - Harry Redknapp

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp believes that his side can match Arsenal stride-for-stride during the north London derby at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Spurs are level on points with their opponents, although the Gunners do have a game in hand. But the gaffer is confident that there is a turn in the tide.

"I feel we're getting closer to them, without a doubt," Redknapp is quoted by The Press Association as saying.

"They play fantastic football but so do we. We have a squad here capable of matching anyone so we will be going there to win the game, absolutely. We always go for it and we only know one way to play.

"We'll be positive and take it to them. Certain parts of our game can cause them problems and we have to take it to them and give them something to think about it."

Redknapp's charges will be out to rewrite history with their first league victory against their arch-rivals in almost ten years, while it will be their first at the Emirates Stadium - as their last away victory against Arsene Wenger's men came at Highbury in 1993.

Despite history being in favour of the hosts, the cockney gaffer remains keen to point out that Robbie Keane and his men have what it takes to make the away end roar.

"Maybe Arsenal have got a bit more strength in depth, a few more younger players ready to step into the first team, but I think we've got a terrific squad and in certain areas we are stronger than them," he said.

"We've improved by bringing in three strikers, we're strong at central defence and we have two terrific goalkeepers. We have a squad that can cope at the very highest level."

Aaron Lennon will be sidelined for the clash owing to an ankle injury, and David Bentley is expected to earn his first league start of the season. The former Portsmouth boss also shed some light on Peter Crouch returning from a groin injury.

"He's [Bentley] in the right frame of mind and looks very sharp," he said.

"'Crouchy' has played in a lot of big games and World Cups and nothing is going to faze him."

"I am hoping 'Crouchy' can cause them problems and he can be unplayable if you hit him with the right ball. How can a fellow who is six foot beat a fellow who is six foot seven?"

The former Portsmouth boss discussed the prospect of Thomas Vermaelen marking Crouch, and disclosed that he may have signed the Belgium international earlier.

He continued: "I was recommended him as a left-back but we were strong in that position.

"The people who recommended him didn't speak of him as a central defender but he and William Gallas look very solid at the back.

"Crouch can cause anybody problems. Vermaelen has a great spring, but if the service is good there's nothing you can do to stop Peter."

Spurs snatched a draw from the jaws of defeat in an eight-goal thriller at the Emirates Stadium last season, and the boss chose to reflect on the draw as a sign of encouragement to his men.

"I turned to [assistant manager] Kevin Bond with 10 minutes to go and he said 'I can't believe we've got two goals away and have lost 4-2'," the ex-West Ham United boss added.

"I said 'it's not over yet' because we were getting opened up easily. We turned it round and showed great character, then we beat Liverpool, and suddenly Tottenham were coming from behind and that carried us through the season."

The draw began the momentum for a side that had performed badly at the beginning of last season to go on and almost claim a spot in this year's inaugural edition of the Europa League. But the present season objectives are to qualify for the Champions League, with or without their arch-rivals.

"The ambition has to be to get into the Champions League," he concluded.

Adithya Ananth, Goal.com UK