‘Not interested’ – Son delivers blunt assessment of Arsenal ahead of Tottenham’s north London derby date

• Gunners top of Premier League
• Spurs preparing to host arch-rivals
• Korean forward focused on own game

WHAT HAPPENED? Two fierce local rivals are set to lock horns again on Sunday, with the Gunners heading into that contest perched at the top of the Premier League table. Spurs, who have won just one of their last three top-flight fixtures, could be in for a tough time on home soil – having already suffered a 3-1 defeat at Emirates Stadium in October 2022 – but South Korean forward Son is playing little attention to how Arsenal are faring as focus is narrowed on a cause that he can influence.

WHAT THEY SAID: Asked if it has been tough to watch Arsenal flying high this season, Son told reporters on the back of a FA Cup third-round win for Tottenham over Portsmouth: “I’m not interested, to be honest. We lost against them in the away game, so we have a lot of homework [this week] to make it good again. I think the fans were really disappointed when we lost at the Emirates, so I think we have a massive task at home. Everybody must be ready to throw their bodies in and we’re good to go.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Son earned a share of the Premier League Golden Boot last season, as he netted 23 times in the English top-flight, but has just six efforts to his name across all competitions in 2022-23 – although one of those goals was recorded in another London derby victory over Crystal Palace in Spurs’ last league outing.

IN TWO PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? Son has been forced to play in a protective mask of late, in the Premier League and at the 2022 World Cup finals, and is hoping to be rid of that accessory in the not-too-distant future after recovering from surgery on a fractured eye socket.