BBC Sport pundits Chris Sutton and Lee Dixon went head to head on Monday night over the question of whether Tottenham Hotspur had overtaken Arsenal.
The original question was posed by BBC presenter Mark Pougatch, producing a withering response from Dixon. However, Sutton quickly took up the pro-Spurs mantle.
“Yeah I agree with you [Pougatch],” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. “Who’s the best team in North London and have been for the last few years? Tottenham.”
To which Dixon replied: “Good luck with the trophy count, let’s start counting now, come on.”
Sutton quickly retorted with: “Is it all about trophies, Lee?”, to which Dixon simply said: “Yeah.”
Have Tottenham and Arsenal swapped places?@LeeDixon2 won't answer, and @chris_sutton73 loves it.https://t.co/Lc0QTCBp9I#bbcfootball pic.twitter.com/ff2pwg1n9O
— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) February 18, 2019
OPINION
This was in essence a light-hearted debate, but it speaks to a bigger question of who are the kings of North London these days? You would surely have to say that at this moment in time it’s Tottenham. Mauricio Pochettino has revolutionised Spurs and taken them to a level beyond their fiercest rivals. Yes, the Gunners have still won more trophies recently, but Tottenham are Champions League mainstays who have an undoubtedly more well-rounded squad. Really, how many Arsenal players would get into the current Spurs team? Maybe Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang owing to Harry Kane’s injury? But that’s about it, and he only gets in because the England captain is sidelined at the moment. There is no comparison these days, Tottenham are simply the superior team. They do need to add some trophies to their cabinet, but that will come in time. Arsenal, on the other hand, look a long way off where they need to be.