Looking Up

Exclusive Interview With Belgian Centre-half Jan Vertonghen, Who Insists We Go Into Today’s North London Derby With Our Eyes Firmly Set on the One Team Above Us, Not Those Below.

- Jon Rayner

Jan Vertonghen has played in a number of north London derbies during his five years at Spurs, but he believes today’s clash could be the most important of them all.

Local pride and bragging rights are always at stake for this game, however there’s a whole lot more riding on this afternoon’s contest as both club’s chase their own targets on what could be the last-ever derby at White Hart Lane.

Emotions are sure to be running high on and off the pitch today, as we look to extend our excellent winning streak in the Premier League to nine matches and keep the pressure up on league leaders Chelsea, while Arsenal aim to maintain their chase for a top four berth.

And if that wasn’t enough, victory over the Gunners will ensure we finish above them in the table for the first time since 1994-95, although our Belgian defender insists we are focussed on bigger achievements than that this season.

“We play so many London derbies but the games against Arsenal are different and I always look forward to them,” said the former Ajax and RKC Waalwijk player, who celebrated his 30th birthday on Monday. 

“With the way we are playing at the moment and our record at the Lane this season, I’m especially looking forward to today’s game. It will be a special atmosphere, even more than usual I expect and we have to make the best of it.

“I’ve been here for five years and I know how important it means, however we have supporters who have been coming to White Hart Lane for decades and we have to realise what it means to them for us to win today.