Arsenal legend Henry concedes Tottenham are 'a mile' in front of Gunners



Arsenal legend Thierry Henry believes Tottenham have surged 'a mile' in front of their north London rivals and is hoping the derby ca n spark the Gunners into life.



The club's all-time top goalscorer returned to the Emirates for a short loan spell from MLS side New York Red Bulls earlier this season which ended with the crushing 4-0 defeat to AC Milan.



The Gunners went out of the FA Cup days later and are battling to save their season which now hinges on gaining Champions League football for next season.



Mind the gap: Henry says Spurs are the top club in north London

Harry Redknapp's Spurs on the other hand are on the up.



They remain outsiders for the title and are widely accepted as the most exciting attacking side in the league, a fact acknowledged by Henry.



Henry told Arsenal Player: ' For years we have been used to being on top of Tottenham, by a mile, and now it is the opposite. But this is the derby, which you don't want to lose, and we need those three points massively.

'I will be in Arizona for a pre-season camp and for sure I won't be watching it with (New York team-mate) Teemu Tainio because he's a Tottenham fan!



'Hopefully it will be the derby that can spark the players, the fans, everybody at Arsenal Football Club. We'll see.



'The league is going to be very difficult but the top four is in Arsenal's hands.



Bragging rights: Tottenham can complete a rare double over Arsenal on Sunday







'They have the squad, there is a long way to go, they have to play Chelsea at home, Tottenham at home, Newcastle at home, Man City at home… it is not impossible.'

Meanwhile Arsenal and Tottenham have issued a joint statement warning supporters that anti-social behaviour during Sunday's north London derby will not be tolerated.



The capital rivals meet at Emirates Stadium with the reception awaiting Spurs' former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor the biggest concern.



Adebayor, who is expected to recover from a knee injury in time to play, was the target of abuse during the first meeting between the sides at White Hart Lane in October.



'Ahead of Sunday's game, both clubs are actively encouraging all fans to focus on getting behind their team and enjoying what promises to be a great match,' read the statement.



Nemesis: Henry loved scoring against Tottenham

'A north London derby is always a special occasion and we hope this game will be remembered for both the action on the pitch as well as the positive support for both teams off it.

