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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Dan Kilpatrick

Eric Dier expecting ‘best-ever’ Tottenham atmosphere for crucial Arsenal derby: ‘It’s going to be fantastic’

Eric Dier believes Thursday’s showdown with Arsenal could be played in the best atmosphere yet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs go into the north London derby four points behind their bitter rivals in the fight to qualify for the Champions League. Arsenal know a win would be enough to clinch fourth place after they beat Leeds 2-1 on Sunday.

“It is going to be a great game,” said Dier. “A north London derby with both teams fighting for the Champions League.

“I am sure the atmosphere is going to be fantastic. It might be the best we have seen at the new stadium so I am really excited for that and hopefully we can give them a performance to match.”

Arsenal are in the driving seat to qualify for the Champions League with three games to go but Dier believes there could be more twists in the battle to finish fourth.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be buzzing for a critical north London derby fixture (Getty Images)

“In the Premier League things literally change game to game,” he said. “You know things change all the time. There is still so much football to be played.

“We have to continue in this way, focus on ourselves, prepare in the best possible way for this game and finish the season strongly.”

Spurs will take confidence from the brilliant display they produced to draw 1-1 at Liverpool on Saturday. They had not taken a point from Anfield since a 2-2 draw in 2018 and Dier says it was the "first time in a while" they had gone there believing they could win.

"Obviously saying it is one thing, but the way we felt before the game and the way we played [proved it]," he said. "This time we went there and we believed we could win.”

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