Merson says Arsenal summer signing is ahead of 27-year-old Tottenham star

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Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur will contest one of the most highly anticipated North London derbies in years on Sunday.

The Gunners and Spurs have both begun the Premier League brightly and will fancy their chances of success this season.

Both Arsenal and Tottenham have 13 points from their opening five league games, and are yet to lose in the top flight this term.

There will be plenty of exciting match-ups on the Emirates Stadium pitch, including Declan Rice against Yves Bissouma.

‘Done well’

Arsenal broke their transfer record to sign Rice this summer, and he looks every inch a £100million-plus player.

Meanwhile, Bissouma is back to his best, showing the form he had at Brighton that prompted Spurs to sign the 27-year-old.

The previous Tottenham manager didn’t get the best out of him, while Ange Postecoglou has him firing on all cylinders again.

Paul Merson, speaking about the North London derby on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday, believes Arsenal will run riot against Tottenham.

He also claimed that, while Bissouma has “done well”, he wouldn’t get ahead of Rice in a combined NLD starting XI.

“Arsenal have got better players than Tottenham, no question, all over the pitch,” he said.

“You talk about Maddison, good player but you would not take him over Odegaard any day of the week.

“Bissouma has done well, but you wouldn’t take him over Rice, in my opinion.”

Our view

Rice v Bissouma will be one of the most interesting match-ups on the pitch.

On one side you have one of England’s best midfielders, a consistent star who is very much living up to his price tag.

On the other, you have a player who is once again being spoken about in the same category at Rice, which is a feat in itself considering last season’s issues.

It’s a really hard one to call, so let’s see how they get on when they take to the Emirates Stadium pitch.