Chelsea vs Brighton highlights: Stunning Billy Gilmour free-kick earns U18s win

The build-up to the first North London derby of the 2017-2018 season has been dominated by a subtle mind games between Arsenal's Arsene Wenger and Tottenham Hotspur's Mauricio Pochettino as to who has been greater since the latter arrived White Hart Lane in the summer of 2014.

While the younger Pochettino defers to Wenger as "an innovator, ahead of everyone," claiming he admires Wenger's longevity at one club and, "would like to be like him one day," Wenger tactically dismissed the suggestion that the Argentine had overtaken him in the battle for north London supremacy by pointing out that Arsenal has finished above Tottenham for the last 20 seasons bar the last one.

Tottenham Hotspurs host the Gunners at White Hart Lane in Saturday's early kick-off confident of at least a point, having never lost to the visitors under Mauricio Pochettino. Within this period, Pochettino's side has amassed 2 wins and 4 draws in the six league meetings between the two clubs, effectively earning bragging rights over the Arsenal.Pochettino came to the Premiership largely unheralded but his impact in North London has been immense. He is adulated for building a considerably successful team on a shoe string budget, especially in the current imprudent football market. Pochettino's expenditure record over his 3-year stint so far stands at 266.55 million Pounds in contrast to the 274.93 million pounds Wenger has dished out on players within the same period.

When placed side-by-side these figures, Arsenal's failure to qualify for the Champions league for the first time under Arsene Wenger gives a feeling of retrogression in the Gunners' camp. Meanwhile, Tottenham's second campaign amongst Europe's elite during Pochettino's 3 year reign so far has been simply amazing; the highpoint being four valuable points taken off defending champions Real Madrid over two legs in their group matches.

While Pochettino's stocks continue to rise, Arsene Wenger's contrasting fortunes have in the recent past led to widespread calls for his resignation or outright sack. This has however failed to materialize. Like the proverbial cat with nine lives, Wenger has reinvented himself when many had lost faith in him, to win back-to-back FA Cups. Pochettino's Tottenham, on the other hand, is still waiting for her first piece of silverware, despite the silver-lining in the sky over White Hart lane.

The stakes are high as Arsene Wenger and Mauricio Pochettino clash in their seventh derby in the league on Saturday. A match-up which is realistically about chalking up points on the board as the clubs chase after Manchester City towards the premier league title this season, is also very much about supremacy between the two managers as to who is the King of North London.