Arsenal v Tottenham, Barclays Premier League Venue: Emirates Stadium Date: Saturday, 31 October 2009 Kick-off: 1245 GMT Coverage: Live on Sky Sports, BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, local radio, Final Score & highlights on Match of the Day
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Redknapp relishing Arsenal test
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has turned up the heat ahead of Saturday's north London derby by doubting whether Arsenal can win the Premier League.
Redknapp said he believed Manchester United or Chelsea would be champions and the Gunners lacked experience.
"I think Arsenal are potential winners but personally I don't think they will win it, that's my opinion," he said.
"I'm not writing them off, they've got a good chance, but I think the winners will be Chelsea or Manchester United."
He added: "That's how I see it personally, I've been wrong a million times before, I could well be wrong, but I see those two.
"Chelsea are powerful, they are men, you just feel they have that power. I think they will take all the beating."
Fourth-placed Tottenham go into the derby at the Emirates Stadium level on points with Arsenal, who are third with a game in hand.
But Redknapp feels Arsenal's inexperience is a weakness.
"I don't think it's a soft centre. I think it's maybe a little bit of a lack of experience still," he said.
"They're not an experienced team, it's still a young team, a fantastic young team.
"But I just feel Chelsea and Man United, they have players who have been there and done it all and been the full course in the championship race and that's where I think the winners will come from.
"And Liverpool, I'm not writing them off, but I do fancy one of the two."
Redknapp believes Spurs, Manchester City and Aston Villa will provide competition for the traditional top four, with the last team breaking through being Everton in 2005.
"There could be a change this year. I think there will be a change, for sure because they are getting stronger, Man City are certainly getting stronger, Tottenham are getting stronger, I think Villa have got stronger this year."
Redknapp said David Bentley is relishing the prospect of playing against his former club Arsenal.
The midfielder, set for his first league start this season, helped Spurs to a 4-4 draw with a stunning strike in the same fixture last season.
"He's looking forward to going back to Arsenal where he started out so it's a big game for him," said Redknapp.
"He looks in the right frame of mind and he looks very sharp."
Bentley, 25, has featured in only one Premier League game this season when he was an 85th-minute substitute in Tottenham's 5-1 thrashing of Hull in August.
He has had three outings in the Carling Cup, most recently playing 90 minutes in Tuesday's 2-0 victory over Everton, and will man the right flank in place of the injured Aaron Lennon.
"He scored a great goal last year and I'm sure he'd like to score another good goal on Saturday," said Redknapp.
"He showed on Tuesday night he has got so much ability and it's such a waste if he doesn't put that into his performances.
"He was outstanding on Tuesday. We need David Bentley playing well because when he's playing well he's a real asset to the club."
Wenger coy over goalkeeper selection
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger goes into Saturday's match with an enviable record against Tottenham.
The Frenchman's only defeat against Spurs since taking charge came in the 2008 Carling Cup semi-final.
Both Robbie Keane and Ledley King have insisted their Spurs squad is stronger than Arsenal's, but Wenger insists he will not be drawn into any mind games.
"We want to win (on Saturday) and the fact it is a derby gives us a little bit extra special motivation for everybody to win," said Wenger.
"But when the game starts it will be just down to the quality of the display no matter how much other psychological involvement there is in the game.
"I believe that we are in a strong position in every competition we play in and for us it's a good opportunity.
"I have a strong belief in them and I believe we have the strengths to win the championship.
"Don't forget that we have a game in hand, so the table doesn't reflect completely the reality and for us it's a good opportunity to get into a stronger position in the league and that's what we will try to achieve."
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