Tottenham? I thought Chelsea were Arsenal´s main rivals, claims Gabriel

The latest north London derby takes place on Sunday, but Arsenal defender Gabriel had no idea Tottenham were his club’s main rivals until he moved to the capital.

In a statement that is sure to stoke the fires even further, Gabriel says he thought Chelsea were Arsenal’s biggest foes.

He told ArsenalTVHD: “Trying to win those matches is very difficult and I think the main rival is Tottenham.

“People talk about it a lot here and I was told about it when I first arrived. I always thought that the main rival was Chelsea, but my team-mates told me that Tottenham is the main rival.

“That makes the derby a lot harder.”

The Brazilian is set for his first taste of one of English football’s most intense derbies when Spurs visit the Emirates Stadium with only five points separating the sides.

Arsenal have won 13 and lost just one of the last 22 home Premier League matches against Spurs, who have not lost in the top flight since the opening day.