Victory for Spurs, who won 3-2 there last season after trailing 2-0 at half-time, would move Harry Redknapp's side 13 points clear of their arch-rivals and keep them on the coat-tails of leaders Manchester City and Manchester United with 12 matches to play.
City should keep up their title challenge with a 13th successive home league win of the season when they play 17th-placed Blackburn Rovers on Saturday while United travel to Norwich City for a Sunday lunchtime kick-off.
Coach Arsene Wenger's future has been the topic of much speculation after an erratic season which has left them battling with Chelsea, Newcastle United and Liverpool for fourth place and another shot at the Champions League, their natural footballing habitat for the last 16 seasons.
A victory would not only keep their title hopes alive but would also send a clear message they are beginning to accumulate the mental steel that for so long was at the very core of Arsenal's DNA.
"It's going to be a difficult game but I'm confident, obviously, with the way we're playing," he said. "We've got a really strong squad now and everyone's playing well.
"Everyone's firing and team spirit is fantastic which I think is always important if you want to try to achieve something.
"You can't write Arsenal off. In football it's always the next game, you can change it in the next one. Playing against us, it'll be a different Arsenal from what people have seen over the last few weeks."
Former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor missed Spurs' FA Cup draw at Stevenage after twisting his knee in training but is expected to be fit for what promises to be a hostile return to his old club.
