Hotels for Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal

The derby, and the one fixture where form genuinely counts for nothing. A Saturday three o'clock start means a full day of it either side — the pubs along the high road fill early and stay loud long after the final whistle, whichever way it goes. Expect a ferocious opening half hour and a crowd that treats every decision as a personal affront.

Tottenham Hotspur were founded in 1882 by a group of schoolboys, taking their name from the adjoining Hotspur cricket club and, eventually, the Spurs nickname football fans still use today. The club's defining achievement came in 1960-61, when Bill Nicholson's side became the first club of the twentieth century to win the League and FA Cup double, beating Leicester City 2-0 in the Cup final having already wrapped up the title with games to spare.

Spurs have added two league titles in total, eight FA Cups and a clutch of European trophies including the Cup Winners' Cup, but that 1961 Double remains the benchmark by which every Tottenham side since has been measured.

Tottenham Hotspur's striking modern ground doubles as a marquee events venue, staging NFL fixtures, major concerts and boxing alongside Premier League football in north London's N17. The surrounding High Road is a lively, workaday stretch of Turkish grills, cafés and independent shops. The Victoria line at Seven Sisters and Overground services to White Hart Lane put the City and West End within easy reach. An overnight base nearby spares you the scramble for transport when a sell-out crowd empties at once.