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Bale believes in shift of north London power Gareth Bale insists Arsenal can no longer claim to be north London's number top club and is adamant that Tottenham should be regarded as favourites for Sunday's hotly-anticipated derby at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal have enjoyed supremacy over Tottenham for the best part of the last two decades but Spurs are currently enjoying arguably their best season for over half a century and seem certain to finish above their bitter rivals come the end of the current campaign.

Harry Redknapp's men have lost just four league matches all season to move within seven points of the top of the table and are playing some of the best football in the country at the moment, thanks in no small part to the performances of Bale.

Arsenal, on the other hand, are struggling to fight for a position in the top four and stand on the brink of elimination from the Champions League after a 4-0 hammering at AC Milan, where Tottenham won 1-0 last season at the same stage of the competition.

Tottenham have not completed a derby double over Arsenal in the league for 19 years but Bale insists they should be regarded as favourites for the game due to the recent power shift he claims has occurred in the capital.

"Over the years Arsenal have been the favourites and they've been above us in the league but now the tide has turned in our favour," Bale told Spurs TV Online.

"We are playing some great stuff and I think we deserve to be where we are in the league and we deserve the favourites' tag." Bale thinks last season's 3-2 win at the Emirates Stadium - Tottenham's first away at their rivals in 17 years - is evidence of how the tide has turned in Spurs' favour.

Redknapp's team went in 2-0 down at half-time but the Spurs boss masterminded a remarkable comeback to end Arsenal's title hopes with a 3-2 win.

"Other teams before us, if they had gone 2-0 down they would have crumbled but the boys showed that they have character and spirit that day," Bale added.

"That showed what we can do as a team. Even if we are 2-0 down we know we can come back and win, even in the biggest games.

"We threw everything at them and they couldn't handle it.

"We have to do the same again on Sunday. We have to put all our attackers in the game and concentrate on their weaknesses." Forwards Emmanuel Adebayor and Rafael van der Vaart have trained this week and are expected to be fit for Tottenham.

Full-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto and midfielder Luka Modric missed last week's FA Cup game because of illness but should also be available to play at the Emirates.

Centre-half Ledley King (knee) faces a late fitness test and midfielder Sandro is a major doubt due to a calf injury.

Meanwhile, Arsenal captain Robin van Persie has challenged his team-mates to "put the record straight" by beating Tottenham.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger maintains the squad must not feel sorry for themselves despite a battering in the last 10 days, slumping to a 4-0 defeat in Milan which all but ended their Champions League hopes before then crashing out of the FA Cup at Sunderland.

By contrast, Spurs are flying high under Harry Redknapp, and the importance of producing a performance against their arch-rivals on Sunday is not lost on Van Persie.

"What better way to set things straight again than to beat Spurs?" the Dutchman said. "I would rather be playing them now than on any other day, and we know that a win is absolutely vital.

"I don't think anybody would deny that Spurs have a really good side - and they've added consistency this season. They are winning the tougher games and, as a result, have made that next step towards the top teams.

"Spurs have invested a lot of money over the past few years, and when you look at the figures it's reflected in their league position." Van Persie added in the Arsenal's Official Matchday Programme: "They are above us for the first time in many years, but it is in our hands to change the way things are going, win the game and start moving closer to them.

Arsenal vs Tottenham

Last modified 15:52 26/02/12

Van man inspires Gunners' fightback Harry Redknapp's CV took a real hit as Arsenal produced a sensational comeback from 2-0 down to win 5-2 and inflict on Tottenham their biggest north London derby defeat since 1978.

Spurs looked certain to enhance Redknapp's England credentials by making him their first manager for 86 years to win away against the Gunners for two successive seasons and first to do the double over them for 19.

But, in a complete reversal of last season's corresponding fixture, Tottenham threw away a two-goal lead to concede five at Arsenal for the first time since 1934.

It was an amazing performance by a Gunners side who lost 8-2 at Manchester United at the start of the season and 4-0 at AC Milan 11 days ago, Arsene Wenger's men once again inspired by talismanic captain Robin van Persie.

Arsenal looked all over the place at the back as Spurs raced to a 2-0 lead through Louis Saha and an Emmanuel Adebayor penalty.

But Van Persie refused to accept defeat, helping his side score twice in three minutes to go in level at half-time, netting the equaliser after Bacary Sagna pulled a goal back.

Arsenal, who leapfrog Chelsea back into fourth in the Barclays Premier League, were rampant after the break, Tomas Rosicky completing the comeback and Theo Walcott scoring twice before Scott Parker was sent off to complete Tottenham's misery.

It looked like being so different after four minutes when Arsenal's shambolic defending from Milan resurfaced.

Former Gunners striker Adebayor, 28 today, played the ball into a gaping hole for Saha to run into, with Thomas Vermaelen's lame block only succeeding in deflecting the Frenchman's shot over the stranded Wojciech Szczensy.

The home side fought back, Kieran Gibbs seeing a dubious penalty appeal rejected and Parker getting away with an accidental handball.

It was breathless stuff and Szczensy beat away another Spurs effort before Van Persie wasted a glorious chance to level when he drilled wide after his initial shot was blocked.

He went even closer six minutes later with a drive that deflected into the sidenetting, his resulting corner seeing Brad Friedel acrobatically tip over Rosicky's header.

Arsenal were beginning to dominate but more risible defending almost saw Spurs double their lead on the break, Szczensy denying Adebayor and Kyle Walker sending the 25-yard rebound just over the crossbar.

Parker, who was everywhere, was booked after clattering into Van Persie moments after being denied a free-kick of his own, with Luka Modric also carded for dissent.

Laurent Koscielny immediately followed for upending Niko Kranjcar, Tottenham immediately surging upfield to win a controversial 32nd-minute penalty.

Gareth Bale was under all sorts of pressure from Gibbs but threw himself to the floor under what looked no contact from Szczensy.

Adebayor kept his cool to rub salt into the wound but wisely chose not to celebrate.

It could have been 3-0 before half-time had Bale chosen to pass rather than drill a shot too close to Szczensy and Spurs were made to pay when Arsenal sensationally hit back before half-time.

The first goal came five minutes before the break, Van Persie desperately unlucky to hit the post before Mikel Arteta swept the ball back in and Sagna powered home a header.

Van Persie then sent the Emirates into raptures, pouncing on a loose Benoit Assou-Ekotto clearance, and turning onto his left foot before curling beyond Friedel.

Redknapp responded by throwing on Rafael van der Vaart and Sandro at half-time for Saha and Kranjcar but Arsenal's tails were up and only another fabulous Friedel save from Yossi Benayoun's precise finish prevented them completing the comeback.

Benayoun then caught Walker with a tackle that forced the full-back off and he was barely back on when Rosicky made it 3-2 in the 51st minute, playing a one-two with Sagna before poking in the latter's deflected cross.

Tottenham finally got a foothold but it was Arsenal who were now dangerous on the break, Walcott drilling inches wide, while Sandro was completely off the pace, rightly booked for tripping Van Persie.

As in the first half, the Gunners scored twice in three minutes to kill the game.

It was a brilliant counter-attack that brought the 65th-minute fourth goal, Benayoun releasing Van Persie, who held off Ledley King and Younes Kaboul before squaring for the onrushing Walcott to clip the ball over Friedel.

It was Tottenham's defence that was now all over the place and Kaboul played Walcott onside, the winger racing onto Alex Song's pass and finding the bottom corner.

"Harry for England", the Arsenal fans chanted ironically before Rosicky almost made it six after a one-two with Walcott and Parker was shown a second yellow for treading on Vermaelen's toe two minutes from time.