Arsenal host Tottenham on Wednesday night on Sky Sports Football
Tuesday 18 December 2018 18:55, UK
Unai Emery has vowed to play a strong team in Wednesday night’s north London derby against Tottenham.
Arsenal host their neighbours in the pick of the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, live and exclusive on Sky Sports Football, a little over a fortnight after beating Spurs 4-2 in a Premier League thriller.
Emery has given Arsenal's youngsters plenty of opportunities to shine in both the Carabao Cup and the Europa League this season.
But the Spaniard plans on fielding a strong line-up at the Emirates against Mauricio Pochettino's team.
"Our first idea is that we play with better players," Emery said ahead of the visit of Tottenham.
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"You cannot use [too many young players] in this derby because the opposition is a very big opposition and this demands from us a big performance tomorrow.
"We can [maybe] use some young players because we think they can give a big performance and can help us to win tomorrow."
Emery was speaking shortly after a Tottenham fan was fined £500 and handed a four-year football banning order for throwing a banana skin at Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after the Gabon international scored and celebrated in front of Spurs' travelling support in the last derby game.
Emery welcomed the punishment handed out and urged supporters of both clubs not to cross the line on Wednesday night.
"This is not respect. I think [the ban and fine] is a good decision," he said.
"We need to respect the opposition and play with a big motivation to win.
"Emotion is not bad but every time we must show respect. Football is emotion. To show emotion is very important but respect is very important. Football needs passion."
