Henry, Kanu or Adebayor: Who scored the most North London derby goals?
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Henry, Kanu or Adebayor: Who scored the most North London derby goals?

Henry, Kanu or Adebayor: Who scored the most North London derby goals?

Seye Omidiora 20:20 - 13.09.2024

The retired forwards netted a combined 16 goals in this fixture but who was the most prolific?

Tottenham Hotspur host Arsenal on Sunday in the first North London derby of the 2024-25 season, with Mikel Arteta’s side keen to return to winning ways after dropping points against Brighton & Hove Albion before the international break and Spurs searching for their second league triumph in year two of Ange Postecoglou’s spell. 

Tottenham vs Arsenal

Both sides have faced off 64 times in the Premier League with the Gunners dominating with 25 victories to Tottenham's 15, while 24 encounters have ended with the shared spoils. 

The red side of North London head into Sunday's 65th meeting seeking their eighth away league win in this fixture, having notched consecutive victories in the previous campaigns — 2-0 in 2022-23 and 3-2 last season. 

Harry Kane is the fixture’s most prolific goalscorer, with the Bayern Munich star hitting the back of the net 14 times for Spurs against their neighbours before leaving for Bavaria. But how do Thierry Henry, Emmanuel Adebayor and Nwankwo Kanu compare to the Englishman, as per Transfermarkt?

Harry Kane
Harry Kane is the most prolific scorer in the North London derby (Credit: Imago)

Nwankwo Kanu

Kanu's only North London derby goal came in the 1998-98 season when notched an 85th-minute strike to seal a 3-1 victory at White Hart Lane in May 1999. 

Nwankwo Kanu
Nwankwo Kanu netted once in the North London derby (Credit: Imago)

Emmanuel Petit and Nicolas Anelka had netted to put Arsene Wenger's men 2-0 up before Darren Anderton halved the deficit before half-time. 

Emmanuel Adebayor

Adebayor was never forgiven for running the entire pitch’s length when he scored for Manchester City against Arsenal in September 2009, and the former Togo frontman was one of a few high-profile players to represent both clubs. 

Emmanuel Adebayor
Emmanuel Adebayor, pictured playing for Tottenham against Arsenal in 2012, represented both clubs (Credit: Imago)

The retired striker netted 10 times in the North London derby in all competitions (16 matches), scoring eight times as an Arsenal player and adding two with Spurs, albeit in 5-2 losses against the Gunners. 

Only Kane has a superior return in this fixture to Adebayor, who eclipsed Henry, albeit after featuring in five more derbies. 

Thierry Henry

Despite being Arsenal’s record goalscorer with 228 goals, the Frenchman netted five goals in 11 matches in all competitions against Spurs, all coming in the Premier League where he played them 10 times. 

Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry in action for Arsenal against Tottenham in 2001 (Credit: Imago)

Henry notably never lost a fixture against Tottenham, ending on the winning side seven times in those 11 match-ups — six league victories and one FA Cup triumph.