<p>Arsenal forward Theo Walcott has warned resurgent arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur they are travelling across North London for their eagerly-anticipated FA Cup third round tie at a bad time.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The two sides meet on Saturday at the Emirates with Spurs in a rich vein of form having collected 10 points from a possible 12 in the English Premier League since Tim Sherwood replaced Andre Villas Boas as manager last month.<br /><br />But Walcott has scored five goals in his last five games as Arsenal returned to the top of the table after a brief slip at Christmas and the England international went on the offensive when asked if it was bad time to play Sherwood’s in-form Spurs.<br /><br />“It's going to be a bad time to play us as well,” he said in quotes carried by British media on Friday.<br /><br />“For the neutrals, it's going to be a very interesting battle. I can't call it. It's one of those games that's going to be very open. The FA Cup is always special for me, being English. I love the FA Cup.<br /><br />“Since their new appointment, Tottenham have done very well, to be fair to them. But like I say, they won't want to play us. And it's at The Emirates. We're trying to make our stadium into a fortress and we are starting to do that.<br /><br />“The first fixture I always look at is Tottenham. Every time Tottenham come here or we go there, you want to put 100 percent in. These are massive games.”<br /><br />Walcott started the last time the two sides met, a 1-0 league victory for Arsenal in September where Villas Boas’ side pushed hard for an equaliser in the second half but could not find a way through.<br /><br />Goals, though, have not been a problem for Spurs under Sherwood, with nine coming in league wins over Manchester United, Southampton and Stoke City.<br /><br />Arsenal had attacking trouble against Cardiff City on Wednesday with the Welsh side proving resolute before substitute Nicklas Bendtner lashed home a late goal at the Emirates and Walcott making it 2-0 minutes later.</p>
<p>Arsenal forward Theo Walcott has warned resurgent arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur they are travelling across North London for their eagerly-anticipated FA Cup third round tie at a bad time.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The two sides meet on Saturday at the Emirates with Spurs in a rich vein of form having collected 10 points from a possible 12 in the English Premier League since Tim Sherwood replaced Andre Villas Boas as manager last month.<br /><br />But Walcott has scored five goals in his last five games as Arsenal returned to the top of the table after a brief slip at Christmas and the England international went on the offensive when asked if it was bad time to play Sherwood’s in-form Spurs.<br /><br />“It's going to be a bad time to play us as well,” he said in quotes carried by British media on Friday.<br /><br />“For the neutrals, it's going to be a very interesting battle. I can't call it. It's one of those games that's going to be very open. The FA Cup is always special for me, being English. I love the FA Cup.<br /><br />“Since their new appointment, Tottenham have done very well, to be fair to them. But like I say, they won't want to play us. And it's at The Emirates. We're trying to make our stadium into a fortress and we are starting to do that.<br /><br />“The first fixture I always look at is Tottenham. Every time Tottenham come here or we go there, you want to put 100 percent in. These are massive games.”<br /><br />Walcott started the last time the two sides met, a 1-0 league victory for Arsenal in September where Villas Boas’ side pushed hard for an equaliser in the second half but could not find a way through.<br /><br />Goals, though, have not been a problem for Spurs under Sherwood, with nine coming in league wins over Manchester United, Southampton and Stoke City.<br /><br />Arsenal had attacking trouble against Cardiff City on Wednesday with the Welsh side proving resolute before substitute Nicklas Bendtner lashed home a late goal at the Emirates and Walcott making it 2-0 minutes later.</p>