Kicks ... Jack Wilshere playing for England
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Jessica also swapped saucy texts with the England midfielder, tipped for a glittering career.

The fling has only just ended - after Wilshere's girlfriend of three years found out.

Cheating Wilshere, 18 - who missed out on his second England cap on Wednesday because of a bad back - met 18-year-old Jessica in August at swanky nightclub Maya in London's West End.

He was celebrating a 6-0 thumping of Blackpool. Stringfellows babe Jessica and her friends spotted him and his pals in the VIP lounge, and he asked if she wanted a glass of champagne.

A friend said: "Jessica didn't have a clue who Jack was at first. But she found him funny and attractive and they got on great.

"At the end of the night they got a taxi back to a mate's house and had sex for the first time."




Invite ... Jack Wilshere asks Jessica Jensen to meet in hotel
A few weeks later they romped at the house she lives in with her grandparents in Welwyn Garden City, Herts.

And on September 28 Wilshere drove the 13 miles there from Luton airport straight after returning from a Champions League victory in Belgrade.

Before the next game against Chelsea on October 3, Wilshere was holed up with his Arsenal team-mates at the Cadogan Hotel in West London.

At 5pm the £50,000-a-week ace sent Jessica a text saying: "Come to my hotel tonite" and added: "Get some condoms lol".

He told her that he would leave room "116 on the latch".

Later he impatiently asked if she was nearly there. She texted: "I'm like on my way. Grandad's dropping me."

Jessica feared getting caught but Wilshere gave her a cover story and added: "Don't make it too obvious."

A friend said: "They caught up with their gossip. They had sex just once - after all Jack had a game the next day.



"At this stage they even had pet names for each other.

Jack was saving Jessica's number on his phone as 'Giggs' and she called him Fatty in texts."

They would also drive into the countryside to just "chat and joke" after his training sessions.

Wilshere was finally caught out by his girlfriend of three years, hairdresser Lauren Neal, 21.

The friend added: "She phoned Jessica and asked her about it. She didn't confirm it and she didn't deny it. Jessica liked Jack but she has quickly moved on."

Wilshere's older England colleagues John Terry, Ashley Cole and Wayne Rooney have already been unmasked as love rats.

Last night a source joked: "It looks like Jack's getting the hang of being a Premier League star!"

Today Wilshere will report back to police after he was arrested following a brawl outside a nightclub in August.

Two friends have already been charged.

The Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp firmly belives that his vastly-improved Spurs team has the players now to finally beat Arsenal and then go on to claim their first Premiership title.

With Chelsea, Man Utd and Arsenal all capable of dropping points, he thinks that if his team win at the Emirates today and get a run of wins, Redknapp thinks that they have as good a chance as anybody.

“The title’s not impossible if we have a run and pick up some big wins and get ourselves in there,” Redknapp said. “You have to win these games to win the championship and it’s never been so open. Whoever puts a run together has got a real chance.

“We finished a couple of points behind Arsenal last year. There was nothing in it really, at the death it got very close. So if we can pick up a couple of wins there’s no reason we can’t make a challenge this year.”

“Arsenal play fantastic football, but I think we do as well, so it’s got the makings of a great game,” Redknapp continued. “Samir Nasri was the best player on the pitch against England, but we have Luka Modric and Rafa van der Vaart.

“Tottenham have spent big money over the years. I think in terms of spending we’ve competed with Arsenal. Hopefully, with getting into the Champions League we can continue to progress, not necessarily by spending, but in becoming stronger as a team.”

Poor deludrd Harry. It’s been 17 years since Spurs won away at Arsenal, why should it be any different this season……

THEO WALCOTT has warned boyhood pal Gareth Bale: You're a marked man now, just like me


Walcott has told the Spurs sensation that the tough guys of football will be out to get him because of his dazzling form.

It is the kind of attention Walcott has been dealing with since bursting onto the world stage as a 17- year- old and now his old friend is going to be on the receiving end as well.

The pair go head- to head today and whoever comes out on top of their personal dual could decide the
outcome of the north London derby.

Walcott said: "I think it's all going to hit him now. He's going to have people teaming up on the pitch, three of four around him, which happens to me a lot.

"But he's going to be one of the best players in the Premier League and I think he'll have a lot of admirers from other top clubs around Europe.

Gunner's ace Walcott's tasks today are sure to include tracking back to help right back Bacary Sagna snuff out the threat of Welsh wonder Bale.

The 21-year-oldss- Bale was born exactly four months after Walcott - became close in the youth ranks of Southampton.

Both were on Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger's radar but in 2007 the Frenchman allowed Bale, then a left-back, to join Spurs after failing to follow up his interest and with Gael Clichy having successfully replaced the departed Ashley Cole.

While Walcott’s rise to stardom came early, sparked by his inclusion in England’s 2006 World Cup squad, Bale only came of age this season, producing two sparkling displays against Inter Milan in the Champions League,
including a hat-trick in Italy.

Walcott added: “To go to the San Siro and do what he did was fantastic. I phoned him straightaway and left him a message that I don’t think I’ll repeat!

“He has pure power and pace. He knocks it, runs and, when he gets motoring, it’s very difficult to stop him.

“But he doesn’t have to beat people as he has a wonderful delivery of the ball too.” Recalling their early times together, Walcott added: “We’ve known each other from the age of 11. We shared a room when we were younger at Southampton. We signed our names somewhere in therehidden, and I’m not going to reveal where!

“He’s not changed at all since then, only in his build – he was tiny then, so small. But he’s a shy, quiet, funny lad and will always be like that.”

While Bale is very much in vogue, doubts continue to be raised about Walcott, despite seven goals in five starts this season, with the star accused of not having a football brain by pundits Chris Waddle and Alan Hansen.

“This is a massive season for me,” added Walcott. “Every day after training I’ve been practising finishing and crossing.

“And when we come to playing matches in the training sessions, I seem to be getting more involved on the fi nishing side.

“It is going quite well, and every time I go forward I believe I can score.

“I’m making up for lost time, I think, on the goals front.

“Not going to the World Cup freed my mind a bit. I just wanted to come back and prove people wrong, to make sure this didn’t happen again.”

In a further warning to Bale, he said: “Football’s all ups and downs – you can be the best player in the world one day, and the next day you’re the worst. It’s never anywhere in the middle.

“The pressure I had of going to the World Cup at 16 and being in the spotlight straightaway is something people don’t really think about sometimes.”

Meanwhile, Arsenal star Samir Nasri will snub his former Arsenal team-mate William Gallas today as a simmering feud between them rumbles on.

The pair clashed at Euro 2008, where Les Bleus flopped, when Nasri was accused by Gallas of showing a lack of
respect to Thierry Henry by sitting in the injured star’s seat on the team bus.

The pair never spoke in the two years they were together at Arsenal. Boss Wenger said he was impressed by how the midfielder had responded to being left out of Raymond Domenech’s squad for the South Africa. “Not going to the World Cup was certainly a big shock for him, but he is mentally strong,” added Wenger.

“With his back to the wall, he can respond and he has certainly been effi cient since the start of the season.”

Arsene Wenger gave a satisfied smirk and reeled off a list of names as he tried to explain why he was happy to ignore the advice of Robin van Persie.

'This is the strongest squad I've had,' said Wenger. 'Tomas Rosicky, Theo Walcott, Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri, Andrey Arshavin, Robin van Persie. All creative players, top-class players, so we had no need to do that. We are not in the search in this department.'


Gunning for glory: talented Samir Nasri is getting better all the time, says Wenger

Van Persie had dared to suggest Arsenal might want to sign Rafael van der Vaart, his friend and fellow Dutchman who was unsettled at Real Madrid and available for £8million. Now the 27-year-old is thriving at Tottenham, with seven goals in 12 games, and preparing for his first skirmish with Arsenal at the Emirates today amid perceptions that north London's rivals are now matched more closely than they have been for many years.

Van der Vaart's arrival, together with the form of Gareth Bale and Luka Modric, two more players monitored closely by Arsenal before moving to White Hart Lane, has fuelled new ambition at Spurs.

Manager Harry Redknapp is delighted with his side's progress and exudes a confidence that comes from seeing his side totally outplay holders Inter Milan in the Champions League.

Wenger wasn't about to motivate his rivals with a detailed critique. Instead, he offered a gentle reminder that his team had been competing in the Champions League for the last 13 years and were familiar with the pit falls Spurs would encounter as the campaign unfolded.


The Real deal: Van der Vaart has flourished at Spurs since his summer move from Madrid

He agreed with Phil Neville's assessment that this Arsenal team were more 'resilient' and stronger on their travels and paid tribute to 23-year-old Samir Nasri, flourishing in his third season in English football after his £15.8m move from Marseille.

Like Van der Vaart, Nasri has seven goals including two in a 4-1 Carling Cup win at Spurs in September, and he has been outstanding for his country since his surprise omission from the World Cup squad. His movement and vision were key factors as France destroyed England at Wembley on Wednesday.


Ted beats the Reds: Spurs haven't won at Arsenal in the league since 1993

'Not going to the World Cup was certainly a big shock for him,' said Wenger. 'But he is mentally strong and, with his back to the wall, he can respond. This season, he is more efficient in what he's doing. When you are an offensive player, you cannot deny the facts, the assists and the number of goals you score.

'He has all the individual talent needed. He is quick and strong. His finishing is better, his final ball is better. I'm convinced that overall he makes steps forward. He has developed as a footballer and as a person. He grew up inside Marseille like Jack Wilshere did here. Then he left for England and that matures you.'

Without saying it, Wenger gave the distinct impression that given a straight choice between Nasri and Van der Vaart there would be no contest, especially as his player is four years younger, more industrious and more versatile than Tottenham's gifted Dutch star.

'You see he is improving and see where his potential is and you think he is going the right way,' Wenger added. 'It is normal that at 23 you are better than at 22. 'If you ask him, he will want to play in the middle. If you ask me, at the moment, I see him more on the flanks, but it's not like our players on the flanks are prisoners of that zone.'

Wenger must hope that his faith in Nasri's maturity is not misplaced and that the French midfielder does not allow his feud with 33-year-old William Gallas, and his personal quandary of whether to shake his hand before the game, to distract from his sublime rhythm.

The Gunners have generated momentum since losing at champions Chelsea last month, taking 15 points from six games. A home win in today's early kick-off will take the Gunners top of the Barclays Premier League, at least for a couple of hours, and ease them 10 points clear of Spurs.

With Chelsea and Manchester United offering uncharacteristic glimpses of vulnerability, both north London teams have eyes on the top prize.

An away win, Tottenham's first in the league at Arsenal since 1993, would provide yet another injection of self-belief for Redknapp's team, at a time when Jermain Defoe and Aaron Lennon are returning to fitness.

19 November 1887: The first time the two teams team played one another. The friendly, in which Tottenham won 2-1, ended 15 minutes early due to lack of lighting. At the time Arsenal was located in Kent.

4 December 1909: The first league game between the two teams was in the First Division. Arsenal won the game 1-0.

1913: The year that Arsenal relocated. Now the club was located only four miles from White Hart Lane. It was also the year that the actual rivalry between the two teams started up. During a War Relief Fund friendly on 22 August 1914, the two teams met with Arsenal winning the game 5-1. At the time Tottenham was a First Division team while Arsenal was a Second Division one. This friendly occurred throughout World War One.

1919: The rivalry between the two teams started to heat up when the First Division decided to expand by two teams. Chelsea was allowed to stay, leaving one spot open for Tottenham, Arsenal (who finished 6th place in Second Division), Barnsley, Wolves, Nottingham Forest, Birmingham and Hull City. It fell to the teams in the First Division to vote for one of the teams listed above. Arsenal won by 18 votes, compared to Tottenham's 8, which led to conspiracy theories that Arsenal chairman Sir Henry Norris used underhanded methods to bring the team into the First Division. Tottenham joined Arsenal in the First Division the following season.

15 January 1921: The first competitive derby between the two teams. Tottenham won the game 2-1.

September 1922: The FA was warned about holding the North London Derby behind closed doors due to bitter fans on both sides.

There have been several seasons in which the North London Derby didn't occur due to Tottenham slipping to lower leagues. Despite these absences, the rivalry continued to be heated.



Tottenham 3-1 Arsenal (April 14, 1991 at Wembley): The first FA Cup semi-final between the two sides. Arsenal were chasing a second Double, but Tottenham's Paul Gascoigne scored after just five minutes with a free kick from 30 yards out. Gary Lineker made it two, and although Alan Smith pulled one back for the Gunners before half-time, Lineker scored again in the second half to seal the result. Arsenal's Double dream was dashed, though they still won the League that season; Spurs lifted the Cup a month later.

Tottenham 5-1 Arsenal (January 22, 2008) - Tottenham's first victory over Arsenal since November 1999 was during the second leg of the League Cup semi-final; the two teams had drawn 1-1 at the Emirates Stadium. Although many Arsenal fans argue that they were playing a team made up mainly of young reserve team players, Arsenal's team that night consisted of William Gallas, Bacary Sagna, Alexander Hleb, Gilberto Silva, Cesc Fàbregas, Emmanuel Adebayor, Abou Diaby, Theo Walcott, Eduardo and Nicklas Bendtner– all of whom regularly featured in Arsenal's first team. Furthermore, Tottenham's team that night was actually younger on average than Arsenal's. Tottenham were 2-0 up by half-time with a Jermaine Jenas' strike and a Bendtner own goal. After half-time, Spurs added two more from Robbie Keane and Aaron Lennon while Adebayor pulled one back for Arsenal, before Steed Malbranque scored Spurs' fifth goal in injury time to put Tottenham into the 2008 League Cup Final, 6-2 on aggregate. The Spurs went on to lift the trophy that year.



Tottenham 0-1 Arsenal (May 3, 1971) – The final match of the 1970-71 league campaign, with Arsenal needing a win or a goalless draw to take the First Division title (a score draw would have meant Leeds United won on goal average). The game was tight with few real chances on goal, until the very end. With three minutes to go, John Radford's shot forced Pat Jennings into a good save; George Armstrong got to the rebound and chipped the ball across goal and Ray Kennedy headed home the winner. Spurs desperately tried to get a goal back but to no avail; Arsenal held on to win the title (the first half of the Double that season).

Tottenham 1-2 Arsenal (March 4, 1987) – Arsenal and Spurs had drawn 2-2 on aggregate in the League Cup semi-finals. With no away goals rule in force, the match was replayed at White Hart Lane. Clive Allen made it 1-0 for Spurs, but Arsenal substitute Ian Allinson equalized and David Rocastle scrambled home the winner to send Arsenal through to the final, where they won their first trophy since 1979.

Arsenal 1-0 Tottenham (April 4, 1993 at Wembley) – In the second FA Cup semi-final meeting between the two teams, Arsenal was seeking revenge for the 3-1 semi-final defeat two years earlier. The only goal of the game was from Tony Adams, who scored a header from a Paul Merson free kick in the 79th minute. Arsenal prevailed despite Lee Dixon's sending-off and went on to win the FA Cup in May to complete Arsenal's first domestic cup Double.

Tottenham 2-2 Arsenal (April 25, 2004) – Arsenal were unbeaten in the Premier League and only needed a point to secure the title. The Gunners were 2-0 up after 35 minutes thanks to goals by Patrick Vieira and Robert Pirès. Although a famous win looked to be in the cards, the Spurs restored some pride by denying an Arsenal victory. In the second half, Jamie Redknapp scored from long range while Robbie Keane converted a 90th-minute penalty. Nevertheless, Arsenal still won the title at their rivals' home ground, repeating their triumph of 1971.











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