Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp today demanded Arsenal ban for life any "idiot" who goes too far in abusing William Gallas in tomorrow's north London derby.

Gallas will return to the Emirates Stadium for the first time since completing one of the most controversial transfers of recent times by joining their arch-rivals Spurs.

Crossing the north London divide this summer has all but guaranteed the former Gunners captain a hostile reception from the Emirates Stadium crowd.

Security at the 60,000-capacity venue has been criticised in the past, with Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson two years ago branding the dugouts unsafe for visiting staff and substitutes.

And Spurs counterpart Redknapp today called for a zero-tolerance approach should defender Gallas find himself the victim of more than just booing.

"They should throw those idiots out of football grounds and say, 'Don't come back' - take their tickets away," Redknapp said.

"I don't understand all that nonsense really. What is it all about?

"It's a game of football at the end of the day."

Redknapp questioned the logic of any Gunners fans who abuse 33-year-old Gallas, who was released by the club at the end of last season.

"I used to go to football with my dad and an old player would come back and you would clap them, give them an ovation," he said.

"I don't see why someone should get abused. I don't understand it, why people behave that way."

The last high-profile player before Gallas to move directly between the clubs was Sol Campbell, who still receives appalling abuse from Tottenham fans almost a decade after joining Arsenal.

Redknapp said: "Sol left in different circumstances maybe.

"William was let go when he was out of contract.

"He didn't let it run down purposely to get a big payday."

Redknapp backed the vastly-experienced Gallas, who joined Arsenal from Chelsea in 2006, to cope with whatever is thrown at him tomorrow.

He added: "I'm sure he will be up for it, but it will be a hard game for him.

"He is going to have to be on his game for sure."

There were fears Gallas would be targeted by his own fans after signing for Tottenham but his wholehearted approach appears to have won him acceptance at White Hart Lane.

Redknapp said: "When he came, the fitness people and the physios said to me, 'Well, he's not going to play every week; he's going to find it hard'.

"But it's not bothered him at all. Never wanted to miss a training session, never wanted to miss a game.

"He's just got on with it and played; when other people have been going down like ninepins, he's always out there."

Gallas will play a key role tomorrow as Spurs look to end a winless run at the home of their arch-rivals stretching back more than 17 years.

Arsenal have looked less than invincible at home this season, losing to both West Brom and Newcastle, who peppered goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski with high balls.

Despite the tactic proving successful and Spurs having Peter Crouch in their ranks, Redknapp will not be copying it.

If you say, 'Okay, we're going to play route one, so the midfield can push up and get second balls, that's fine'," he said.

"But I'm not going to suddenly change how we play and start crashing it up to Crouchy all day. We won't be doing that."

Redknapp also suggested he was unlikely to field a holding midfielder in the absence of the injured Tom Huddlestone, despite Tottenham having not kept a clean sheet in the Barclays Premier League since the opening day of the season.

But he will call on the services of Jermain Defoe at some stage following the striker's recovery for ankle surgery.

Victory for Spurs would close them to within four points of Arsenal, who will go top of the table if they win tomorrow.

Redknapp reckons three points would put Tottenham right in the thick of the title hunt.

"I'm not saying we are going to win the championship but it is not impossible," he said.

Meanwhile, Redknapp declared he would not stand in Niko Kranjcar's way when the transfer window reopens if the midfielder tried to carry out his threat to quit the club.

Croatia star Kranjcar this week reiterated his intention to leave White Hart Lane if he continues to be frozen out.