To add even more spice to an always-peppery dish when the two great South American rivals clash, they will be playing in the city that will become their new home at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium.

Lining up against them is likely to be Arsenal's Gilberto Silva in only the third official match played at the 60,000 all-seater ground.

Tevez and Mascherano, who helped Argentina reach the World Cup quarterfinals, were involved in the most surprising transfer on deadline day when they moved from Corinthians in Brazil to West Ham, traditionally regarded as London's fourth club after Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

The players were already in London with the Argentina squad, preparing for coach Alfio Basile's first match in charge in his second spell at the helm.

"Given that we've had so little time to prepare, we'll have to rely on the well known ability of our players to make up for any tactical shortcomings," Basile told his players during a practice session at the Kent training ground of West Ham's neighbours Charlton Athletic on Friday.

Tevez and Mascherano, having secured their future after difficult times at Corinthians since returning from the World Cup, will be in the mood to turn on the style for Basile, along with Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Javier Saviola.

"I love the shorties because I like those who play well," Basile had told the daily La Nacion in reference to his small forwards before leaving Buenos Aires for London.

"It will be a special match because it's Brazil and it's always a classic," Basile said.

"I want to score four goals and not concede any," he added in light-hearted mood, perhaps thinking back to his first meeting with Brazil in 1991 which ended 3-3 in Buenos Aires.

Basile met Brazil six times during his 1991-94 spell as coach, with a win, a defeat and four draws, one of which ended with a penalty shootout win in their 1993 Copa America quarterfinal.

To offset Messi, Tevez and Javier Saviola, Brazil have the likes of Ronaldinho, Kaka and Cicinho, whose skills helped demolish Argentina 4-1 in the 2005 Confederations Cup final in Germany, the last time they met.

Brazil have also started a new era under coach Dunga, who made his debut in a 1-1 draw with Norway in Oslo two weeks ago in which winger Daniel Carvalho scored with a brilliantly executed equaliser.

Sunday's match at the Emirates stadium is a sell-out but there is another chance to see Brazil in London when they play Wales at Tottenham's White Hart Lane ground on Tuesday.