Arsenal restored their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League on Sunday, dismantling a hapless Tottenham 4-1 in a one-sided North London Derby. The victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium effectively silenced "bottling" narratives following a string of draws, as Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres each netted twice to pile more misery on their relegation-threatened rivals.
The result moves Mikel Arteta’s side to 61 points from 28 games, maintaining breathing room over second-placed Manchester City. For Tottenham, the debut of new manager Igor Tudor provided no new manager respite leaving the club in 16th place and just four points above the relegation zone.
Arsenal dominated the opening half-hour, creating a lopsided 20 chances to Tottenham’s six over the course of the match. The breakthrough arrived in the 32nd minute when Eze, who almost signed for Spurs last August, showed superior athleticism to volley past Guglielmo Vicario after a Bukayo Saka cross took a fortuitous bounce.
However, Arsenal’s habit of conceding immediately after scoring resurfaced. Just two minutes after the opener, the usually reliable Declan Rice dallied in his own area and was dispossessed. Randal Kolo Muani seized the opportunity, driving a low shot past David Raya to send the home fans into a temporary frenzy.
Score: Tottenham 1-4 Arsenal
Expected Goals (xG): Spurs 0.82 - 3.14 Arsenal
Possession: Spurs 44% - 56% Arsenal
Eze Factor: Eberechi Eze has now scored 5 goals in his last 2 games against Tottenham.
Spurs crisis: Tottenham remains winless in the Premier League in 2026.
Following a bizarre delay to the second half caused by a failure in the match officials' communication systems, Arsenal reasserted their dominance. Viktor Gyokeres restored the lead shortly after the interval, latching onto a Jurriën Timber pass and firing a sublime curler into the top corner.
Spurs’ defending turned self-destructive as the half progressed. Radu Dragusin’s weak header allowed a ricochet to fall for Eze, who tapped in his second of the afternoon to give the visitors a two-goal cushion.
The misery for the home supporters was finalized in stoppage time. Gyökeres capitalized on more inexcusable sloppiness in the Spurs backline to sweep home his second and Arsenal’s fourth. Thousands of home fans poured out of the stadium long before the final whistle, leaving the Splendour of the new stadium to the celebrating travelling support.
Tottenham must now find a way to extinguish the "small flames" of a relegation battle that is fast becoming a roaring fire. Tudor’s reputation as a "firefighter" will be put to the ultimate test in the coming weeks as Spurs look to secure their top-flight status.
