Eberechi Eze scored a sensational hat-trick as Arsenal dismantled Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 in the North London derby, extending their lead at the top of the Premier League to six points. The summer signing, who nearly joined Spurs in August, showcased his quality with three clinical finishes after Leandro Trossard had opened the scoring.
Arsenal took advantage of slip-ups by title rivals Manchester City and Liverpool, moving to 29 points from 12 games and remaining unbeaten in their last nine league outings.
The match began as a cagey affair, with Tottenham manager Thomas Frank opting for a conservative back-five formation to stifle Arsenal’s attack. Spurs frustrated the hosts for the first 36 minutes, limiting clear chances until Mikel Merino’s chipped pass found Trossard in the box.
The Belgian’s shot deflected off Micky van de Ven to break the deadlock. And just five minutes later, Eze doubled the advantage, weaving through the defense to rifle a low shot past Guglielmo Vicario, leaving Tottenham’s defensive game plan in tatters before the break.
Despite Frank switching to a back four and introducing Xavi Simons at halftime, Arsenal struck again within seconds of the restart. Eze found space on the edge of the area and curled a precise effort into the corner to make it 3-0.
Tottenham briefly rallied in the 55th minute when Richarlison scored a spectacular goal, lobbing David Raya from 45 yards after Joao Palhinha won possession near the halfway line. However, the lifeline proved fleeting as Arsenal maintained control.
Eze completed his treble in the 76th minute, finishing a move orchestrated by Trossard to become only the fourth Arsenal player to score a hat-trick in this fixture. His performance rubbed salt in the wounds of Spurs fans, given the transfer saga that saw Arsenal hijack his move to Spurs from Crystal Palace. The defeat marked Tottenham's first away loss of the season under Frank, dropping them to ninth in the table with 18 points.
Post-match, Frank admitted his tactical approach failed, describing the performance as "bad" and the "complete opposite" of his intentions. Tottenham managed an expected goals figure of just 0.07, the lowest by any team in a Premier League game this season. Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta’s side now prepares for a crucial clash against second-placed Chelsea next Sunday, buoyed by a commanding derby victory and a cushion at the summit.
