London: Eberechi Eze produced a sensational hat-trick as Arsenal crushed arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur 4–1 in a fiery North London Derby, strengthening their position at the top of the Premier League and extending their lead to six points.
With title challengers Liverpool and Manchester City both slipping up earlier in the day, Mikel Arteta’s men seized the opportunity to widen the gap at the summit — and they did it in emphatic style, despite a lengthy injury list.
A derby dominated from start to finish
Arsenal were relentless from the outset, overwhelming a disjointed Spurs side managed by Thomas Frank. The match also carried an intriguing narrative twist: Eze, who lit up the derby, had been on the verge of joining Tottenham from Crystal Palace in August before Arsenal swooped in late to secure his signing.
Trossard opens the scoring before Eze takes over
The Gunners broke the deadlock in the 36th minute when Leandro Trossard calmly slotted home. Five minutes later, Eze began his masterclass, curling in his first goal to give Arsenal a commanding 2–0 lead at the break.
The England international added two more in the second half, completing a memorable hat-trick that left Spurs stunned and Arsenal fans celebrating another derby triumph.
Richarlison strikes for Spurs
Tottenham’s lone positive moment came in the 55th minute, when Richarlison pulled one back, but it hardly shifted the momentum. Arsenal simply proved too strong, too organised, and too clinical.
Vicario apologises: “We didn’t fight”
After the defeat, Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario publicly apologised to supporters, admitting the team failed to show the required intensity.
“A very bad night for us. First of all, we have to apologise to the people that support us every day,” Vicario said.
“They expected us to fight and today we didn’t fight. That’s not negotiable at this level. It’s a tough night, a very bad defeat.”
The loss underscores Tottenham’s long-running struggles away to Arsenal — their last Premier League win at the Emirates came 15 years ago.
Arsenal, meanwhile, march forward with confidence, fuelled by Eze’s brilliance and an ever-growing belief in their title charge.
