Eberechi Eze scored three times as Arsenal outclassed Tottenham Hotspur in a 4-1 North London derby win at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
MORE — Player ratings | Arteta reaction | Frank, Vicario reaction
Eze’s hat trick is the first in 47 years when it comes to the North London derby, and grows Arsenal’s Premier League table lead to six points with second-place Chelsea next on their league docket (A small test from old pal Harry Kane and Bayern Munich, however, is dead ahead).
Arsenal built a 3-0 lead off Eze’s first two goals, which followed Leandro Trossard’s opener, then salted away the win on the ex-Palace playmaker’s best goal of his trio.
WATCH — Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur full match replay
Richarlison scored Spurs lone goal as Tottenham Hotspur drop to ninth on the table with 18 points.
Arsenal, Arteta get another ‘A’ on latest test
The excuses would’ve been there for Mikel Arteta had they failed to return to winning ways on Sunday. Gabriel Magalhaes was hurt, several of his top attackers remain out, and the international break always seems to mess with teams — just ask Liverpool and Man City. Arteta didn’t need them. The Gunners’ collective buy-in remains evident following this three-goal dismantling of their rivals. Want Piero Hincapie to slide inside for Gabriel? No problem. Need Eberechi Eze to fill the Martin Odegaard role again? Here’s a hat trick. Arsenal continue to find answers and have a six-point lead after a dozen games. It’s still very early, but the mentality is there. And while conditionals aren’t important, the win allows Arsenal a little bit of leeway as they deal with Bayern on Wednesday ahead of Chelsea at the weekend. A loss to Spurs would’ve opened up the top of the table to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The injuries haven’t been going Arsenal’s way but almost everything else in North London is red. This one will feel good in the short-term and for what it says about the long-term.
What’s next?
This is just the start of a brutal week for Arsenal, who host Bayern Munich on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League before going to Chelsea at 11:30am ET Sunday in the Premier League.
Spurs head to France for a Wednesday tilt with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, then return home for a Premier League visit from Fulham at 3pm ET Saturday.
Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur final score: 4-1
Leandro Trossard 36', Eberechi Eze 41', 46', 76', Richarlison
Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur live updates — by Nick Mendola
Yellow cards
Declan Rice has been brilliant on the whole but it’s a cheap shot on Xavi Simons that gets the ire of Spurs this time.
Rice shout something down at the prone Simons and Pedro Porro doesn’t like that one bit (nor should they).
He sees yellow. So does Rice.
Eberechi Eze goal — Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham Hotspur
The first North London derby hat trick in 47 years, and the best goal of the bunch.
Richarlison golazo! Arsenal 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Martin Zubimendi gets himself in trouble dribbling across his own half in a bid to distribute the ball.
Joao Palhinha slides the ball away from him and Richarlison looks up 40-45 yards from goal and spots David Raya off his line.
Yes, he did it. Spurs back within two.
Eberechi Eze goal — Arsenal 3-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Within a minute of restart!
There’s a sea of bodies on the left side of Tottenham Hotspur’s end, and Arsenal emerge with the ball.
Jurrien Timber grabs a loose ball and fees Eze outside the arc, and the ex-Palace man buries his chance for a brace.
Halftime sub
Spurs have to attack now, and Xavi Simons replaces Kevin Danso.
Halftime
Eberechi Eze goal — Arsenal 2-0 Spurs
Not the way to end a half.
One-time would-be Spurs man Eberechi Eze is the beneficiary of a brilliant first-time entry pass from Declan Rice.
Eze just gets off a low shot that Vicario gets fingers to but not enough of a hand to deny 2-0.
Leandro Trossard goal — Arsenal 1-0 Spurs
Really good from Arsenal.
Mikel Merino has a moment more than Spurs would like, and the forward is in a more comfortable position as he spins a ball from 15 yards outside the 18 toward the spot.
Trossard has timed his darting run perfectly, getting the ball and turning to abruptly cut a shot on goal.
It turns off Micky van de Ven and skitters inside the far post to give the Gunners a 36th-minute lead in this North London derby.
Arsenal need a playmaker to step forward
The Gunners look the better unit, for sure, but Spurs are locked into their formation and essentially daring someone from Arsenal to solve it.
And when the solution comes, like Bukayo Saka turning Rodrigo Bentancur in the 32nd minute, there’s immediately a foul.
This one is again a few yards off the box’s right corner after a foul from Spurs. Let’s see if Saka can do better this time.
It *is* better but this time Vicario parries it away from goal.
Derby’s gonna derby
Spurs bit into the early challenges but Arsenal has begun to return the favor.
Now Arsenal have a dangerous free kick just a few yards off the box’s right corner after a foul from Spurs.
Bukayo Saka goes for goal but it’s too high.
0-0, 18'.
Leandro Trossard injury
Joao Palhinha is a master of the dark arts and he’s cleverly made sure Leandro Trossard feels smart pain.
Palhinha beats Trossard to a loose ball and then moves his follow-through to connect with the Belgian’s shin.
Trossard is trying to walk it off after some on-field treatment.
0-0, 14'.
What a play!
Three minutes into the game and it’s sensational stuff.
Eberechi Eze scoops a pass between closely-packed Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, and Declan Rice takes it out of the air with a side volley 15 yards from goal.
It’s solid contact but Guglielmo Vicario somehow keeps his legs tight and block it, with Kevin Danso’s ensuing punch out of play just missing his own near post.
The corner is handled by Spurs, who emerged unscathed into the fourth minute.
Arsenal lineup analyzed
Piero Hincapie starts in place of the injured Gabriel Magalhaes instead of Cristhian Mosque. Hincapie goes inside to pair with William Saliba, while Calafiori passes fit and starts at left back.
Eberechi Eze drops into the midfield while Mikel Merino is up top.
Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Maduele are fit enough for the bench in a boost to Mikel Arteta’s options.
Tottenham Hotspur lineup analyzed
Pape Matar Sarr is only fit enough for the bench, where he’s joined by returned Archie Gray, Randal Kolo Muani, and Lucas Bergvall.
This could be a back three from Spurs with Danso, Romero, and Van de Ven all starting the game. No Pedro Porro as Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie start out wide.
Xavi Simons and Mathys Tell on the bench give further options to push the attack button later in the contest.
Arsenal lineup
Raya, Timber, Saliba, Hincapie, Calafiori, Rice, Zubimendi, Eze, Saka, Trossard, Merino
Spurs lineup
Vicario, Spence, Van de Ven, Danso, Romero, Udogie, Palhinha, Bentancur, Kudus, Odobert, Richarlison.
Latest Arsenal updates from training
Martin Odegaard, Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel Martinelli, and Noni Maduele were all seen at Arsenal training, while Gabriel Jesus, Viktor Gyokeres, and Kai Havertz were not seen, according to football.london.
Latest Spurs updates from training
Some big boosts for Thomas Frank, who has been missing a huge number of players this season. Now how fit are they, and will they be selected?
Mohammed Kudus and Randal Kolo Muani are confirmed as available, while Archie Gray, Radu Dragusin, Pape Matar Sarr, Kota Takai, Ben Davies, and Lucas Bergvall all have a chance to play this week.
Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur preview — by Andy Edwards
The Gunners (26 points) are top of the table after 11 games, four points clear of Manchester City and eight above defending champions Liverpool (currently in 8th place), the only side to Mikel Arteta’s men in any competition this season. But injuries are starting to pile up for Arsenal and perhaps the first cracks came to light just before the break, when they conceded a stoppage-time equalizer and drew newly promoted Sunderland 2-2. A handful of key attackers could be available off the bench this weekend, as Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke are all close to returning.
Speaking of the walking wounded, Spurs are once again atop the injury list with four central midfielders and two strikers unavailable for Thomas Frank’s suddenly shorthanded side. Predictably, Spurs have struggled to create scoring chances (11.0 xG from 11 games, 6th-lowest) and, much like Arsenal, made the most of set pieces to cobble together the PL’s 4th-best attacking record (19 goals). Spurs have scored six times from set pieces thus far, to Arsenal’s eye-popping tally of 10 (half of their 20 on the season).
Arsenal team news, focus
OUT: Gabriel Magalhaes (thigh - MORE), Kai Havertz (knee - MORE), Gabriel Jesus (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Riccardo Calafiori (hip), Viktor Gyokeres (muscular - MORE), Noni Madueke (knee), Gabriel Martinelli (undisclosed), Martin Odegaard (knee - MORE)
Tottenham Hotspur team news, focus
OUT: Dominic Solanke (ankle), Yves Bissouma (undisclosed), James Maddison (torn ACL - MORE), Dejan Kulusevski (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Mohammed Kudus (knock), Lucas Bergvall (concussion), Pape Matar Sarr (undisclosed), Radu Dragusin (knee), Kota Takai (foot), Randal Kolo Muani (jaw), Archie Gray (calf), Ben Davies (thigh).
Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur prediction
As intense and contentious as this one will be, scoring chances will once again be at a premium with both side prioritizing a clean sheet first and foremost. Quality of depth (and depth of quality) makes the difference late. Arsenal 1-0 Spurs.
How to watch Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur live, North London derby stream link and start time
Kick off time: 11:30 am ET, Sunday
Venue: Emirates Stadium — London
TV Channel: Peacock and NBCSN
Streaming: Watch live on Peacock
