4 Arsenal: Five key talking points as Mikel Arteta’s Premier League title

North London was painted red on Sunday after Premier League leaders and title hopefuls Arsenal secured a 4-1 victory over relegation-threatened rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs entered half time level with the Gunners after Randal Kolo Muani cancelled out an opener from Eberechi Eze, but Mikel Arteta’s side held their nerve and possessed too much class after the interval.

Indeed, Eze netted his second of the match in between two superb strikes from Viktor Gyokeres to help Arsenal restore their five-point lead at the Premier League summit and condemn Igor Tudor to defeat in his first game as interim Spurs head coach.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at five key talking points from what was a memorable North London derby for Arsenal, but a miserable one for Spurs.

Arsenal find perfect derby response as Man City title battle intensifies

Momentum appeared to be draining from Arsenal's bid to win the title following a run of just two wins in seven Premier League games (D5 L1), including frustrating score draws with Brentford and Wolves.

Past pain had resurfaced for a Gunners side who have finished third in each of the last three PL seasons and can feel title rivals Manchester City breathing down their necks. However, Arteta’s men answered questions posed about their nerve under mounting pressure by producing a commanding and professional performance against Spurs.

Responding in such emphatic fashion, following an embarrassing 2-2 draw with basement club Wolves just four days earlier, has provided Arsenal with a much-needed boost in their quest to win their first top-flight title for more than two decades.

Now, the test for Arteta and co - who are desperate to end their five-year trophy drought - is to put together a positive run of league form, while fending off stiff competition from Man City and also juggling other domestic and continental duties in the coming weeks and months.

Spurs are in real relegation danger despite Tudor’s optimism

The 2024-25 Premier League campaign felt like a nadir for Spurs after limping to a 17th-placed finish, but a miserable run of form has left supporters fearing the prospect of slipping into the Championship.

Spurs are the only Premier League team who are yet to win in 2026, drawing four and losing five, and after suffering their 12th defeat of the season at the hands of their bitter rivals Arsenal, they remain 16th in the table and just four points above the relegation zone with 11 games remaining.

The Lilywhites were second best against Arsenal, but Tudor remains confident that he can steer his injury-hit side away from danger, albeit admitting that “it is a big job to do” to turn the club’s fortunes around.

Tottenham can ill-afford to drop more points in their next two Premier League fixtures against Fulham and Crystal Palace, before taking on Liverpool, relegation rivals Nottingham Forest and Sunderland in their next three games after March’s international break.

Gyokeres produced his “most complete” performance at crucial moment

Gyokeres has received criticism for some of his all-round performances since completing his £66.3m summer transfer to Arsenal, but in an important game where the Gunners needed their big-money striker to step up, the Swede delivered his best display in a red and white shirt, scoring two well-taken goals in the process.

The 27-year-old has found form at a crucial moment in Arsenal’s season, netting eight goals in his last 12 appearances in all competitions at a time when both Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are also battling for regular starts in the final third.

Arteta was full of praise for Sunday’s Man of the Match, telling reporters: “For me, the best, the most complete (performance). His overall play was incredible... When we needed him most, that is when big players and big clubs have to stand up.”

Some may still have doubts over whether Gyokeres has the technique and tactical acumen required to thrive in the Premier League, but no-one can question his explosive finishing. The Gunners will have a stronger chance of winning the title if he can maintain his form in front of goal heading down the home straight.

Eze loves playing against Tottenham!

Only two Arsenal players have scored more Premier League goals in North London derbies than Eberechi Eze, despite him featuring in just two games against Spurs since his £67.5m summer transfer to the Emirates.

The midfielder netted a memorable hat-trick in a 4-1 home win for the Gunners earlier this season before scoring a brace on Sunday to move him onto five North London derby goals, remarkably equalling the scoring feats of both Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie (five goals each) in this fixture.

Including games for former club Crystal Palace, Eze has played nine times in total against Tottenham and has scored eight goals, netting more against Spurs than any other opponent in his career to date.

Eze scored two of those goals in a 2-0 away win for Palace against Spurs last season, meaning he has found the net seven times across his last three appearances against the Lilywhites.

Tottenham must address horrific home form amid relegation fears

One of the main factors behind Tottenham’s demise has been their horrific home form, with only basement club Wolves (six) accumulating fewer Premier League points on their own turf than Spurs (10).

A 3-0 opening-weekend win over Burnley in August and a 2-0 victory against Brentford in early December represent the only two home triumphs for Tottenham in 14 league matches at their own stadium this season.

Spurs have suffered the second-most home losses (eight) and have also conceded the third-most home goals (22) in the division, statistics that make for grim reading.

In addition, Tottenham’s four-game losing streak at home to Arsenal is their longest in the Premier League since the 1950s, one defeat more than in their previous 23 encounters (W10 D10).