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Three things we learned from Arsenal win as Eberechi Eze runs derby but familiar weakness strikes again
Eberechi Eze rewards Mikel Arteta’s faith with a brace in the north London derby as Gunners steady the ship
Eberechi Eze shone in Arsenal’s north London derby win to ensure Declan Rice’s error ultimately went unpunished
AFP via Getty Images
Matt Verri
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Mikel Arteta told his Arsenal players ahead of the match to ignore the noise but there was plenty of it coming from the away end on a dream afternoon.
The Gunners swatted aside Tottenham in dismissive fashion, a 4-1 win to move five points clear at the top of the Premier League again.
Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres both scored twice. A Declan Rice error helped get Spurs on the scoresheet in the first half, cancelling out Eze's opener and making it level at half-time, but Arsenal ran away with it after the break.
A biggest away win at Tottenham since 1978 was an emphatic response to the poor recent run. Arsenal now going into a rare midweek off in buoyant mood and with the chance to recharge.
Arsenal steady the ship
And breathe.
Arsenal's title charge was in danger of coming off the rails after their draw with Wolves in midweek, a result that made it just two wins in seven matches in the Premier League.
Manchester City's win over Newcastle on Saturday night reduced the gap to two points and the pressure was firmly on Arsenal to respond.
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The atmosphere was bouncing in north London at kick-off but by full-time it was the away end in party mode and the home fans already filing out.
Arsenal players celebrate victory in the north London derby
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Arsenal were a class above Spurs. They had 20 shots to Spurs' six and could well have won by a wider margin.
That is now four straight wins at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the first time they have done that in north London derbies in 71 years. In enemy territory, Arsenal continue to feel right at home.
This result did not make up for the dismal showing at Molineux, but it was a necessary display of character and one that should massively lift Arsenal heading into the final ten matches of the season.
Eze runs riot against Spurs again
Arteta is one for thinking outside the box and finding unique solutions to problems.
Can he find a way to trick Eze into thinking he is playing Tottenham every week?
Five of his six league goals this season have come against Spurs. Eze had not scored in the league since his hat-trick in November's north London derby, but he broke that duck in style.
Eberechi Eze has scored five goals against Tottenham this season
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His opener was well-taken from a bouncing ball, and he then pounced on some poor defending for his second. He was superb on the ball throughout, injecting pace into the attacks when needing and sliding some lovely passes through to Saka.
Eze also scored a brace at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last season, for Crystal Palace, and he was also on target at the ground the year before.
Eight goals in his past five appearances against Spurs is some return. Eze could not kick on after his first starring display against Spurs this season - he needs to do so this time.
Familiar weakness hits again
Arsenal have repeatedly made things hard for themselves this season, whether that be by conceding soon after scoring or by gifting the opposition goals with individual errors.
Both were at play here, as Spurs equalised within two minutes of Arsenal taking the lead through Eze.
Declan Rice tried to dribble past Kolo Muani on the edge of his own area and was robbed of the ball. The Frenchman had the space to drive into the box and he finished low past David Raya.
Error: Declan Rice
Arsenal FC via Getty Images
It was a terrible goal to concede in that fashion, but also in the fact it immediately lifted the home fans and killed Arsenal's momentum.
In 2026 alone, that is now ten times across all competitions that Arsenal have conceded within ten minutes of scoring themselves. That pattern must be stopped.
Against the likes of Brentford and Wolves, that proved costly. This time Arsenal found a way to reset. When they hit the front again, they did not look back.
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