Eberechi Eze delivers stinging five-word Tottenham put down after Arsenal hat-trick
Arsenal moved six points clear at the top of the Premier League after their 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur, thanks to Ebere Eze's hat-trick
Arsenal hero Ebere Eze ruthlessly shut down talk of his Tottenham Hotspur transfer snub. The 27-year-old netted a match-winning treble to become the first player to net a hat-trick against Spurs for 50 years on Sunday.
His two goals in the second-half inflicted misery on the Gunners' rivals, months after Spurs failed in their pursuit to prize him away from Crystal Palace. Leandro Trossard opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time when he squeezed the ball home after the Spurs defence were caught napping, allowing the Belgian international to ghost in behind.
Eze got his first of the afternoon and second for Arsenal in a five-minute salvo for Mikel Arteta's side as they capitalised on a dominant first-half display.
The 27-year-old added two second-half goals to complete his treble and inflict misery on the Gunners' North London rivals, just months after Spurs failed to land his signature from Crystal Palace.
However, after achieving one of his boyhood dreams on Sunday, the Arsenal hero didn't want to be drawn on the summer transfer saga that saw him snub Spurs for the Premier League leaders, Eze said: "Let's not speak about that."
He continued: "That's a good one [feeling], enjoyable day, I'm happy to help the team. It's special, you know?
"Special man, I'm grateful again. I prayed for it, I prayed for a hat-trick, I'm grateful man. That was a prayer today and god delivered."
Arsenal won the race to sign Eze and done so from beneath the noses of their North London rivals. The Gunners landed the 27-year-old on a deal worth £60million.
Eze has previously claimed that he was prepared to swap Palace for Spurs but once his boyhood club came calling, it was a no-brainer to make the Arsenal switch.
He said as quoted by The Athletic : "I was prepared to go to Tottenham, but from the moment Arsenal came, it was always going to be them.
"My first (senior) Arsenal game was special. It almost didn’t feel real because it’s something I’ve been dreaming of for a long time.
"Playing for Arsenal from eight to 13, it’s been in the back of my mind wanting to go back. It felt like the realisation of a dream."
It was a crucial win for Arsenal, not just in earning bragging rights over their rivals, as they ensured that they capitalised on slip-ups from their Premier League rivals.
Liverpool's woes worsened as they fell further behind in their title defence while Newcastle United dented Manchester City's spirits with their 2-1 win at St James' Park.
Eze's treble, alongside Trossard's opener, sees Arsenal open up a six-point gap at the top of the Premier League going into a busy period before it intensifies over Christmas.