2025-11-23
Arsenal, with a hat trick from Eberechi Eze, dominated the North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur and opens a gap at the top of the table: they are six points ahead of Chelsea and seven points ahead of Manchester City to allow themselves to dream of their first Premier League in more than two decades.
The ‘Gunners’ are in the best possible position to end the curse that has lasted since 2004, when they won the league undefeated. Their favoritism, in the absence of Liverpool and Manchester City, who lost this weekend, was reflected in the impressive victory against neighbors Tottenham, completely handcuffed this Sunday.
Not even a minute later, Arsenal gave the first scare when Eberechi Eze, star of the match, filtered a ball over the center backs for Declan Rice to shoot Vicario. The Italian goalkeeper, however, reacted quickly and closed his legs to avoid a 1-0 lead, but it was a matter of time before this Tottenham team locked up and tucked in behind, with five defenders and two defensive midfielders, was punished.
After half an hour and after a great combinatorial play, Merino became ’10’ to hit a ball towards the heart of the area that Leandro Trossard brought down. The Belgian danced to control the ball and turn towards Vicario’s goal and with the help of a deflection from Van de Ven he ended the tie at zero.
Five minutes later and as Thomas Frank’s plan was being dismantled, Eze knocked down a soft Bentancur in the area and riddled the net with a centered shot but it was impossible due to power for Vicario.
The Arsenal ’10’, who was one signature away from signing for the ‘Spurs’ in the summer, left another mark as soon as he came out of the locker room tunnel, a shot from outside the area to make it 3-0 and dismantle a Tottenham team that came out with the wrong plan and left shattered.
The ‘Spurs’, a matter of destiny, cut back on their first shot of the game, in the most unlikely way possible. In a drive in the center of the field, Martín Zubimendi trusted himself under the pressure of Richarlison and Palhinha. The Portuguese cut the ball and the Brazilian scored from more than forty meters above a David Raya who could do little. A great goal, but useless.
Because it was of no use and because Eze still had a trick up his hat. In a triangulation between Merino, Trossard and Eze, the playmaker was left in a shooting position inside the area and this Sunday he was touched by a wand. Before the ball was spit out of his boot, he already smelled like a goal. His first hat trick in an Arsenal shirt in his first North London derby.
PREMIER LEAGUE POSITION TABLE
Arsenal strengthens its leadership position with 29 points, six more than Chelsea and seven more than Manchester City. Tottenham remains ninth, with 18 points, three away from the Champions League, but the most worrying thing is its image, it ended up being bathed by the ‘olés’ of the Emirates.
