Eze’s Historic Hat Trick Secures Arsenal’s Dominance in North London Derby

omidbasir- LONDON — Eberechi Eze made history by scoring the first league hat trick in a North London derby since 1978, propelling Arsenal to a commanding 4-1 victory against Tottenham Hotspur. This triumph elevates the Gunners six points clear at the top of the Premier League.

With title contenders Liverpool and Manchester City each suffering defeats on Saturday, Arsenal seized the opportunity to distance themselves from their closest rivals. After Leandro Trossard opened the scoring for Arsenal in the 36th minute, Eze took over and secured his place in the record books with a stellar performance, marking the first Premier League hat trick in this fixture.

Tottenham, who missed the opportunity to sign Eze when he left Crystal Palace in August, struggled to compete against their North London rivals. Richarlison’s spectacular long-range goal provided little consolation for Spurs, who failed to threaten significantly throughout the match.

This victory keeps Arsenal on track for their first title since 2004, setting the stage for their next challenge against Chelsea, who currently sit in second place after a 2-0 win at Burnley on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta emphasized the significance of capitalizing on rivals’ slip-ups, a theme he highlighted after both Liverpool and Manchester City lost in the same matchweek back in October. Arsenal’s performance against Tottenham allowed them to create a six-point gap ahead of Chelsea and a seven-point lead over City.

The pre-match atmosphere was electrifying, with the unveiling of a new tifo celebrating Arsenal legends, a video montage, and a display of fireworks that energized the crowd. The Gunners recognized this as a crucial moment to assert their dominance at the top of the table, maintaining an impressive record against Spurs at home.

Thomas Frank, who has been at the helm of Spurs for less than six months, now faces increasing pressure following this defeat. Losing to Arsenal in the North London derby is always challenging for Spurs, and aside from Richarlison’s goal, there were few positives for Frank to take from this match. With the team’s tactical approach under scrutiny, a win against Fulham in their upcoming fixture has become imperative.

Eze’s remarkable performance was somewhat expected, given that he was on the verge of joining Tottenham in the summer before opting to sign with Arsenal. After Arsenal expressed interest due to an injury to Kai Havertz, Eze chose to join the club he has supported since childhood, leaving Tottenham to sign Xavi Simons instead.

Eze’s three goals were exceptional, making him the first player to net a hat trick in a North London derby since Alan Sunderland in 1978, and only the fourth to achieve this feat in history. This match serves as a painful reminder for Spurs of what they missed out on.

In contrast, Simons started on the bench and did little to enhance Tottenham’s fortunes after his introduction in the second half.

Arsenal boasts a wealth of attacking talent this season, particularly following the additions of Eze, Viktor Gyökeres, and Noni Madueke. However, it was the often-overlooked Trossard who set the tone for victory against Spurs. The Belgian international, a £27 million acquisition from Brighton & Hove Albion, scored the opening goal, marking his tenth goal contribution in all competitions.

Despite nearly leaving the club in the summer, Trossard signed a new contract, highlighting his importance to the squad. His contributions, along with those of the team’s star players, will be vital as Arsenal pursues the title.