Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham: Eberechi Eze scores hat-trick as Gunners win north London derby to go six points clear | Football News

Eberechi Eze scored a sensational hat-trick as Arsenal moved six points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 4-1 defeat of north London rivals Spurs at the Emirates Stadium.

Eze, who almost joined Spurs before his move to Arsenal in August, showed them what they had been missing with three outstanding finishes after Leandro Trossard’s opener in a masterful performance in his first north London derby.

Spurs briefly threatened an improbable comeback when Richarlison beat David Raya with an audacious lob from 35 yards, but Arsenal were already three points ahead by that point and Eze’s hat-trick goal, brilliantly curled beyond Guglielmo Vicario, killed the game.

Richarlison’s goal was one of only three shots from Spurs, who went five back but were unable to resist Arsenal’s dominance, Eze guiding his first goal into the bottom corner following some clever footwork after Mikel Merino had picked out Trossard for the opener.

Thomas Frank reverted to a back four at half-time, throwing on Xavi Simons for Kevin Danso, but Eze struck his second just 35 seconds after the restart, again picking out the corner in sublime style.

His hat-trick goal, following Richarlison’s extraordinary strike for Spurs, was the pick of three, making him the fourth Arsenal player in history to score a hat-trick against Spurs and make it four straight wins in the match for the Gunners.

With Manchester City and Liverpool suffering defeats against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest on Saturday, Mikel Arteta’s side open up a six-point gap on second-placed Chelsea, who they face live. Aerial sports at Stamford Bridge next Sunday.

The result clearly ends Spurs’ unbeaten run in Premier League away games under Frank, leaving them ninth as the head coach faces more questions over their lack of attacking threat.

Their total of just 0.07 expected goals against Arsenal was the lowest of any team in a Premier League match this season.

WATCH: All the goals!

Arteta hails ‘special day’ for Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on Sky Sports:

“I enjoyed every minute – the preparation since they returned from the international break, the energy I felt, the thirst to play, the enthusiasm, the joy.

“And when you play the way we played and win with the goals we scored against our rivals, it’s always a special day.

“We want to impose ourselves in all areas, but it starts with intensity, with duels, being very precise because space is limited, there is a lot of aggression. They are a very good team and we have to deserve it.

“From the start we were very strong, very intense and we had to be patient. But we looked dominant and scored two goals in the first half.

“In the second half we maintained consistency and although there are things to improve, overall it was a good performance.”

Eze: I prayed for my triple

Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze speaking to Sky Sports:

“It was a good day. An enjoyable day. Happy to help the team and get the win.

“It’s special. This is what I prayed for. I prayed for my triplet and I got it.

“My whole family is here, which makes it more special to do it in front of them.”

As a potential Tottenham player, the summer went differently.

“Let’s not talk about this.”

Frank: We can only apologize to our fans

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank to Sky Sports:

“It is extremely painful. It was a poor performance and completely opposite to what we had planned before we arrived here. We can only apologize to the fans for this performance.

“It didn’t matter if the team was playing a little short, they took care of it and we couldn’t get out.

“They were stronger in the duels and we couldn’t get out of them. When it lasted for a long time, with the duels and the second balls, we didn’t win enough. That day, a bad performance.”

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