Eberechi Eze scored a hat-trick as Arsenal thrashed Tottenham 4-1 in the North London Derby - with Spurs boss Thomas Frank left red-faced after his pre-match comments.
Thomas Frank stands in the dugout.
Thomas Frank's dig at Eberechi Eze has come back to bite him. (Image: Marc Atkins, Getty Images)
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Tottenham manager Thomas Frank aimed a playful jibe at Eberechi Eze before the North London Derby, only to be left red-faced after the Arsenal star bagged a hat-trick.
Eze, who rejected Spurs to sign for the Gunners towards the end of the summer transfer window, showed exactly why the two teams went head-to-head to sign him. The 27-year-old midfielder was key in Mikel Arteta's team's win at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon, netting twice in rapid succession before half-time.
He scored his third of the game with 15 minutes remaining. During his press conference at Hotspur Way on Friday, Frank was questioned about Eze's contentious switch to the Emirates Stadium.
The England international had been strongly tipped for a transfer to Tottenham, while appeared destined to make that move. However, at the final moment, Arsenal pounced and clinched his services - handing Crystal Palace a fee of £67.5million.
With a deadpan expression, Frank replied: "Who's Eze?" Following a momentary uncomfortable pause, the Spurs manager then lightened the mood as he continued: "Very good player. He plays for Arsenal... A team we want to beat on Sunday."
Frank's comment has now returned to haunt him, though, with Eze spearheading Arsenal to a comfortable victory. It wasn't the first occasion that the Dane had discussed the Englishman since the transfer window.
Back in August, when quizzed about Spurs' unfortunate summer transfer window, having initially missed out on Morgan Gibbs-White and then Eze, Frank stated: "In general, of course, you know that I don't speak about specific players unless they are at our fantastic club, and I'm more than happy to speak about all our players.
"So that's one thing. Secondly, and there's been a lot of rumours linking us with a lot of players. Also players where I think; 'Oh, he's been linked with us? Interesting'.
"But a lot of times where it's definitely nothing in it, that's part of the business we talked about before. There must be someone out there that thinks it's good fun to put the rumours out there.
"But anyway, there'll be a lot of links. There has been a lot of links. There'll a lot of links in the future."
Eberechi Eze celebrates after scoring his hat-trick.
Eberechi Eze scored a hat-trick for Arsenal in the North London Derby.
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Taking a swipe at Eze, Frank continued: "And just to generalise that, to make it very, very clear, I don't want any players that don't want to come to the club. Who don't want to come to the club and wear this fantastic badge - we don't want them here.
"I think that's very clear, and also pretty sure that the fans will feel the same if they don't want to put the fantastic shirt over their head. Play for the badge, play for the club. Really enjoy it.
"No problem, then we don't want them there. I think that's a key message..."
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