Mikel Arteta (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Eberechi Eze etched his name into north London derby folklore on Monday (AEDT), becoming the first player to hit a hat-trick in the fixture since Alan Sunderland achieved the feat in 1978. And he did it in the red of Arsenal, months after coming close to signing for Tottenham.
Eze’s treble drove Arsenal to a commanding 4-1 victory over their fiercest rivals and opened up a six-point buffer at the top of the Premier League.
They face second-placed Chelsea next week in a game that could have massive implications on the title race, with Manchester City seven points in their wake and champions Liverpool 11 points adrift of the table top.
Eze, shifted into a central role due to Martin Odegaard’s injury, scored his first senior hat-trick to cap an emotional return to the club he was released from as a boy, before breaking through as a Premier League star at Crystal Palace.
He struck his first goal just before the interval, adding to Leandro Trossard’s opener, then stunned Spurs seconds after the restart with a composed left-footed finish. His third arrived deep into the second half, a curling effort that sent Emirates Stadium into full celebration and cemented one of the most decisive derby wins of the modern era.
Eberechi Eze bags a hat-trick on his North London derby debut ????
He’s the first Arsenal player to score three goals in a NLD in 47 years!
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“Enjoyable day! It is special man. I prayed for a hat-trick today and I got it. Words can’t explain this,” Eze said afterwards, declining to revisit reports that Tottenham had attempted to sign him in June. “Let’s not speak about that,” he added with a grin.
The result capped a near-perfect weekend for Mikel Arteta’s side, who had watched both Liverpool and Manchester City slump to defeat the previous day. Chelsea are now their nearest challengers, but after 12 matches Arsenal’s advantage is growing and the confidence behind their title push is unmistakable.
Tottenham did manage the goal of the match, though it amounted only to consolation. Richarlison collected a loose ball after a mistake from Martin Zubimendi and launched an audacious chip from 35 yards to beat David Raya, briefly trimming the deficit to 3-1 before Eze ended any prospect of a Spurs revival. It was the longest goal scored in the Premier League this season.
The mood in the visiting camp was bleak. Manager Thomas Frank’s decision to field a five-man defence failed to hold Arsenal’s press, and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario apologised publicly to supporters. “As a collective, we didn’t fight,” he admitted. Frank, who changed formation to a back four at halftime, described the loss as “extremely painful… against the worst team we could put a bad performance in against.”
Elsewhere, Morgan Rogers inspired Aston Villa to a spirited 2-1 comeback win at Leeds, strengthening Villa’s surge up the table. Fresh from England duty, where he continues to keep Jude Bellingham out of the starting lineup, Rogers delivered a superb second-half display that showcased his control and technical flair.
He levelled the match early in the second half, sliding in from Donyell Malen’s cross, before sealing the points with a beautifully struck free kick that bent over the wall and dipped into the corner. Leeds had earlier taken the lead through Lukas Nmecha after a chaotic scramble in the goalmouth, with VAR confirming no infringement on Emi Martinez in the buildup.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin thought he had restored parity late on, but his effort was ruled out for handball. Villa, winless in their opening five league games, have now claimed six victories from their last seven and risen to fourth. Leeds, meanwhile, have slipped into the relegation zone after five defeats in six.