Mikel Arteta's Arsenal ran rampant against Tottenham on Sunday, beating their north London rivals 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta attends a press conference
The Arsenal manager was delighted with his team's performance(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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Everything Mikel Arteta said after Arsenal's win over Tottenham
Mikel Arteta expressed his great satisfaction following the 4-1 North London Derby result, calling Arsenal's performance an incredibly impressive and dominant display. He highlighted the team's preparation and the exceptional individual quality and energy shown by his players from the very first minute.
The manager showered Eberechi Eze with praise after he scored a historic hat-trick, a feat not achieved in the derby for 47 years. Arteta pointed to Eze’s immense talent and desire, noting that the player voluntarily came in for extra practice during his recent days off.
Leandro Trossard delivered one of his strongest performances this season, leading to questions about the summer transfer speculation surrounding him. Arteta revealed that he had considered it "forbidden for him to leave," stating he knew the forward possessed the quality to make a genuine difference for Arsenal this season.
The victory earned a six-point lead in the table after rivals Liverpool and Manchester City suffered defeats on the same weekend. Despite the growing gap, Arteta downplayed its significance, stating a six-point margin is "not much" in the Premier League given the small margins.
Arteta specifically lauded Mikel Merino for his performance while filling in an unnatural role as a centre-forward. He praised the player’s intelligence and strong work ethic, saying these performances justify the coaching staff's continued trust in him.
READ THE FULL STORY ON EVERYTHING ARTETA HAD TO SAY:Every word Mikel Arteta said on Spurs victory, Eze delight, 'forbidden' transfer and title talk