One of Arsenal's North London derby stars has been heralded as one of Mikel Arteta's top three signings as Gunners head coach, and it is not hat-trick hero Eberechi Eze.
The Premier League leaders maintained their stronghold over their bitter adversaries with a 4-1 beatdownat the Emirates Stadium on Sunday evening, when Eze wrote a new chapter of history in the highly-anticipated fixture.
The ex-Crystal Palace playmaker became the first man to ever score a Premier League North London derby hat-trick and just the fourth overall, snapping a 47-year streak without a treble in Arsenal vs. Tottenham.
However, Leandro Trossard broke the deadlock against Spurs and also teed up Eze's third and final goal, leading Gunners expert Charles Watts to hail the Belgium international as one of the top three Arsenal signings of the Arteta era.
“Look how many Arsenal fans were so keen to get Trossard out the door to bring in a shiny new toy," Watts told Sports Mole. "There's that classic case of ‘we've got to sign someone’ - well, not really. Maybe if a good bid comes in, it's something to consider because of his age and contract, but no way you're going to shove him out the door.
“Mikel said afterwards, there's no way I was going to sell Leandro Trossard. Why would you? The guy delivers. His numbers since arriving, only Bukayo Saka has better than him. He delivers in key moments, scores, sets up goals. I thought it was his best performance – he was fantastic in that game.
“The goal was obviously really, really important. But his work rate, all round performance, it was brilliant. A player at the top of his game who produces in big moments, clutch moments. It’s going to be very hard to get that shirt off him at the moment.
Charles Watts: 'Leandro Trossard a top three Mikel Arteta signing'
“Arsenal could have spent £85m on [Mykhaylo] Mudryk, but instead they've got Trossard for £27m. I genuinely think he's in the top three Arteta signings. Value for money, I don't even think that's a question. Gabriel, absolutely up there.
"But Trossard, £27m for what he's produced, absolute steal. Brilliant piece of business. It was smart by the club, being able to transition away from Mudryk so quickly and get themselves Trossard.”
Trossard's deflected strike and assist for Eze took the 30-year-old up to a stellar 10 direct contributions from 15 matches in all tournaments during the current campaign - five of his own and five assists - and he is expected to start against Bayern Munichin Wednesday's Champions League clash.
The pass from Mikel Merino, the finish from Leandro Trossard! ? pic.twitter.com/CfWb1Ma5la
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 23, 2025
The former Brighton & Hove Albion man has either scored or assisted in all four of his appearances in November, while Eze appears to have found his calling in a central role after his phenomenal hat-trick against Arsenal's bitter rivals.
However, captain Martin Odegaard is on the cusp of returning from a knee injury and was seen in team trainingwith the rest of the group on Tuesday, suggesting that a comeback against Bayern is not beyond the realm of possibility.
Viktor Gyokeres was nowhere to be seen, though, so Mikel Merino is likely to retain his place in the side for the Champions League clash, which Watts believes serves Eze better than Odegaard following an intriguing tactical tweak at the weekend.
Will Martin Odegaard have to fight to regain Arsenal place?
Asked if Odegaard faced a fight to win back his place, Watts replied: "Absolutely. You can't just walk back into this team and take place of a player who's just scored a hat-trick. It was very interesting - although Mikel Merino was playing in that false nine, he was very deep.
“He comes deep in that role anyway, but this felt like a real tactical shift from Arteta. He was having the runners really go beyond him, Eze was playing more advanced a lot of the time. It was almost like Eze was the false nine! Mikel was asked how to describe Merino - he called him a defensive nine.
“He wasn't defensive, but he was dropping so deep. The fourth goal, for example - Hincapie wins the header over Richarlison, and then it's Merino near enough the halfway line, holding off the defender, lovely little ball around the corner to Trossard, and suddenly bang, Arsenal were in.
“Merino was excellent - he played that role really, really well. But it was very interesting how Arsenal played it tactically with Eze and Merino. If Odegaard's there, I don't see Odegaard playing in that sort of role. Eze can do it - I don't think Odegaard can. Odegaard's got completely different strengths if he's playing in that eight.
“Will he be fit for Bayern? He was very, very close to Tottenham. Decisions for Mikel to make, but what a position to be in. So many players playing very, very well, Madueke came back, Martinelli is there, you know, hopefully not too far away from Havertz and Gyokeres being back. I wouldn't want to be Mikel Arteta with those decisions he's got, but from an Arsenal point of view, that's a fantastic dilemma.”
Arsenal are only trailing Bayern Munich on goals scored at the top of the Champions League table, and they will be facing an FC Hollywood side missing ex-Liverpool winger Luis Diaz due to suspension, but Michael Olise will reunite with Eze at the Emirates.
> Click here to listen to the full reaction to Arsenal's 4-1 win over Tottenham