Arsenal FC v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Premier League
Sol Campbell was delighted with Arsenal’s resounding win over Tottenham (Picture: Getty)
Sol Campbell was thrilled with Arsenal’s north London derby win over Tottenham but admitted it was ‘about time’ man of the match Viktor Gyokeres had a decisive say in a big match.
After last week’s capitulation against Wolves, Manchester City capitalised with a win over Newcastle on Saturday that cut the gap at the top of the table to just two points.
The pressure was firmly on Mikel Arteta’s side to produce a response and they responded with an emphatic victory that mirrored the scoreline from the corresponding fixture earlier in the season.
Eberechi Eze continued his personal vendetta against the side he nearly joined in the summer with two more goals to follow-up his hat-trick in November’s game.
Campbell felt the England international was the star of the show but reserved special praise for Gyokeres who delivered his most accomplished performance in an Arsenal shirt since his summer move from Sporting Lisbon.
‘A 4-1 win away from home, keep going, keep rocking and we’re going to get there. We’re going to do it this year,’ said Campbell.
‘Eze (was man of the match) but Gyokeres came close, it’s about time he turned up and I think those two goals are going to do him the world of good.’
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The Gunners are back in action next weekend when they face a Chelsea side who they comfortably beat over two legs in the Carabao Cup semi-final.
Asked if they would be victorious again, Campbell added: ‘We’ve done them in the cup, we can do them again.’
Arteta, meanwhile, said his ‘outstanding’ Arsenal side proved what they are made of after they thumped their feircest rivals.
‘It feels like we showed what we are made of,’ said Arteta. ‘I cannot be prouder of what I’ve seen out there but especially with the context of the way we lived the last 72 hours.
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‘After what happened against Wolves and losing two points with the last kick of the game, it was tough. But that’s the beauty of this game.
‘There was no explanation watching the game back and how the hell we drew that game. From any angle, you say it’s impossible and you have to watch it again and say it’s not going to happen.
‘But it happened and then you have to lift yourself up because you’re feeling angry, upset, and even ashamed.
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal - Premier League
Viktor Gyokeres scored twice in a 4-1 win for Arsenal against Spurs (Picture: Getty)
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal - Premier League
Eberechi Eze has scored five goals against Tottenham this season (Picture: Getty)
‘This one is gone and how can we use it to be a turning point and to make ourselves better? And that was the focus, that was the intention today. But you have to live that on the pitch and what we’ve done from the beginning to the end of the match today was outstanding.’
Arsenal hijacked Tottenham’s move to sign Eze last August and gave another timely reminder of what the struggling north London club missed out on.
Arteta added: ‘You just have to look at his face and the way he was in the dressing room with a big smile. He came here for a reason and we need those moments from these players.
‘I could see that he wanted to prove something. He was upset, even with me, because I didn’t play him against Wolves from the beginning. I just have to understand now how we’re going to get the best out of him.’
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