Eberechi Eze Hat-Trick Delivers Arsenal 4-1 Derby Win, Six Points Clear at Premier League Top

On a crisp Sunday afternoon at Emirates Stadium, Arsenal didn’t just beat Tottenham Hotspur—they erased any lingering doubt about who runs North London. Eberechi Eze, the 27-year-old attacking midfielder who was moments away from joining Spurs last summer, delivered a hat-trick so brutal, so precise, it’ll be replayed for decades. The final whistle blew 4-1, with Arsenal now six points clear at the top of the Premier League after 12 matches, while Tottenham’s season spiraled into chaos. This wasn’t just a win. It was a statement—and one that echoed through every pub, every living room, and every boardroom in English football.

The Hat-Trick That Rewrote History

Four players in 138 years of this rivalry have scored a derby hat-trick. Ted Drake. Terry Dyson. Alan Sunderland. And now, Eberechi Eze. He didn’t just score three goals—he engineered them. His first came in the 41st minute, a slick one-two with Declan Rice before curling it past Guglielmo Vicario. The second? A lightning counter right after halftime. Jurrien Timber sent a diagonal pass into space, Eze accelerated, and with a single touch, he buried it low into the bottom corner. The third? Pure theatre. In the 76th minute, Trossard played him through, Udogie slid desperately, and Eze flicked the ball past him like a street footballer, then curled it into the far post. No celebration. No theatrics. Just a nod to the bench. He knew what he’d done.

What made it more surreal? Eze was supposed to be a Tottenham Hotspur signing. In August, negotiations were complete. A medical was scheduled. Then Arsenal swooped. A last-minute offer, a surprise bonus structure, and suddenly, the player Tottenham fans had been dreaming of was wearing red and white. The irony wasn’t lost on anyone. Not the fans. Not the media. Not even Eze himself, who, according to post-match interviews, simply said: "I play for Arsenal now. That’s all that matters."

The Match That Broke Tottenham

Tottenham came in with confidence. They’d just won a European cup—though sources didn’t specify which—and had spent heavily in the summer. But from the first whistle, they looked out of sync. Their midfield, led by João Palhinha, was overrun. Their defense, once rock-solid under Ange Postecoglou, collapsed under pressure. Richarlison’s 55th-minute 40-yard lob over David Raya was a moment of brilliance, yes—but it was also the only shot on target they managed all game. Arsenal had 17 shots. Eight on target. They controlled possession. They dictated tempo. They made Tottenham look like a team playing catch-up in a race they never even started.

Manager Thomas Frank threw on Pape Sarr and Randal Kolo Muani in the 60th minute, hoping for spark. Neither got a touch in the box. Cristian Romero, usually so composed, looked lost. His two desperate clearances after Eze’s second goal were more out of panic than plan. The crowd at Emirates Stadium didn’t just cheer—they sang. For 90 minutes, the noise was relentless. When the final whistle blew, the entire stadium stood. No one moved. Not for five seconds. Not for ten. They were witnessing something historic.

Arsenal’s Depth: A Recipe for Domination

What’s most terrifying for the rest of the league? Arsenal did this without Bukayo Saka in the starting XI. He came off the bench in the 70th minute. He took two shots. Both were saved. He still created danger. That’s the level of depth Mikel Arteta now commands. Leandro Trossard opened the scoring. Declan Rice controlled the midfield. Mikel Merino and Jurrien Timber provided balance. Even Riccardo Calafiori, brought on in the 92nd minute, looked like a top-five full-back. ESPN analysts Ale Moreno and Steve Nicol called it "a recipe for success," and they weren’t wrong. This isn’t just a good team. It’s a team with no weak links.

Compare that to Tottenham’s bench: Noni Madueke, Max Dowman, Archie Gray—all teenagers or fringe players. No proven goalscorer. No midfield engine. Just hope. And hope doesn’t win derbies.

What This Means for the Title Race

Arsenal’s record: 9 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss. 29 points. +18 goal difference. They’re not just ahead—they’re in a league of their own. Chelsea sit at 23. Manchester City, 22. Aston Villa, 21. And now? Arsenal are six points clear with only 26 games left. As Rory Jennings said on his podcast: "No team has ever been six points clear at this stage of the season and not won the league." He’s right. History doesn’t lie. The last team to be this far ahead after 12 matches? Manchester City in 2017-18. They won the title by 19 points.

Rebecca Lo of NBC summed it up perfectly: "This is the biggest North London derby win in 13 years. And Arsenal? They’re the gold standard of this season so far."

Behind the Numbers

- Shots on target: Arsenal 8, Tottenham 2 - Possession: Arsenal 61%, Tottenham 39% - Fouls: Arsenal 11, Tottenham 15 - Yellow cards: Arsenal 1, Tottenham 3 - Key stat: Eze has now scored 11 goals in 13 Premier League appearances this season—more than any other English midfielder.

What’s Next?

Arsenal face Manchester United at Old Trafford next Sunday. Tottenham travel to Brighton. But the real question isn’t about fixtures—it’s about psychology. Can Tottenham recover? Can Chelsea or City close the gap? Or has the title already been decided by a single afternoon in North London?